Page 70 of Fake Out

A thrill of victory surges through me, and Charlie and I rush toward each other. Our embrace is heated, electrifying — our bodies pressed close, the scent of his cologne intoxicating. But we pull away just as quickly, both aware of the line between professional and personal.

“Good job,” I tell him, my voice steady despite the desire.

“You too,” he replies, his eyes lingering on mine for a moment that feels both like an eternity and a millisecond.

My heart races, but I shove down the overwhelming urge to confess my love. It’s not the time or place. Our professional relationship takes precedence, and jeopardizing our newfound success would be foolish.

“Let’s go over those contract details.” I force a smile, pulling myself together.

“Right,” Charlie agrees, and we head back to the table, immersing ourselves in the legal jargon.

As we discuss the terms, I can’t help but hope that this triumph will distract me from my feelings for Charlie. But deep down, I have my doubts. A part of me knows that I will always be in love with him, even if I can never have him again. And that’s something I will have to learn to live with.

“We did it,” Charlie whispers to me as we gather to take pictures with the owners.

“Yeah,” I whisper back. “Good job.”

“You, too.”

“Smile,” the photographer calls.

We face forward and smile. Charlie is right. We’ve reached the top of the mountain. Hardly anyone believed in us, but we did it anyway.

Now that we’re here, the success certainly does taste sweet. For me, though, there’s also a bitter edge. Charlie and I will continue to work closely together, but I’ll never really have him.

But that’s just life, isn’t it?

CHAPTER 31

CHARLIE

The pen glides across the paper, my signature sealing the deal. I can hardly believe it; I’m officially a professional athlete again. I have a team. I’m back on track and feeling better than ever before.

Marissa stands beside me, her eyes shimmering with pride and excitement. The owners and reps clap enthusiastically, and there are handshakes all around.

It’s a whirlwind of photos and calls with lawyers, and the next couple hours slip by. As the evening stretches on, Marissa and I are ushered down toward the stadium for our first look at what’s to come next.

“Welcome to your new home, Charlie,” one of the team reps says as he leads us through the empty stadium.

The grass on the field is a vibrant green, almost unreal in its perfection. My heart races at the thought of playing here, the adrenaline already coursing through my veins.

“San Antonio is an amazing city,” another rep chimes in. “You’ll love it here. Great food, fantastic culture, and of course, dedicated fans.”

I glance over at Marissa, who smiles back at me. I wish more than anything that she could join me in this new chapter of my life, but I know that moving away from Chicago would be difficult for her. She’s built her life there, and I can’t expect her to leave everything behind just for me.

Besides, it’s not like I need my agent to be in the same city as me… But it sure would be nice to have the woman I’m crazy for here.

“Thank you so much for the tour,” Marissa says to the owners and reps. “It’s incredible to see where Charlie will be playing.”

“Of course,” Orson Rhodes replies. “We’re thrilled to have him on the team. Take your time looking around.”

And with that, the group of them departs, leaving Marissa and me alone in the vast emptiness of the stadium. The silence is soothing. We stand still, side by side, taking in the enormity of what lies ahead.

“Charlie,” Marissa whispers, her voice barely audible. “I have to ask you a question.”

My heart thumps its way up into my throat. “Yeah?”

She turns to me. “Did you think we really would make it here?”

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