Page 76 of Body Check

If they did, I sent them the picture free of charge—and included a card for a discounted photo session should they ever be interested.

Hey, business is business.

“Holly?” Carmen’s fingers circle my wrist and give a sharp pull. “Earth to Holly.”

I sling my backpack over my shoulder. “We’re taking the night off.”

Carmen and Adam exchange a glance.

“We are?” they ask in unison, each looking respectively bewildered.

“Yup!” When was the last time the three of us relaxed? When we’re not with the Blades and trailing them all over the eastern seaboard like a pack of desperate puppies, we’ve been at the office holding down the fort. Hell, even Adam’s wife has visited him at the office with his newborn after a long night of editing sound clips—twice. They need some time to let loose, and I . . . I glance back up at the Jumbotron, where they’re replaying the clip of Jackson’s amazing fake out.

Truth is, I need this too.

“Y’all are free to go,” I tell them with a genuine pep to my tone. “We’re in D.C.—or, I mean, we’rerightnext to D.C. Adam, haven’t you said that you’ve always wanted to see the Georgetown area?”

He stares at me, brows pulled together. “Well, yeah.”

“Now’s the chance! Or I’m sure the guys will all go to a local pub, if that’s more your flavor.”

“I’m going to sleep.”

Adam and I both look to Carmen.

Sheepishly, she shrugs. “I love working for you, Holls, but you’ve got endless energy and I feel old.”

That makes me laugh. “You do realize I’m older than you are, right?”

“Semantics.” She waves me off with an exaggerated yawn. “Either way, if you’re giving us the night off, that means my three-day weekend just turned into afour-day weekend, and you’d be crazy if you think I won’t take full advantage of a hotel stay where I don’t even have to wash the sheets or towels after I use them.”

Adam nudges me in the arm. “I’m going for a beer with the team. Maybe the Mountain can give me fitness tips.”

I think of Adam’s wife photoshopping his face onto Duke Harrison’s body, and barely leash in my laughter. “I think . . .” I clap Adam on the shoulder, squeezing briefly. “I’m sure Harrison will have a specific fitness regimen for you to follow. How do you feel about hard-boiled eggs?”

“Hate ’em.”

I hoist my backpack higher on my shoulder, evenly distributing its heavy weight. “Sit-ups?”

Adam shakes his head. “It’s the devil’s work.”

“Eh, well, maybe if you go to bed wishing you were Harrison every night, one day you’ll wake up and find out dreams really do come true.”

My sound guy grins, his slightly crooked teeth making an appearance. “Nowthat’sthe kind of workout I’m talking about.”

Funny, because after watching Jackson play with his heart on his sleeve tonight, I’m thinking of a different workout entirely. I pull out my phone, thumb my way to his contact number, and send a single text.

Me: Interested in meeting at the hotel bar for cocktails? It’s on me.

We’re nearing the team bus when I finally feel my phone vibrate with what I’m hoping is a reply from Jackson. Slipping the smooth case out from my pocket, I glance down at the glass screen and feel the happythud-thud, thud-thudof my heart go into overdrive.

Jackson: You know I never did do well with rejecting propositions like that.

Jackson: First round’s on you. But the rest of the night . . . that’s all on me, sweetheart. All. On. Me.

My gaze shoots from my phone to the rows of seats behind the driver as I step onto the bus.

Most of the guys are already seated—and Jackson is front and center, long legs spilling into the aisle, so that I’m forced to step over him or trip and fall flat on my face. Next to him, in the window seat, is Coach Hall.

---