Nick sat at home watching TV. He was watching football games and it was Thanksgiving. His girlfriend, Lauren, had gone to her parents’ house for dinner. Nick would have gone but he was dealing with the stomach flu so he stayed home. The guys called him to wish him a Happy Thanksgiving as they celebrated with their families. He sat there munching on crackers and drinking ginger ale. He saw close ups of the cheerleaders and he saw one that stood out from the rest and he backed up and paused it and really looked at her. He couldn’t believe it. He had been dreaming of a girl who wasn’t Lauren and he has found her on TV as a cheerleader for pro football.  He took a picture of the TV with his phone and continued watching TV. That night, he laid in bed and stared at the ceiling. He didn’t know what to do. He knew he loved Lauren but he couldn’t help but thinking about his dream girl. He called the one person he could talk to about anything.

        “Hey Frack,” Brian said.

        “Frick, I really need to talk to you,” Nick said.

        “I’ll be there in the morning, okay,” Brian said.

        “Thanks, man, goodnight,” Nick said.

        “Night Frack,” Brian said. Nick hung up.

The next morning, Nick got up and showered and got dressed and went downstairs just as Brian unlocked the front door and came in.

        “Hey Frack, had breakfast?” Brian asked.

        “I’m not going to push it, Frick,” Nick said getting out crackers and ginger ale.

        “How’s your stomach?” Brian asked.

        “I’m feeling okay today, but I’m not going to rush back into eating normal,” Nick said.

        “So what’s up,” Brian said.

        “Let’s go out back,” Nick said. They went out back and sat down by the pool.

        “So, you okay,” Brian said.

        “You know those dreams I’ve been having, of a girl who isn’t Lauren,” Nick said.

        “Yeah,” Brian said.

        “I saw her, on TV yesterday, she’s a cheerleader for the Dallas Cowboys, they showed a close-up of the cheerleaders and I saw her,” Nick said. He showed Brian the picture he took. Brian looked at it and looked at him.

        “Wow, she’s beautiful, are you sure it’s her,” Brian said.

        “Yes, I looked at her carefully, it’s her, I don’t know what to do, I know I love Lauren, but can I really love her as much as I say I do if I’m having these dreams about another woman, whom I haven’t even met,” Nick said.

        “Maybe you should go meet her,” Brian said.

        “I wouldn’t even know where to find her,” Nick said.

        “Doesn’t Chris work for the team?” Brian asked.

        “Yes,” Nick said.

Two weeks later, Chris had arranged for the guys to sing the National Anthem at the Cowboys football game. The guys flew to Dallas and went to the stadium and were shown to the room where they would wait until it was time to sing.  Chris came in and shook hands with Brian, Kevin, AJ, and Howie. He and Nick did their handshake.

        “I have a question, what is the name of this cheerleader?” Nick asked showing Chris the picture.

        “Her name is Bri, she’s your age, her birthday is a week after yours, she’s single, lives right here in Dallas, why,” Chris said. Nick shrugged.

        “You might as well tell him, Frack,” Brian said.

        “I’ve been dreaming about her, and I’ve never met her but she is in my dreams all the time,” Nick said.

        “And you want to meet her?” Chris said.

        “If it is possible,” Nick said.

        “Does Lauren know about this?” Chris asked.

        “No, and I want to keep it that way, okay, for now,” Nick said. Chris nodded. He left the room. The guys were heading to the field to sing. They stood at the entrance and waited. The cheerleaders walked past them. Chris came up to them.

        “Nick,” Brian said. Nick looked and saw Chris had Bri with him. She smiled at him.

        “Chris said you wanted to meet me?” Bri asked.

        “Yeah, hi, I’m Nick,” Nick said shaking her hand.

        “I know, I’m a fan, you guys and country music is the only music I listen to,” Bri said.

        “That’s cool, if you aren’t busy after the game, maybe we could grab a bite to eat?” Nick asked.

        “That would be great, just hang with Chris and he knows where I will be after the game,” Bri said.

        “Okay,” Nick said. She went to catch up with the rest of the cheerleaders.

        “Nick,” Brian said.

        “I know, Brian, it’s just a bite to eat, nothing more, I just want to get to know her,” Nick said.

        “What about Lauren,” AJ said.

        “She doesn’t need to know right now, AJ, so don’t say anything to Ro okay,” Nick said.

        “Okay,” AJ said.

After the game was over, the guys went back to the hotel while Nick hung with Chris. They waited outside the cheerleaders’ dressing room. Bri came out in street clothes and less makeup and her hair in a ponytail.

        “Hey guys,” Bri said.

        “Hey, ready?” Nick asked.

