Page 28 of We'll Meet Again

She blinked, taken aback. “What?”

She’d had a lot of adjectives thrown her way, but never that one. Hot, sexy, tempting - even frigid here and there - but adorable? Not once.

“I declare, if you stamped your foot right now, my knees might give out,” he said.

She smirked. “Like this?”

She raised her right foot and stomped it back onto the grass. Not too hard, since she didn’t want the heel of her shoe to sink in, but enough for the image to be right. Ethan clutched at his chest dramatically and went to his knees, as he said he would. Her head fell back as she laughed. He looked ridiculous, but it was effective.

“Nowthatwas cute,” she told him.

“Enough to forgive me?”

“Yes,” she said with a nod. “Now, show me how to properly pass to you.”

“Sure thing, darlin’,” he replied, getting to his feet.

Darlin’. Oh, boy. Oh,no. She liked the sound of that. She liked it far too much for her own comfort, but she didn’t let him know. Instead, she focused all her energy on listening to his instructions, because if she kept her mind on the endearment, she would only be left wondering when he might use it again. And to her own annoyance, she really hoped he did.

Chapter 8

Acreamcoloredcushionsank beneath Ethan’s weight, and studio lights from above warmed his forehead. A production assistant came over to hastily powder away the shine that formed from the sweat. He stole a quick glance at her nametag so that he could say thank you properly, but she was either too busy or didn’t hear him, since she didn’t react and walked promptly back behind the camera.

Almost as soon as he arrived, he regretted agreeing to the interview. He knew it was part of the deal, and many of his fellow athletes did similar television spots or commercials. But this was the one part of his career that he still had not adjusted to. Fame. He was more than happy to take pictures with a fan or sign an autograph if he was recognized somewhere, but when it was all set up with the hair and the makeup and the lights - that was where he felt the most like a fish out of water.

The hosts took to the stage. One a tall, blonde woman in a pencil skirt and button down, with heels that would have broken Ethan’s ankles. The other was a man in a sharp, plum colored suit with a black shirt underneath, unbuttoned to just beneath his collarbone. Ethan once thought those people on TV didn’t look as perfect in real life, but he was wrong. Even just across from him, they looked airbrushed with their perfectly concealed skin and coiffed hair. Ethan took a deep breath, banishing the impostor syndrome that was slowly creeping into his heart.Breathe through it, he told himself.You have earned your place here.

“It’s lovely to meet you,” the woman said, crossing the stage with her hand outstretched toward him. He got to his feet to shake it. “I’m Kiera Atkinson.”

“Ethan Knight,” he said politely. “Nice to meet you too.”

A smile revealed her perfectly white teeth, amusement wrinkling her eyes. “God, I just love that accent. It’s right out of a cartoon or something.”

Ethan swallowed the sting of that down. Another reason he didn’t enjoy this part of the job. He didn’t sound eloquent when he spoke. People noticed his accent before they noticed him, and instantly made a judgment call about what he was like. He knew it was especially unique in this part of the world, but that didn’t make it any easier to take. He slipped on his public persona mask and laughed it off instead.

“Yeah, you don’t hear it much around these parts,” he joked.

The man approached next with his equally dazzling smile, and shook Ethan’s hand as well. “Ted Marsh. Thrilled to have you, mate.”

“Pleasure’s mine,” Ethan replied.

“Two minutes,” the producer interjected before any other pleasantries could be exchanged.

Ted and Kiera went to their couch, so Ethan followed suit and resumed his seat in the chair that was catty cornered to theirs so that they were all mostly facing the cameras. He tried not to look too long at them, afraid it would only further shake up his nerves. He could play in front of a camera until the cows came home. But to talk? And mostly about himself? That was something else entirely.

Two minutes passed more like two seconds, and before Ethan knew it, they were counting down to airtime. He cleared his throat just as the producer held up two fingers, silently put one down, and then they were rolling. Cheerful, jazzy music played, and Ted and Kiera sat up ramrod straight and plastered their bright smiles onto their faces again.

“Good morning, and welcome toDayside London,” Ted started off. “I’m Ted Marsh.”

“And I’m Kiera Atkinson,” Kiera continued. “We’re here with Stanmore Football Club’s newest signing, Ethan Knight. An American who carried MLS team Charlotte FC through their inaugural season, led the US men’s national team at the World Cup, and has now been promoted to the Premier League. Welcome, Ethan.”

Finally, they faced him. He nodded. “Thank you for having me.”

“How’re you feeling making the transition to England, Ethan?” Kiera asked, tilting her head slightly to the right.

“I was real nervous about it at first,” Ethan answered. “But so far the people are pretty friendly and everybody at the club has been making me feel welcome. I figure if my biggest complaint is the cold, then I’m doing alright.”

“Being from the American South, I imagine it does feel quite drastic,” Ted said.

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