Chapter 6
Chapter Six
Dinner was delicious. The company was wonderful.
Even Amil.
Especially Amil.
Which, damn it, was annoying as hell. Diana already knew she liked the guy; she did not need that realization slapped in her face every time he spoke.
Every time he did something sweet, like take her plate to the sink when she was done eating.
Or ensure her glass was topped off with rosé, which was in the fridge instead of sitting on the table with the cab.
They did not talk about football over dinner, a choice she suspected was deliberate after the whole Jalen-needs-a-talking-to conversation.
Or maybe it was because of whatever the hell Dante and Amil had talked about while she and Allison went to the bedroom so Allison could grill her on Amil (“Nothing, Allison, I swear. You know I’m a one-and-done girl, and we’ve already been there once.
”). Because they had obviously talked about something important, based on the hard set of Amil’s jaw when she and Allison returned.
Instead, they talked about the winery where Allison worked, which happened to be owned by one of the Mountain Lions’ owners.
“That fact definitely came in handy when I had my little breakdown over the idea of us not ever talking again,” Allison said, her warm gaze on Dante.
“They kept you on staff based on your own merit,” Dante replied.
It was true. Allison had been forced to drop out of college when the funds ran out.
She’d ended up bartending at a trendy place down in Malibu, a career she’d then been forced out of courtesy of Mitch Madden, a.k.a.
the douchiest actor in Hollywood. Diana had helped her land the job at the winery, but the subsequent promotions had been entirely Allison’s own doing.
After giving Amil the CliffsNotes version of Allison and Dante’s near breakup, they moved on to the gorgeous countryside in northern Oregon.
All three of them rattled off recommendations on what to see and do in the area, as if he were planning a weekend trip.
He took in all the information graciously, acted like he really was appreciative of their suggestions, even as Diana wondered if he would ever take the suggested mini vacation.
Hell, with the season about to start, that theory was highly unlikely.
They talked about the house a little. Amil said if they did decide to sell, he’d be interested in taking it off their hands, but no pressure. Even though he was currently living in a hotel.
And then it was time to leave. She had to take Amil back to the practice facility before she could head home and change into pajamas and curl up in bed with Lazlo and give in to all the fantasies that just kept building and building until she was ready to combust.
“Want me to drive?” he asked casually as they walked out to the car.
“Why?” she asked suspiciously, which was silly. She had nothing to be suspicious of with this guy. Nothing except that stupid desire to break her own one-night rule.
He shrugged. “It would be good for me to drive. Helps me better remember where to go next time.”
She supposed that was true. “Sure,” she said, walking around to the passenger side. He beat her there, opening the door and holding it while she slid into her seat. “Was this your grand plan all along?”
“Yes,” he said solemnly. “Although I would have held the door even if you decided to drive.”
Of course he would have.
She rattled off directions to the practice facility. She expected they’d continue to keep the conversation light. They were in a good place at the moment. Why ruin it?
“What are you afraid of, Diana?”
Well, that certainly wasn’t light, was it?
“Like monsters under my bed? Walking under a ladder? That kind of stuff?” she asked flippantly.
“Not even close. Although if you want to tell me about those fears, I’m happy to listen.”
She sighed. “What are you really asking me?”
“Why won’t you give us a chance?”
“Okay, first of all, there is no us.”
His jaw hardened as he gritted his teeth and clenched the steering wheel. “Fine. Why won’t you sleep with me again?”
“I told you—”
“Why do you have that rule?”
Well, damn it. She slumped in her seat, crossed her arms.
“Are you really not going to tell me?”
“I’m deciding exactly what to tell you.”
He waited. She assumed that’s what he was doing, because he didn’t say anything else.
She finally settled on, “My family is cursed.”
“Holy shit.”
“What?” Did he believe in curses too? That would be nice, to be honest. Allison and Emma told her she was being ridiculous. Maybe, sometimes, she thought they might be right, except she’d never had reason to question her lifestyle, so she simply hadn’t.
“Earlier today, when Dante was warning me away from you, I literally wondered if you were cursed.”
“One, why was Dante warning you away from me,” she asked, “and two, why would that lead you to believe I was cursed?”
“I wondered if you were cursed because he’s the second guy today to warn me away from you.”
“Jeez. I had no idea the guys on the team were so concerned for my sex life.”
“Actually, they’re concerned about winning the Super Bowl. Well, Pedro is. Dante seems to think you have a bunch of walls built up and I should focus on the team instead of on tearing them down, because you aren’t ready for them to be torn down.”
“Dante is a wise man. You should listen to him.”
“Should I?” He gave her a heated glance before focusing on the road. “Why don’t you tell me what’s really going on so I can be my own judge.”
“I just told you, my family is cursed.”
“What kind of curse? Is it something we can break?”
“You talk like you really believe in curses.”
“I believe you believe in them.”
Damn him and his logical thinking. She was half afraid to tell him the truth only because he might actually find a way to contradict it, and then where would she be? She’d have no reason not to hook up with the guy again, and that scared her more than she’d like to admit.
“I’m listening,” he said after a few moments of silence.
She looked at the sunroof. Was she willing to do this? To lay herself bare to him?
Emotionally?
Hell, maybe if she did, he’d be scared off and she would not have to make any decisions whatsoever. Easy peasy.
“All the women in my family, for at least three generations, have had utterly horrible luck with men. With relationships. Between my grandmother and mother, they’ve been married and divorced ten times.
Ten. And my sister is trying to catch up.
She’s currently on divorce number two. I decided back in high school that I did not want to be like them.
And the only way to do that was to avoid relationships altogether. ”
“Therefore the one-and-done rule.”
“Exactly.”
“I can see how you’d come to that conclusion.”
Wait, what? He wasn’t going to argue with her? Tell her she was a fool for believing in curses? That at some point, some time, someone would come along and convince her she should give love a try, despite all the cards stacked against her?
None of that?
Really?
They reached the practice facility, and he guided her vehicle into the space next to his truck.
“Thanks for showing me around today,” he said. “And thanks for taking me to Dante and Allison’s house. I do really like it and I would be interested in buying it, although I have a feeling they are going to change their minds about selling.”
“Why do you say that?” And thank you for the change of subject.
He shrugged. “They’re comfortable there. And it’s a beautiful house in a great location.”
“Not for Allison. That commute sucks.”
“Yeah, that’s my only hesitation. I still want to keep looking, though. Do you want to keep helping me?”
“Um, sure.” What a bizarre conversation. Which wouldn’t be remotely bizarre if not for the one they’d just had before he changed the subject.
“Good. When are you available next?”
She mentally pulled up her schedule for the rest of the week. “Tomorrow I have a charity thing at the humane society—oh, you should come! I’ve wrangled a few of the guys to join me—no, scratch that. Jalen will be there.”
“I’ll go. Tell me when and where.”
“No, seriously, you do not—”
“I’ll be there, Diana. Jalen and I can be civil to support the team and the humane society.”
God, she certainly hoped so.
He rattled off his digits, and she texted him the time and location, told him to wear his jersey and be prepared for lots of puppy licks and photo ops.
“Perfect. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
He hopped out of the vehicle and headed straight to his own, sliding into the driver’s seat without looking back at her.
She stared at him. He started his truck and finally glanced up at her. He frowned and then dropped his gaze. A moment later, her phone vibrated.
Are you leaving? I can’t leave until you do.
Of course he couldn’t. Because he was a gentleman.
Good Lord.
With a sigh that was more annoyance—at herself—than anything else, she climbed over the center console and waved at him from the driver’s seat. And then she buckled up and left the parking lot.
Son of a bitch.
How was she supposed to keep resisting this guy?