        “Yup, bye Chris,” Bri said.

        “Bye, guys,” Chris said. They went to a pizza parlor and ordered a pizza and talked and got to know each other and exchanged numbers and addresses. They went for a walk in the park and sat down on a secluded bench.

        “So I know you have a girlfriend, but I have to ask why you wanted to meet me and all,” Bri said.

        “I’m not exactly sure how to say this,” Nick said.

        “What, am I your dream girl or something,” Bri said. Nick looked at her and nodded.

        “Oh god,” Bri said.

        “I know, I saw you on TV at Thanksgiving and I had to meet you, now that I have, I have a decision to make,” Nick said. Bri looked at him.

        “There is no reason we couldn’t be friends,” Bri said.

        “I know that,” Nick said.

        “Where are you living now?” Bri asked.

        “I’m back in Florida,” Nick said.

        “The team is playing Tampa Bay next week, there so we could meet up after the game, bring Lauren,” Bri said.

        “She’s not really into sports,” Nick said.

        “I’m talking about after the game, we could meet for a bite to eat,” Bri said.

        “Okay, I’ll let you know where at,” Nick said. He took her home and hugged her and went back to the hotel. He went to the suite and walked in and saw Brian, Howie, AJ, and Kevin lounging around.

        “There he is, how did it go, Frack,” Brian said.

        “Fine, got to know her, we are going to be friends, she’ll be in Tampa next week with the team, might hang out and she said to bring Lauren, how about all of us go,” Nick said.

A week later, they were meeting Bri at Buffalo Wild Wings.

        “So how did you meet her again?” Lauren asked.

        “I told you, met her through Chris in Dallas when we went there to sing the national anthem, she’s a cheerleader for the Cowboys,” Nick said.

        “So we are meeting her here,” Lauren said.

        “And the guys and girls, too,” Nick said. They walked in and saw Brian, Leighanne, Kevin, and Kristin sitting at a table with Bri and Chris.

        “Hey guys,” Nick said.

        “Hey Frack,” Brian said.

        “Bri, this is Lauren,” Nick said.

        “Hi, nice to meet you,” Bri said holding out her hand to Lauren. Lauren shook it.

        “You, too, so you are a cheerleader for the Dallas Cowboys,” Lauren said.

        “Yeah, for two years now,” Bri said.

        “What is Tony Romo really like?” Lauren said as she and Nick sat down.

        “He’s cool, he’s a father now,” Bri said.

        “I heard that he was,” Lauren said.

        “Bri, did you have to go through the tryouts to get onto the squad,” Kevin said.

        “Yeah, and that was really nerve whacking and grueling but all worth it, I’m saving up to get into medical school,” Bri said.

        “That’s great,” Leighanne said.

        “I’ve always wanted to be a doctor,” Bri said.

Two months later, football season was over and Bri was in Florida hanging with Nick and Lauren. Bri, Lauren, Leighanne, Kristin, Rochelle, and Leigh would have girls day out while the guys were on kid duty. Nick watched TV as AJ fed his daughter, Ava. Brian, Kevin, and Howie were out back playing with Baylee, Mason, and James. AJ put Ava down for a nap.

        “Bone, you are amazing with her,” Nick said softly.

        “Thanks, Kaos,” AJ said softly. The front door opened and closed. Bri came in with Rochelle.

        “Hey, how’s our little girl?” Rochelle said peeking at her daughter.

        “She’s sleeping like an angel,” AJ said.

        “Where’s everyone else at,” Nick said. Bri and Rochelle looked at each other.

        “They went home,” Bri said.

        “Where’s Lauren?” Nick asked.

        “Well, that’s why they went home,” Bri said.

        “Nick, we saw her making out with another guy,” Rochelle said. Nick looked at her.

        “What,” Nick said.

        “Yeah, we were at the mall, she went off on her own, we went to find her and she was in the hallway to the bathrooms, making out with this guy,” Rochelle said.

        “Who is he,” Nick said. Bri and Rochelle looked at each other and Bri looked at Nick. He looked at her.

        “Nick, it was Chris, we confronted her and she said they have been sneaking around for a month,” Bri said. Brian, Kevin, and Howie came in with the boys. Bri and Rochelle took the kids into the kitchen while AJ told them what happened. Nick had gone upstairs when they had come in from the back. Rochelle got them drinks. Brian, Howie, and Kevin got their sons and they hugged Bri and Rochelle and went on home. Bri went upstairs and found Nick lying on his bed.

        “Nick,” Bri said.

        “How could she do this to me, and Chris,” Nick said.

        “I’m sorry, I’m here if you need anything,” Bri said.