Page 20 of A Whole New Play

Coach Owens ducks into the office.

Palmer looks between me and his daughter. “Fine. I’ll leave you two to discuss the details, but I expect both of you to realize this solves everyone’s problems. Including the team,” he directs the last remark to me with a meaningful look.

He steps past us to join Coach Owens, but not before clapping a firm hand on my shoulder. It’s a normal gesture from him, but one that feels like a bit of a warning.

We both know things can’t continue the way they’ve been going. He hasn’t said it out loud, but if I don’t shape up, I know there are at least two guys on our roster who would love to step into my position and have the chance to make a name for themselves this season. I’m not old, but I’m not young by any means. My time in the league is limited enough. I can’t spend the few good years I have left performing at a subpar level.

Both Valerie and I are silent as we watch him walk down the hall. It isn’t until the head coach’s office door closes that I feel those stunning green eyes land on me.

“Nice to see you again, CJ.”

My lips tilt into a sheepish smile. “Caught that, did you?”

She crosses her arms and narrows her eyes. “You mean the fact you gave me a fake name? Yeah, I caught that.”

It takes effort to keep my eyes on her face and not the long leg that she kicks out to pop out her hip.

“It’s not technically a fake name. My initials are Carter Jones.”

“Whatever.” She rolls her eyes. “You intentionally didn’t give your real name so I wouldn’t know who you are.”

“Well... why would I?”

She balks. “Because that’s the polite thing to do.”

I shrug. “I don’t like to be taken advantage of.”

“So that means you have to lie about your name?”

“Again, it wasn’t technically a lie. Those are my initials.”

“So people call you CJ?”

“No. Do people call you Val?” I try to turn the tables on her. It doesn’t work.

“Actually, yes, some people do.”

I take in her smug expression and chuckle. She’s trying to look firm, but her freckled nose and stunning green eyes diminish the effect. She’s adorable as well as beautiful. I keep the observation to myself. Something tells me she wouldn’t appreciate it.

When I don’t respond, Valerie sighs. “Look, I agreed to the nanny job before knowing who you were. I can be professional, but if this situation is too weird for you, I get it. I’ll make up an excuse to tell my dad why I can’t take the job.”

Her words feel like an insult and a challenge at the same time.

Too weird for me?

Shouldn’t this situation feel weird for her too?

It’s my turn to cross my arms, pushing out my biceps to showcase my muscles. “You’re telling me you’d be okay working for me after ... that night.” The southern gentleman my mom worked hard to raise won’t allow me to say the words out loud. Not in this hallway where my teammates could walk by and hear.

Valerie raises her brows. “I would’ve thought you’d be unaffected by one-night stands considering you’re a big-shot football star.”

“You thought wrong.” My quick response wipes the smirk off her face.

Uncertainty flickers in her gaze. It hits me that Valerie might be the one who is used to one-night stands, and the idea puts a sour taste in my mouth.

She clears her throat and averts her gaze. “Well, regardless... I’ll think of something to tell my dad. Don’t worry about it.”

That would work except I don’t think Coach Palmer will accept the decision so easily. I run through different options in my head, and I settle on the only one that seems like it’ll work. At least for the time being.

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