Page 78 of A Whole New Game

On their own, my eyes slide to Carlee. She’s leaning back against her headrest. A sitcom plays on the screen in front of her.

“Ah. Got it.”

Joshua’s knowing tone pulls my attention back. “What?”

He holds up two hands. “I didn’t say anything.”

I settle back in my seat, trying to appear relaxed despite the tension lingering in my body.

“But if Ididsay something,” Joshua begins casually, “it would be to ask if you need help winning back a certain blonde who is far too good for you.”

I blow out a breath. “You know?”

He smirks. “The whole team knows, man. And we approve, by the way. As long as you don’t treat her with the same charming kindness you’ve shown the rest of us the past couple of days, that is.”

I don’t know what to say to that.

Carlee wanted to keep our relationship a secret. Would it be betraying her trust to openly admit it now? It’s a small miracle it didn’t come out during the discussion about the Victor debacle, but we have our shared childhood history to thank for that.

The sound of Carlee’s laughter reaches my ears even from the front of the plane. I see her chuckling at the screen in front of her. Chris leans over to talk to her. I fight the urge to go up there and drag his ass to another seat.

Joshua whistles low. “Ah, I get it. You screwed up. Didn’t you?”

I watch the girl of my dreams talk to the weasel I suspect is pining for her. “I did.”

“Well, I don’t know what your hang-up is, but you should get over it and apologize. Get your girl back for all our sakes. You’re a miserable bastard without her.”

“I know I am.” Still watching Carlee, I see her laugh again, and I acknowledge that there’s no way I can continue to let this issue between us fester. “I’ll find a way to fix it.”

“Good.” Chen claps a hand on my shoulder and stands. “I speak for the entire team when I say we appreciate it.” He grins, and I can’t help but smile back.

He steps into the aisle, but before he walks away, he looks at his watch and says, “Oh, yeah. Before I forget, Happy Birthday, man.”

29

CARLEE

Men are moretrouble than they’re worth. They are capable of making you so freaking happy, but then with the shift of the wind, all that happiness can be blown away and they run away, scared.

More and more cliches of how troublesome men can be run through my head as I snap pictures of the team during their pre-game warm-up, wiping the sweat from my forehead with the back of my hand. I thought Florida was humid in February, but that was nothing compared to the spring weather we’re enduring now.

The Lonestars are playing Tallahassee at the Lions’ home stadium, but I wish we were back in Dallas. I’d beg Morgan or one of my parents to bring me my moisture-wicking Texas Lonestars shirt. I’m close to sweating through the T-shirt I currently wear. I packed a different team top that I can change into, but I won’t. It has Corey’s jersey number on it. Not only am I still angry with him, but I don’t want to risk anyone putting two and two together and realizing we’re dating.

I nearly had a heart attack when I thought Charles Wilson figured us out. Many things about that meeting put me on edge, but it was nothing compared to how Corey treated me afterward.

“Any shot in particular you’re looking for this game?” Tony asks, distracting me before I have the chance to fall down the well of sadness that’s hovered on the edge of my consciousness the past few days.

“Can you get some of the guys drinking from their new water bottles?” The company wants some candid photos for their ads.

“On it.” I watch the photographer cross the field towards the dugout. He raises his camera and starts taking pictures before the guys notice.

Usually, I’d be the one to take those pictures, but I’ve successfully avoided Corey so far, and I’m not interested in changing that. Not yet. I meant what I said when I told him to stay away from me until he figured out his baggage, and I plan to hold my ground, but I hate not talking to him today of all days.

It’s Corey’s thirtieth birthday, but other than overhearing some of the guys wish him a happy birthday, the day hasn’t been acknowledged. And it kills me.

Because I’m so freaking in love with Corey Johnson that I can’t stomach the thought of him having a crappy birthday, especially if it’s partially my fault.

Ugh.

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