Chapter 18
NATE
“What a great fucking catch.” I threw an arm around Ryder’s shoulders.
“We fucking dominated.” He tugged on my helmet as we crossed over to the sideline.
Sweat trailed down my neck, and my lungs were still working hard, but man, that was one hell of a game. Even better, knowing Becca was in the stands cheering me on. It gave me a little jolt of adrenaline. Although I had to admit, things between us had stalled since that FaceTime call.
I wanted to reach out to her a few times, but she said she needed to talk to her boss and figure out her options. I didn’t want to get in the way of that, so I gave her the space she requested, even though it killed me.
At least she was using the tickets I left for her at will call. Normally, she would be with the rest of the press waiting for me in the tunnel, but all she said was that she wasn’t interviewing me today. I wanted to ask her what her boss said and what that meant for us.
If it went well, she would have told me. The fact that hasn’t happened has only made me feel more apprehensive.
“Yo.” Ryder nudged me on the elbow. “You good? You drifted off there for a minute.”
I tore my helmet off and chuckled. “Yeah, just going over that last play and thinking about how lucky we got.”
He grinned. “I saw you getting tired, so I stepped up. You’re welcome, by the way.”
“I’m just glad you finally learned how to catch a damn ball,” I teased. It was all in good fun, but I couldn’t let that game go to his head.
The guy was a beast on the field. He had over one hundred yards receiving and barely looked winded.
“Please, bitch.” He shoved me back slightly. “You know you love throwing me the rock.”
“Only when I don’t have any other options,” I said, trying to annoy him.
“Just keep feeding me, and I’ll keep making you look good.”
I arched a brow. “You’re awfully cocky today.”
“Damn right I am.” He grinned. “That’s what happens when you’re one of the best tight ends in the league.”
“The best, huh?” I chuckled. “Pretty sure Rhett Daniels would disagree with that.”
He stopped walking. “Stats don’t lie.”
The guy was such a shit-talker, but I couldn’t argue with him. I was just happy his hands were like glue when I needed them to be.
I shook my head. “You are intolerable sometimes.”
His face broke into a grin. “And you love it, old man.”
“I’m two years older than you.” I scoffed.
“Yeah, whatever you say.” He waved me off. “Won’t be too much longer until you’ll be getting your movie tickets at half price.”
Ryder really was a good guy; unfortunately, he knew how good he was on the field.
“You keep talking like that, and you’ll be carrying my gear for the next three games.”
“Let’s not act like I didn’t carry your ass all season.” He threw his head back and laughed as we reached the edge of the field.
I shook my head with a smile. Idiot.
The guys were loud as we made our way toward the tunnel. They were all slapping helmets and recalling plays. Their stories got louder with each step.
I scanned the stands for Becca, spotting her instantly in the VIP section. Her hair was pulled back tonight. There was no notebook in her hand, no badge around her neck. Just… wait one hot fucking minute. I squinted my eyes. Is that Jax’s jersey?
I stopped mid-step. You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.
“Media’s lining up,” Ryder said, pulling off one of his gloves.
Why the fuck was she sitting in my seat, using my tickets, wearing my teammate’s jersey?
I nodded even as my gaze remained fixed on her. She caught my eye and gave me an awkward smile.
Unbelievable. I had so many questions.
“Sandler!” One of the PR guys stood near the tunnel entrance, waving me over. “Press room, now.”
Right. Post-game interviews.
I rolled my shoulders back with my head still buzzing from all the noise and way too many questions on my mind that had nothing to do with the news conference.
Reluctantly, I shook my head and followed the guys through the tunnel. Cameras flashed as the noise from the stadium faded behind us.
I should have been focusing on answering questions about the game, not wondering why the hell she was wearing a jersey with number twenty-four instead of seventeen.
An hour later, I walked back onto the field after answering the same recycled questions I’d been asked a thousand times from reporters. The stadium was mostly empty. Just a few VIP guests lingered and staff cleaning up.
I scanned the quiet stadium, looking for Becca. She was standing by the exit, scrolling on her phone.
She stayed. Something in my chest loosened.
“Excuse me?”
I turned. Two women stood there smiling. Both were dressed head to toe in blue Hawks gear. They were wearing matching jackets and beanies.
“Would you mind taking a picture with us?” the blonde asked, holding her phone up for a selfie.
“Sure.”
I stepped between them, placing an arm around each of their shoulders. The tall girl with dark hair held up the phone and took a bunch of pictures.
I was about to back away when the blonde placed her hand on my arm. “You played a great game.”
“Thank you.” I smiled politely, already preparing to excuse myself.
She drifted closer. Her little ankle boots with the high heels looked one second away from giving out. “Are you planning on celebrating after?”
I squinted my eyes, picking up on her slurred words and glossy eyes.
Great! A drunk fan was the last thing I needed.
“I’m not, but I’m sure a few of the guys are.”
I was hoping she would move along. Except she didn’t.
“You’re the quarterback; you should totally celebrate the win.”
Her friend nudged her and started giggling louder than that comment deserved.
I could feel Becca watching me. The last thing I needed was for her to get the wrong idea.I stuffed my hands into my pockets and backed away. “Tempting, but I’ve had enough excitement for one day, so I should probably get going.”
“Come on, let’s go out for one drink. It will be my treat.” She pressed her boobs against my chest. I could smell the vodka on her breath. I didn’t want to be a jerk, but I didn’t want her touching me either.
“I appreciate the invite, but I have a few things to take care of.”
I pulled my arm away before she could dig her nails in any further.
“Oh.” She looked disappointed. “How about I give you my number for another time?”
