Total pages in book: 30
Estimated words: 27290 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 136(@200wpm)___ 109(@250wpm)___ 91(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 27290 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 136(@200wpm)___ 109(@250wpm)___ 91(@300wpm)
I filled her in on everything that happened when I’d gone to get our kiddie cocktails, and when I finished, she let out a low whistle. “Wow, I never would’ve guessed any of that with how comfortable you both seemed with each other. Or all of the sparks flying between you. I even remember thinking that you two would fit in perfectly with the rest of us couples.”
“Really?” With how awkward I’d felt about pretending to be Brady’s girlfriend, her observation surprised me.
“Yeah, it’s actually kind of funny now that I think about it.” She laughed and shook her head. “If you had asked me anything about football plays a year ago, I wouldn’t have had a clue. My best friend was a huge fan of the Nighthawks, but I wasn’t into the game at all. So I didn’t realize that the way a lot of the couples met each other fits with the guy’s position. You guys included now that you’ve shared all this with me.”
My brows drew together as I tried to figure out what she was talking about. “How so?”
“Well, take Ames and me as an example. I thought he was my blind date when we met, but it turned out that he took that guy’s spot because he wanted to be the one sitting across from me at dinner. Charmaine joked about how we got a false start since he didn’t tell me that he wasn’t my blind date until the next time we went out, but I didn’t realize other couples on the team have similar stories. Ames is on the offensive line, and we got a false start.”
I nodded. “Ahh, I get your bestie’s joke now.”
“But we’re not the only ones. Nixon intercepted Ember when she was on her way to a blind date that Naomi set her up on with Jordan, and getting an interception is something he’s always aiming for on the defensive line. Plus, the entire world thought Cleo was with some Brazilian actor when she and Rigby got together…and his main role for the team is to punt for a voluntary change of possession.”
My eyes widened. “Wow. You’re right. Those are some interesting coincidences.”
“Heck, you’re not even the only couple who started out by fake dating. So did Jordan and Wrenley,” she informed me.
“Whoa,” I breathed. “I had no idea.”
“Which reminds me…that last play Brady ran before the end of the quarter, it’s called a pump fake. So I have a hunch your relationship will turn out to be as real as the rest of ours. Especially since I’ve seen how he looks at you.”
10
BRADY
“Damn, Brady,” Dempsey laughed as we ran off the field. “You were like a man possessed out there. The other team didn’t stand a fucking chance.”
Ames was ahead of us, and he turned around to walk backward, grinning. “Almost seems like he was trying to impress someone besides Lennox and the coaches.”
I flipped him the bird and rolled my eyes. “Like you don’t strut around like a peacock whenever Dakota is at a game?”
“Ah,” Dempsey said, his tone filled with amusement. “Talia’s here.”
“Of course his girl is here,” Nixon snorted as he caught up to us and bumped his shoulder into mine. “You ever seen him play like that before?”
My teammates laughed, and I let them have their fun because it was all good-natured ribbing, and honestly, I probably deserved a lot more after I’d given them shit about being so sappy with their wives over the years.
Also, they weren’t wrong. Knowing Talia was watching me, wearing my jersey, and rooting for me, had given me an extra boost of determination to kill it on the field. “Laugh it up, boys,” I replied with a grin. “I don’t give a fuck because, at the end of the night, Talia is coming home with me.”
They all nodded, knowing exactly how I felt.
As we congregated in the locker room, there were more congratulations and back slaps on my way to my cubby. I thanked everyone and stripped off my gear before heading to the showers.
Normally, I would have taken my time, shot the shit with the guys, and probably gone out to celebrate afterward. But I hurried to get washed and dressed, anxious to be with my girl instead.
“Summers!” I jumped at Coach’s voice, having been lost in my thoughts of Talia and everything I intended to do to her later.
“Yeah, Coach,” I responded as I shut off the water and wrapped a towel around my waist. “What’s up?”
“You start next week.” Then he turned around to leave but looked back at me at the last second. “Best game of your career, Summers. Keep that shit up, and you’ll be first in line to replace Prentice when he retires.”
He walked out the door without another word, leaving me stunned and fucking elated. Perhaps Talia was my good luck charm. I smiled at the thought as I dried off and returned to my locker.