Chapter 6
Chapter Six
After checking her lipstick in the mirror, Rocky snapped it closed and pushed the visor up out of the way.
This was her first meet and greet with fans and she was nervous.
What if no one wanted to meet her? They probably hated her after they lost her first game as the kicker, missing an easy field goal.
She’d made one extra point that game but the missed one haunted her.
With a sigh she got out of the car and headed toward the stadium.
They were holding the meet and greet in the conference hall.
“Rocky, glad you’re here early,” Coach Albertson said as he steered her toward a row of tables set up along the side of the room.
“We’ve got you set up at this table,” he said.
He pointed to the stack of prints sitting on the table.
“Each fan gets a signed photo. If you need anything just let one of the staff know.”
“Thanks, Coach.”
She hoped at least some of the fans would want her autograph.
What if they all ignored her? Butch walked past her table, sitting at the table next to hers.
Just great, she’d have to spend the entire time listening to him as he greeted and talked to his fans.
He sat and looked over at her and grumbled, “Wow, what did I do to deserve being next to you? Can’t even make an easy field goal. ”
Her temper flared until the staff opened the doors to the hall and fans trooped in, rushing to meet their favorite players.
Rocky looked down at her phone as people avoided her table. She took a selfie with the crowd behind her and posted it to her social media. With a sigh she set her phone back on the table. Then she heard someone say, “Hi! You’re my favorite player!”
She looked up to find a girl standing in front of her table, a jersey clutched tightly in her hand.
“Thank you. What’s your name?” Rocky asked.
“C… C… Cynthia,” she stammered, her eyes huge. “Will you sign my shirt?”
“Of course, Cynthia,” she said as she held out her hand to take the shirt.
“I want to play football when I grow up,” Cynthia said as she watched Rocky sign the shirt.
“What position do you want to play?”
“I really want to be a quarterback, but my brothers think that’s silly, that girls can’t be quarterbacks.”
Rocky smiled. “A lot of people told me I couldn’t be a kicker, but here I am. You keep practicing and don’t give up. I bet you’ll be a quarterback before you know it.”
She handed the shirt back to Cynthia along with a signed photo. “How about a picture?”
“Can we? That would be so awesome!”
Rocky stood and walked out to the front of the table as Cynthia pulled a man forward.
“See, Daddy, I told you she was nice. She said we could take a picture.”
The man smiled at her. “You don’t have to…”
“I’m glad to take a picture with a future player.”
Cynthia smiled huge as she moved to stand with Rocky. “You really think I can be a player?”
“Of course. Now, scrunch in and smile!” she said as she held out her phone and snapped their picture.
“Here, let me take one with your phone,” Cynthia’s dad said, holding out his hand. “I’m Steve.”
“Nice to meet you,” she said as she handed him her phone. “Are you a Legends fan?”
“Ever since I was a kid,” he replied with a smile as he snapped a picture with her phone and then switched to take one with his phone. “I’d, uh, I’d like to take you out for a coffee or something.”
That surprised her. Most men were intimidated when they knew she played on a men’s football team. “Would your wife like to join us?”
“She died two years ago.”
“I’m so sorry,” Rocky said.
“How about I put my number in your phone and you can call me if you decide to take me up on it.”
“Okay.”
She didn’t see Butch staring at her, a scowl on his face.
“Looking forward to hearing from you,” Steve said as he led his daughter away from her table.
“This isn’t a singles bar,” she heard Butch say.
She smirked at him. “Like I haven’t heard at least ten women proposition you today. Get over yourself.”
She turned back to find someone walking toward her table.’
“Rocky! Good to see you!”
She smiled. “Randy, long time no see!” she said as she hurried around the table to hug him. “I didn’t know you were back in town.”
Butch scowled until a fan walked up to his table.
“I got back last Thursday. Too bad about the field goal. You’ll get ‘em next time,” Randy said with a smile. “I always knew someone in the big leagues would see your talent.”
“I’m just grateful for the chance. A few of my teammates are blaming me for the loss but most are encouraging.
” She returned to her table to pick up her phone.
“I need to save this moment for posterity.” Standing next to Randy, she held her phone out in front of them to take a selfie.
“It’s not every day a soccer phenom and a female kicker are in the same space. ”
“Here’s to it happening more in the future. There’s talk of a trade that might bring me back to Indy.”
She hugged him again. “That would be amazing!”
A fan stepped toward her table. “Call me tomorrow, we need to plan a night out before you leave. Kylie will be so excited to see you.”
“Later, beautiful,” he said as he stepped away.
Butch
Sitting next to that girl kicker put him in a foul mood.
He did well hiding it, smiling and chatting with the fans.
Every time she greeted a new fan he grimaced.
How could so many people think a girl football player was a good idea?