I glanced around, looking for Becca. She was standing on the sidelines. Her expression was tight, and her arms were crossed. The blonde was talking to me, but my attention was on the woman who had been avoiding me these past few days.
I didn’t like how this looked.
For a second, I was afraid she might turn around and leave. To my surprise, she started moving in my direction. She walked fast enough to mean business but slow enough to seem casual.
She stepped up beside me, glancing briefly at them. “There you are, Nate! I’ve been looking for you. Do you have a second?”
The blonde turned around, her expression turned into annoyance, but she kept a smile on her face. “I’m sorry, but do you mind? We’re in the middle of something.”
I coughed into my fist. Jesus Christ. Where were the security guards when you needed them? There was absolutely no reason these women should have made it onto the field in this condition.
Becca’s eyes narrowed slightly. I could tell she wasn’t happy with the drunk girl’s attitude. “I don’t know if you realize this or not, but he’s trying to be polite and making it very clear that he would like this interaction to end.”
The woman with dark hair blinked while the blonde frowned, placing a hand on her hip. “Excuse me?”
“You’re being very inappropriate.” Becca pointed to the field where a few families were chasing their kids around.
My eyebrows shot up. Was my little press girl jealous? The thought hit me so hard I almost smiled.
The girl scoffed. “I’m pretty sure he can speak for himself.”
I could practically see Becca trying to decide the best way to handle this.
Here was the thing. She was right. I should have spoken up, but I was too curious to see how this sticky situation would play out to jump in just yet.
I was real mature like that.
“You are right, he can, but he’s being polite.” Becca didn’t raise her voice, and somehow that made it worse.
“I’m just inviting him out for a drink. Is that a crime?” The girl could barely stand upright, so I wasn’t sure what she thought she was going to do.
She reached for my arm again, but I brushed it away. “Listen,” I said gently, trying to keep my tone polite. The last thing I needed was someone filming this interaction. “I appreciate the offer, but I’m gonna have to pass.”
She sighed dramatically. “Are you sure? We stayed to meet you.”
I rubbed a hand over the back of my neck. I was starting to get agitated because she clearly wasn’t getting the hint. “I appreciate it, but my answer is still no. You ladies have a good night.”
She wobbled back a little. Her face was all smiles despite my rejection. “We’ll be downtown at The Dove if you change your mind.”
Thankfully, her friend grabbed her hand, and they wandered off. As soon as she was gone, I spun around to face Becca.
I folded my arms. “You know. Jealousy looks good on you.”
Her head snapped up. “I’m not jealous.”
I stared at her and crossed my arms. “What would you call it then?”
She could lie to herself all she wanted, but I was onto her.
“You looked uncomfortable, so I thought I would save you.”
The lightest, happiest feeling spread through my chest. My irritation from earlier was gone. “You were trying to save me from her?” I gestured to the woman who was barely five feet tall.
“I shouldn’t have done that?”
“No, you totally should have.”
She was really cute when she was flustered.
“You’re not mad?”
“Oh, I’m mad, but not for the reason you think.” I looked down at her outfit now. She was no longer in Jax’s jersey. Thank God. “Do you want to explain what the hell you were doing wearing Jax’s jersey earlier?”
She had the decency to look embarrassed. “They were sold out of yours, so I grabbed the first one I could find.”
I stepped closer. “I’ll make sure you have one for next time.”
A smile pulled at her lips. “I have no doubt you will.”
The corner of my mouth lifted. “Damn right I will. If you’re going to wear anyone’s jersey, it’s going to be mine.”
She rolled her eyes. “Slow down there, quarterback. You’re getting a little too far ahead here.”
“What can I say? I like to plan ahead.” I loomed over her, keeping my voice low. “Now, why don’t we cut to the chase and tell me why you’ve been avoiding me?”
She swallowed hard and looked anywhere but at me. “I haven’t been avoiding you. I answered your text this morning.”
I wanted to roll my eyes. She had barely sent more than three-to-four-word texts.
“You’ve been short and cordial.”
She took a small step back. “I wanted you to focus on your game. I figured we would talk after.”
Without thinking, I reached out and caught her wrist. “What did your boss say?”
Her eyes widened immediately. “Nate, what are you doing?”
“Trying to stop you from avoiding answering the question.”
She looked down to where my hand rested against her skin. “Can we not do this here?”
I was doing my best to stick to the boundaries we had set, but I wasn’t sure how much longer I would be able to.
I brought my other hand up to the side of her face. “Fine. Let’s go to my place and finish this conversation.”
Becca scanned our surroundings with a look of panic in her eyes. “Nate, please. Not now. I don’t want to draw any attention to us.”
A few players and staff were lingering nearby, but no one was paying attention to us. “We’re not doing anything wrong. For all they know, you’re interviewing me.”
“We are pushing it.” Her eyes were pleading and reminding me that we were still in public. I didn’t want to cause her any more stress, so I stepped back, giving her the space she’d been trying to put in front of us since this conversation started.
“You’re right. I’m sorry. You’ve been dodging me, and I just want to talk to you to see where we’re at.”
Her expression softened. “It’s late. You’re probably tired. Let’s talk tomorrow.”
I wish I knew why she was so hell-bent on avoiding this conversation.
“I don’t care how late it is or how tired I am. If you don’t show up, I’m coming to you.”
She blinked, like she was trying to figure out if I was bluffing. “You wouldn’t.”
“Try me.”
We were talking tonight, whether she wanted to or not.
Her lips parted, but I turned around before she could say anything. The tunnel swallowed me up as I headed toward the locker room to grab my things.
I meant what I said. We were figuring this out. One way or another.