Chapter 18
Chapter Eighteen
~MAC~
I’m pretty sure I got home without being detected.
I checked my phone and none of my friends or teammates texted me.
There’s only a message in the group chat—Coach Andie reminding us of the team bonding event today at the beach.
It should be fun. As long as no one asks me too many questions about last night.
If they do, I’ll only mention John, I decide as I head to the bathroom. I’m in serious need of a shower.
I also want to relive every minute of last night.
The shower is the perfect place because even if I have a stupid smile while I’m doing it, no one can see it.
And no one can ask me why I’m smiling so big.
I’ve been holding back this smile my whole walk home.
I wasn’t sure who I would run into and what they would ask me.
Again, I could have played it off as John, but I didn’t want to lie and make them think there was some sort of relationship happening.
This way, I don’t have to say anything. I don’t want to lie to my teammates, and they definitely can’t know anything about this.
I hop into the shower, and as I wash my hair, I think about the way he kissed me and caressed my body.
I get out of the shower and towel off. My long blonde hair gets combed out and placed into a braid.
It’ll be a beach day, so there’s no need to do it.
As I get ready, everything makes me think of him.
Putting on lotion makes me think of the way he brushed my legs with his fingertips.
Or the gentlemanly way he slowly took off my clothes. I shiver just thinking of it.
“Fuck,” I say to myself, looking into the mirror at my blue eyes, which are sparkling. “How am I going to hide it from them?”
Shaking my head I go about getting myself ready because I’ve got to get to the beach and hang out.
I’m not this girl. I don’t get all giddy over guys.
Especially him. He’s been hired to write about me.
How can I be sure that anything I happen to say to him while I’m lying in his bed or he’s inside me won’t get printed.
And that’s what I have to remember if I decide to go there again.
Which—who am I kidding? —I probably will.
Heading out of my apartment about an hour later, I see Cassie headed to her car too.
“Hey, Cass, wanna carpool?” I call to her.
“Yes, let’s do it!”
I jog over to her yellow Jeep and climb inside. “Are you ever going to put the doors back on?” I ask as I fasten my seat belt.
“Probably not, no,” she says. “Remember where we used to live? I barely got to take the top off it once we got to college. And now this baby is going to live with the doors and top off for as long as I can.” She’s giddy with excitement, and it’s enough to make me laugh along with her. “You adjusting okay?”
I’m surprised by her question. “Why are you asking me that?”
“You’ve just seemed really quiet lately. And then last night, you walked home all alone. I don’t know. You’re usually a bit bubblier. The pressure of being the captain getting to you?”
I sigh. “Maybe. There’s a lot riding on this, and now Cromwell is letting that reporter interview me. It’s just so much attention, and I feel like I’m under a microscope.”
“It’s probably because you are,” she says, hurrying through the Tampa streets so that we can reach Davis Beach, where the rest of the team is hanging out. “Although, if someone is going to examine you like that, it’s nice that it’s him.”
“What?” I ask, my head snapping over in her direction. “What are you talking about?”
“My god, you’re wound awfully tight.” Cassie keeps her eyes on the road and points in my direction. “You really should call that John guy and let him fuck you. He looks like he has money, so maybe you’d get like a present out of it or something.”
“You are horrible. I’m not a prostitute.” It’s the second time that word has come up today in reference to me.
“I’m just saying it would do you some good to get laid. Might even help you relax.”
Oh, if you only knew.
“Yeah, well, we have some important things happening right now. I don’t have time for guys.”
“That’s why I’m suggesting John.” Cassie cackles. She’s really enjoying this conversation, and I’m not. Normally, I might play along and let her tease me, but right now, I want to shut it down.
“I will not be doing anything with Danny. He’s about to do a story on us, and you forget about the shit he wrote about me.”
“Yeah, yeah, I remember. But the man is still fine as hell,” she says as she whips into a parking space.
We get out of the Jeep. I glance down at the beach to see a lot of girls have arrived already.
There are some chairs, towels, and blankets set up.
Some of the girls are playing soccer on the sand, swimming, or tanning.
The smell of burgers wafts up to us from the grill.
I almost regret that I ate beforehand, because man, it smells so good.
But I can’t eat it. It’s not a cheat day, and I gotta keep my nutrition tight to stay at the top of my game.
It looks like a lot of the team came out to hang out.
I need to remember to thank Andie for arranging this day.
As the captain, it’s my job to do this. But she said she wanted to, so I let her.
I think she knew I was overwhelmed and, in some ways, struggling with my role.
Having Danny follow me around isn’t exactly helping.
“Mac, good to see you,” Coach Watts calls as we approach.
I wave and head in his direction. “How are you doing today, Coach?”
Jase is down by the water playing soccer with some of the team, while Andie hangs out with Watts, who is working the grill.
“Doing well. I hope it’s okay, but Cromwell invited Danny and his photographer friend to hang out with us today,” Coach Watts tells me.
“I don’t see them anywhere, thank god.” I look around, double-checking and neither of them are here.
