Page 29 of Tight End

“I’m not going to lie, most of the time it’s pretty cool.” Isit down next to her, careful not to sit too close, and as I try to cross my legs, my thighs cramp up, so I extend them instead. I might have overdone it this morning on my run.

“But?” She nudges me, her brows raised.

“But there’s a lot of stuff that comes with it.” I sigh, momentarily debating how much to tell her. We’re practically strangers—not biblically, of course, but we have a son, and we’re in this together. It’s best if I lay all my cards on the table. Our relationship may not have started with lies, but omissions. I won’t let it continue that way. “Your life doesn’t always get to stay private. Travel can be tough for the guys with families. It’s a mental strain. It wears your body down.” Her eyes roam across my chest, and damn if I wouldn’t love to know what she’s thinking. I might even blush. “Don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t trade it for the world, and I absolutely love the game, but there are times when I wish I could be a normal person.”

“Like the night we met?”

Her words are casual, but that night ... that night meant so much to me. Too much. It was the night that ended all my one-night stands. The night where I realized no woman from my future, or my past, would ever compare, and while I was ready to throw out my rule book to get to know her, it would have been a mistake.

My wounds were too fresh. My trauma too real.

I’d spent so much time burying my emotions that meeting June that night had blindsided me.

She’d made me feel again.

She’d let me breathe.

She’d made me care.

After Caitlin ... after what happened to her, I wasn’tready. Fuck, I’m still don’t think I am, but I’m determined to be there for my son. And June ... I can’t be there for her. She’s dangerous. I’ve been broken for years, but I’m afraid if I let June get too close, if I truly let her in, she’ll have the power to absolutely decimate me.

I’m better off alone.

She’s looking at me now, innocence written all over her face, and I know she’s not being coy. Aside from making Oliver, that night probably wasn’t a big deal for her.

I need to take a page from her book, make it seem like the past isn’t so ingrained in my present. So I take a deep breath and give her a charming smile. “Exactly like that. I was a normal guy, stopping off at a bar to have a drink. I wasn’t anything special. And you ... you weren’t into me because I’m on TV or I make millions or because you had banging an athlete on your bucket list.”

“Who said I was into you?” She smirks, her deep-brown eyes sparkling with mischief. “Maybe I did have banging an athlete on my bucket list. Good to know I can cross that one off.”

“Glad I could help out.” I huff a laugh, leaning back, planting my palms on the floor behind me. “What about you? What do you do for a living?”

“I work for my mom’s law firm part-time, which you may remember from Wednesday.”

“The pantsuit. I remember.”

“And I just opened my yoga studio a few weeks ago.”

“Wait.” I straighten, pulling the collar of my shirt away from my neck before I choke myself. “That place I met you at this morning was yours?”

She blushes again and her eyes fall to the ground. “I had alittle help from my dad and sister getting it all set up.” Her voice is quiet, like this is a secret she’s not supposed to be sharing, and it doesn’t escape my notice her mom wasn’t on the list of people helping out. “It’s my dream job. I’ve been trying to build up my socials, get a following, and hopefully get it off the ground. My mom’s waiting for it to fail, but?—”

“We’re not going to let it fail,” I say quickly, and as her eyes widen, I clear my throat and try again. “I mean, I know you won’t let it fail. But I may be able to help. Well, we can maybe help each other. A mutual helping. Not that I’m saying you need help.”

“Whoa.” She holds her hands up, a slight smirk playing on her face. “How about you take a deep breath and tell me what you’re talking about?”

Good idea, because it seems like talking is not my strong suit today. “So my contract with Nashville is up at the end of this year, and it could go one of two ways. I could stay for another couple years or I could be traded anywhere in the country. Obviously, I’m going to be working my a—butt off to make sure I’m essential on the team and do my damnedest to win some games, and my agent is coming up with ideas to make sure the fans are behind me.”

“And where does this become a we?”

“Eventually the press will get wind of you and Oliver—I can’t help that. But maybe I can help mitigate the things that are going to be thrown our way. You said you’re already doing the social media stuff, and having a football player making cameos in your videos should help build your following. And in return you could help me set up an Instagram and give me permission to post pictures of all of us.”

“What does that mean?” Her brows scrunch together asshe studies me. “Are you wanting to use us to get a contract renewal? Is that what this is?”

“Oh God. No, no, no, no. I didn’t mean it like that.” I lean toward her, my heart rate picking up, and grab her hand, giving it a squeeze. “I just ... I was thinking if we introduced you and Oliver to the world, they wouldn’t go ballistic when they found out. It could help protect the two of you a little bit and let the fans get to know me.”

She drops my hand, scooting back, looking at me like she can’t believe what she’s hearing. “And you want me to pretend to be your girlfriend?”

Whoa.

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