Total pages in book: 60
Estimated words: 58992 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 295(@200wpm)___ 236(@250wpm)___ 197(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 58992 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 295(@200wpm)___ 236(@250wpm)___ 197(@300wpm)
He knows I was seeing her, since our pics were all over socials.
I heave a sigh, then let a little more of the truth out. “Yeah. And it’s probably all my fault.” Fuck, that’s a relief to say.
But I just miss her ridiculously.
“What are you going to do about it?”
That is the question, but I’ve got zero answers. “I don’t know, Maddox. I thought maybe I was distracted because of her. And I was supposed to do this press tour with the team today. She got me out of it. But it’s not in my nature to back out.”
“It’s not. That’s not your style. You work hard and you represent,” he says. “But is that what’s eating at you?”
I scratch my jaw, then shake my head. “Yes, but mostly I just miss her.”
He gives a soft smile. “And have you talked to Carter about that?”
I give him a quizzical look. “Why do you ask?”
“He’s always the one you talk to about your romantic woes. He usually knows what you should do.”
Maybe I’ve avoided talking to him about Brooke these last few days. For that very reason.
But I can change that right away.
25
THURSDAY AFTERNOON QUARTERBACK
Brooke
Drew and I never went parasailing, but even so, I shift my gaze away from the parasailer floating above the ocean. It reminds me of the day we met.
I don’t need any reminders of the conversations we had, the way we flirted, or our instant connection.
I’m at an oceanfront café Thursday afternoon with Cara. I worked from home this morning, and I’ll be heading to the stadium for the tour shortly. But first, lunch. We’re celebrating that Cara just aced one of her key exams.
“I’ll say it again—I’m seriously proud of you.” I toast with the remains of my iced tea one last time as we wrap up.
“And I’m amazed by you,” she says.
I arch a brow in question. “What do you mean?”
“We’ve eaten a full meal and you haven’t mentioned Drew once. You have some serious restraint.”
I sigh heavily. “There’s no point. There’s nothing to say.”
Except my heart aches still, and that sucks. The only thing that’s taken my mind away from him is work. I’ve logged twelve hours most days. All the work reminds me that I’m closer to paying off my loans.
And it’s better to worry about loans than a real fake romance. Or a fake real romance? Or whatever it was.
I raise my chin, take a hearty sip of the last of my iced tea, and set down the glass. “And on that note, I have to give a tour to the press.”
“Why are you doing the tour? You’re a lawyer,” she says.
It’s a damn good question. Originally, Stephen just wanted me to be part of the event because I handled all the deals with the food vendors. But then he wanted me on it because of Drew. Now, I’m leading the dang thing. “Nancy in publicity is out sick for the day, so Stephen asked me to fill in. Plus, he says I’m the best at only saying to the press exactly what he wants said. Yay me.”
“Well, you’re pretty damn sharp, Miss Legal Eagle. Maybe you should have Nancy’s job,” she says.
I shudder. “No thanks. Contracts are my speed. But it’s just one tour, so it’ll be fine.”
I stand to go but Cara grabs my arm, gently pulling me back into my chair. “What if they ask about the two of you?”
My throat tightens. “I’ll say something…pithy about how football requires focus.”
Though that sounds horribly canned. Also, it’s a lie. Plenty of athletes can handle romance and work. Plenty of humans can. I’d thought we could.
But I was wrong.
“Brooke, his bad game isn’t your fault,” Cara says.
“What do you mean?” I ask.
“You actually believe it’s your fault. You buy into this whole focus blah-blah-blah. But it’s bullshit.”
Whoa. Cara hardly ever swears. “Tell me what you really think.”
“You saw the game on Sunday, right?” she asks, a blazing intensity in her eyes.
“Of course.”
“And did San Francisco not play its ass off in that game?”
We are both football daughters. Cara knows the game inside and out like I do. “They were great,” I agree.
“No one was going to beat them. He’s an idiot if he thinks he lost because of you. The Hawks were relentless. They played a tight, intense game, and they took advantage of every opportunity.”
Can’t argue there. “But it’s not my place to convince him of that.”
“I know. But I don’t want you thinking you rattled him. He had a bad game. It happens. Don’t put it on you, and don’t let him put it on you.”
Cara makes a good argument. One I should share—not to win Drew back, but because it’s true and because it matters.
Sometimes you win; sometimes you lose. A pro baller knows how to play through life’s ups and downs, the bad times and the good times.