“Oh, come on, Mac, this could be good. A chance for them to see you in your natural habitat. It could be good for you.” He bumps my shoulder and doesn’t say another word, just keeps on flipping burgers.
I head over to see that Cassie is playing soccer with a lot of the team. Hendrix is sitting out, so I head over and sit with her.
“You’re not over there trying to crush them all with your footwork? I know you have it,” I tease her as I lower myself onto the sand.
“Nope, coach’s orders that I stay here and watch. Doesn’t want me getting knocked around too much. I don’t know, it’s bullshit,” she says with a shrug.
“Nah, he’s just making sure you’re ready for next week. But I’m glad you’re sitting here. Gives me an excuse not to participate in all the merriment.”
“Not feeling all that rah-rah and team spirit today?” she asks, bumping my shoulder.
“Just trying to settle in. I like to survey the land before I jump in,” I admit sheepishly.
“A fellow introvert. I love it.”
I giggle. “Yeah, that’s me.”
“Oh, look who just pulled up.” Hendrix motions to the street.
I see Danny’s black Tesla parking, and my heart skips a beat. Nick hops out along with him.
“Great,” I say, hoping she can’t tell that I’m a little happy to see him, even though I’d rather he be anywhere but here. This is work for him. I’m work for him, and the chances of a real conversation will be slim to none.
He looks damn good, though, wearing gray board shorts and a black T-shirt. Nick’s got camera equipment with him. He’s definitely going to be working our team bonding event.
“Shouldn’t our team bonding just be the team? I mean, how are we supposed to bond if he’s here?” I ask Henny.
“Oh, come on, he’s not staying for the whole time. I heard Watts telling Jase that it’s just for a bit. He didn’t really even want him here. Just let him because Cromwell said he had to be.”
I nod. “Well then.”
“Danny’s not so bad. I don’t think.” Her voice trails off. “I know he wrote that article, but it seems like he’s trying to make amends for it.”
“How so?” My head snaps in her direction, wondering if she can see right through me. But Danny is standing in front of me.
He kneels down so that we’re eye level and smiles at me. He pulls the dark sunglasses off so that I get a peek at those baby blues. “How are ya, Mac? I figured you’d be out there romping around in the sun, wearing your tiniest bikini.”
“Unfortunately for you, I haven’t stripped down to that yet. I was thinking I would wait until you leave to do that.” My voice drops to a sultry low, and I add, “Why was Nick hoping to get some shots to add to his Sports Illustrated photo shoot?”
Danny laughs and swallows, like he’s trying to figure out what to say next. “I didn’t even want to come here and do this. This is your time with your team,” he admits with a shrug. “Cromwell asked me too.”
“It’s a good thing you have a spine,” I tease him.
He nods and reminds me, “It’s not always up to me.”
“You letting Cromwell push you around?”
“Just a few quick pictures of the team playing soccer and then we’re out of your hair, okay?” After tapping my nose, he walks away, finding Nick. The two of them hang out over by the grill with Nate and Andie for a bit.
“Do you believe me yet?” Hendrix asks me when she catches me staring.
“What?” I ask her, dazed. “Believe you about what?”
“That he’s not so bad. And just think, maybe he’ll take his shirt off and show you that swimmer’s body he’s working with.”
I try to hide my blush by dipping my head, but I’m pretty sure she catches it. Little does she know that swimmer’s body is heavenly, and the things that man can do with it… My thoughts trail back to last night, and I have to mentally slap myself to focus on the day at hand.
I stay on the sidelines and relax with Hendrix, chatting with the other team members who aren’t playing soccer.
I do eventually pull off my shirt, and my bikini top makes an appearance.
I enjoy the way he watches me as I walk around the beach.
Finally, I sidle up beside him and bump his shoulder with mine.
“How are ya doing, Danny? I’m giving you a peek.”
He chuckles. “I think I’ve already gotten more than a peek,” he says in a low voice. “But thank you, I appreciate it. Maybe if you want to come for a swim sometime, you could wear that to my pool.”
“I am supposed to believe that you don’t have frosted windows in your bedroom and that you don’t have them in the pool house?”
“I do, but what are you getting at?” He asks, brows furrowed in confusion.
“Why would I need a bikini at all?”
He chokes on nothing, and I laugh a little too loudly, causing some of the team to turn and look at us. I just shake my head and do my best to compose myself.
“Woman, you are going to be the death of me,” he replies with a laugh.
“Good, now get what you need and get out.”
I discard my shorts and run down by the water to play soccer and hang out with the team, giving him the view he was hoping for.
I barely notice him and let myself get lost in the game.
It’s fun to just be together and play soccer.
For a second, we all forget about the expectations of the game.
What we’re all working for and that we’re just soccer players.
The ones who grew up loving the game and were fortunate enough to keep on playing it.
Danny leaves at some point. I have no idea when. But by the time I climb back into Cassie’s Jeep, I have a little bit of a sunburn, and I’m exhausted. But it was a good day, and a lot of bonds were formed. Now I just hope they show on the field.