Page 11 of Offsides Attraction

“How many people in each?”

“It varies.”

This is like verbal chess, Bash thought. Her evasive answers energized him.

“Cal mentioned one for teens. Is there just the one?” Penny looked surprised that he’d remembered. He leaned closer, eager for her answer and trying not to smile. Checkmate. He’d boxed her in, and she’d need to give him a definite answer.

“Usually.” She smirked, seeming to enjoy the game as much as he was. Bash noticed the twinkle in her brown eyes and noted she was very pretty when she wasn’t scowling at him. Staring into her eyes, he tried to think of another question, but couldn’t. His brain failed him. “Did you want to know anything else?”

He chuckled. “Yes, but I need to think of better questions.”

“You should check our website,” Elspeth said, turning to him. “It will give you all the basic information.” Bash pulled out his phone. “Not now,” she scolded. “It looks like Maggie’s finally starting.”

Maggie started her presentation, and Bash wished he’d slipped in an earbud so he could listen to a podcast while being held hostage. Penny was right, though. He was uncomfortable. Too many people in too small a space with not enough action going on. And the room was stuffy. He laid his phone on his thigh and opened the collection of travel essays he’s started reading a few nights ago.

Lucas hadn’t taken his eyes off Maggie, or their teammate, Marquess, in the front row, who teased and flirted with her. Bash caught the muscle twitch in Lucas’s jaw and remembered the slightly guilty look on his face when he sat down. “Seriously? You’re reading?” Lucas whispered.

“Keep your voice down.” He didn’t want Penny to know he was a reader. While it might have made her dislike him less, he enjoyed whatever it was they had going. “And you’re watching her enough for both of us.” Lucas crossed his arms over his chest and scowled. “Please tell me you didn’t kiss her when the two of you left the kitchen. Because even I know that’s monumentally stupid and a social rule you don’t break.”

Lucas shifted on the hard seat, saying, “Go back to your book.” Bash shrugged and turned back to the essays, but his mind wandered and worried. Lucas hadn’t answered him. If he hadn’t kissed Maggie, he would have said so, right? Or maybe he wasn’t a kiss-and-tell kind of guy, which was a rarity among most men he knew. Bash respected Lucas’s discretion, because the more he watched his roommate watch Maggie, he knew something had happened when they’d been alone. Bash didn’t care, as long as it didn’t ruin their dynamics—dare he think friendship?—both on and off the playing field.

Maggie pulled several cake rounds out of the refrigerator, explaining that she’d baked them earlier to save time. She dumped butter and sugar into the mixing bowl while the front row teasingly accused her of buying store bought cakes. She wiped her hands on her apron and stepped back to the counter, squaring her shoulders. “While I assemble the cake, why don’t you guys give me some pointers on how to handle being nervous.” No one said anything as the old kitchen clock ticked loudly.

“I focus on the football, and the sound of Bash’s count when I settle in,” Lucas admitted, saving her.

“I stare at the goal posts until the crowd goes out of focus and then I watch the ball,” the kicker added.

“I’m never nervous, unless I know I’m getting the ball. And then I’m nervous that I’ll tip off the other team with my nervousness, so I’m the last one who should be talking now,” Cal trailed off.

“Damn, Cal baby, you’re a hot mess,” Marquess said, turning back toward Maggie. “Me? I’m not nervous about anything. I got it all under control.”

Lucas muttered under his breath.

“I look at the back of the room,” Bash said, surprising everyone, including himself. “Especially during press conferences. Those are the worst.”

“What do you do during the games?” Maggie asked.

Bash felt his face heat. “I focus on Lucas’s ass.”

“You’re not the only one,” Barbara said, and the room erupted in laughter.

Lucas blushed and opened the patio door off the kitchen. The cool night breeze was a welcome addition. Even after being teased by everyone, Bash couldn’t help but notice Lucas’s ease around everyone. Lucas was the kind of guy who’d board a subway train and leave with half of the passengers inviting him to dinner. Slight exaggeration, but still. Everyone loved the guy. Cal was the same way. Their sunny dispositions warmed his chilly, grumpy one.

The timer beeped, and Maggie pulled something out of the oven that smelled almost as great as the look of her three-layer cake. As it cooled, she and Barbara sliced slivers of the cake and plated them. Penny arranged forks and napkins on the island while her dad, grandad, and Cal—or Four, Three, and Five in their crazy naming scheme—put the room back to rights.

Barbara clapped her hands and told everyone to come up and grab a plate. While she and Penny handed them out, Maggie cut the warm berry dessert and scooped a piece onto each plate. The meager samples disappointed Bash. They were delicious, but with the time invested, there should have been a bigger pay-off. He hung back as his teammates brought their empty plates to the sink, thanking Maggie and telling her which one she should make for the competition.

“Do you need a hand cleaning up?” Lucas asked, handing her his plate. It looked like he’d licked it clean. Cal stood behind him, looking anxious and shaking his head at Maggie. Bash didn’t blame him. They had an early practice the next day, and knowing Cal, he’d feel obligated to stay if Lucas did. And with her parents, grandparents, aunt and sister, there were already too many cooks, or cleaners, in the kitchen.

“We’re fine, but thank you.” Maggie plunged her hands into the soapy water and Bash moved toward the door.

“I’ll see you Saturday morning. I’ll be the one with the subpar sous chefs,” Lucas said as Cal shoved him toward the door.

Chapter 6

“Are you ready?” Penny asked Maggie, who was busy opening and shutting all the drawers and cupboards in the tiny makeshift kitchen. There were four open facing kitchens in each trailer and the organizers had arranged them in a U-shape. The audience seats were in the middle and the family had arrived early to stake out their section between Maggie and Cal. “Maggie?”

“Huh? Oh, right.” She leaned over the counter and peered down at Penny. “I’m ready. I just want to get going.” Her eyes drifted over Penny’s head, toward the Teton team across from her. “And I wish they weren’t there,” she admitted. Penny did, too. Whatever was going on between Maggie and Lucas was getting worse, not better.

---