Fuming, he took a swig of water and almost choked on it when she squealed, “Randy, long time no see!” Her happy voice grating on his nerves.
Dammit, this wasn’t a slumber party, it was a football meet and greet.
Watching as she hugged the guy, he almost cursed in front of the fan coming up to his table.
Slapping on a smile, he did his usual banter as the fan congratulated him on a particularly brutal tackle against the Engines. His mind on the pretty blonde kicker at the next table, he signed a photo and sent the fan on his way.
His attention back on Rocky, he watched as they said goodbye. Her perky smile set his teeth on edge as something deep inside of him wished she was smiling at him.
Where in the fuck did that come from? No way was he attracted to her in anything but a superficial way. Sure, hooking up with her topped his current fantasies but purely in a physical, sexual way. His dick stirred just thinking about her tits in his hands.
Fuck, he needed to get laid if he was seriously fantasizing about her.
Anyone but her. He could get almost any woman he wanted, they all thought they could be the one to tame him.
They were mistaken, he was a one-and-done type of guy.
Sure, sometimes he wondered what it would be like to actually care for someone other than himself.
But why would he change now, one night stands had served all his needs so far.
Wanting nothing more than to go find some willing woman, Trey stopped him on his way out of the stadium.
“Good crowd of fans today. Most of them seemed to like Rocky.”
“I have no idea why,” Butch said with a frown. “You watch, she’s going to end up being the reason if we don’t make the playoffs this season.”
“Why does her being on the team bother you so much?” Trey asked as they walked across the parking lot.
“I told you girls don’t belong in football.”
Trey mumbled something about it being bullshit as he veered off toward his car.
Hitting the button to unlock his car, his attention was drawn to Rocky who was standing next to her car a couple of rows away from him. Attention on the paper in her hand, her hand was shaking.
He strode over and remarked snidely, “What, the boyfriend leave you a “Dear John’ letter?”
Her mouth open she stared at him. “Who pulled your string and made you talk? Go away, this doesn’t concern you.”
The tremble in her voice concerned him. God only knew why, he couldn’t stand her. Having to be at the table next to her all day had put him in a bad mood. But this, that tremble made him want to pull her into his arms.
“Sorry for being concerned,” he said as he turned to return to his car and get away from her.
“Why are you concerned? You hate me.”
“Oh, I don’t hate you. I just don’t like that you forced your way onto my team.”
“You’re such an asshole,” she replied as she swiped at her cheek. The fear in her eyes twisted something within him.
Fuck, now she was crying. He plucked the paper from her fingers. “What’s got you so scared?” he asked as he scanned the paper.
He read the sentence scrawled in messy handwriting, ‘You’ve been warned.’
“What is this?” he asked as he shook the paper in her face. “What have you been warned about?”
Her eyes snapped as his words penetrated. “None of your fucking business.”
“Did someone threaten you?” his gut twisted at the thought of someone hurting her. What the fuck?
“Someone doesn’t like me being a Legend. I ignored the notes because I thought it was you,” she admitted, her voice almost a whisper.
“You thought I…”
“Well, you were the one who soaked my clothes in shampoo and conditioner, weren’t you?”
“I’m not proud of that. I just wanted to make you decide it wasn’t worth the hassle but I’d never try to scare you. I wouldn’t be that cruel.” Why had he admitted what he’d done? She’d have him benched for sure.
“I’ve put up with a lot of hazing. Got to admit taking my clothes and then having someone pound on the door saying Coach needed me immediately, that was original.”
She jingled her keys nervously. “I really need to get…”
“You probably shouldn’t be driving. Let me drive you to the police station to make a report. The cops need to know about this.”
“It’s just some nut, it’ll be fine.”
“Your reaction tells me otherwise. I’ll take you out for a beer afterward,” he said with a small smile. “No strings and no propositions, I promise.”
“At least let me take you to file a report.” He didn’t know why he was being so insistent, butting into other people’s business wasn’t his style.
He breathed a sigh of relief when she said, “Okay.” He watched as she stowed her bag in her car and locked it.
Leading her to his car, he unlocked the doors and motioned for her to get in before he threw his bag in the back seat.
The silence in the car was thick as he drove out of the parking lot.
He tapped his fingers on the steering wheel as he navigated the traffic.
“So, what was it like having James Masterson for a dad?” Maybe if he could get her talking she would relax a little.
“He was so excited when I showed an interest in football. We never missed a Legends home game. He was so supportive when I wanted to play football in high school. Of course my mother blamed that on him, saying he was trying to turn me into a son.”
“That must have made dinner time interesting,” he commented as he pulled into the parking lot at the police station. “You want me to come in with you?”
“Would you? I’m afraid they’ll just think I’m overreacting.”
“Let’s go.” No one deserved what this creep was putting her through.