Page 10 of Hard to Break

He shakes his head. “Not since last year. You seen how much resale tickets go for now?”

“Maybe if you keep losing,” one of them says helpfully. Another smacks him lightly on the side of the head.

I make a mental note to get home game tickets sent to the teams of the two schools.

The main guy who’s been speaking confers under his breath with a couple of others. “Hey, can we get a picture?”

Brooke nudges my shoulder. “We’ve got time for more than a picture.”

I turn back to the teens. More than one of them is looking at her. I can’t blame them, and they’re young enough I’m not going to give them shit if she doesn’t mind.

“You can have a picture on one condition: let me play.”

Half a dozen sets of brows shoot up. “Hell yes.”

I shrug out of my jacket and pass it to her. “Can you keep this for me?”

“Go get ‘em.” Brooke winks.

I pull her close for a hard kiss, ignoring the hollers that go up behind me. “Thanks,” I say when I let her go.

I’m in jeans and a sweater, but my shoes are decent enough for jogging a few steps around a city court.

We play three-on-three, other guys rotating off to make room. I take it easy on the first play.

“That’s all you got?” the main kid asks.

Then I school them a little. I dribble past them and cut to the basket. Then I steal the ball down the other end, taking it to the perimeter to hit a three.

They’re eating it up.

It’s fun to play with them. I show them a few moves.

When I glance over, Brooke’s got her phone up.

I check my watch and realize we’ve been at this nearly half an hour. “Thanks for the game,” I say, and they groan in protest as I lift a hand. “Good luck with your season.”

“Wait. Give me your handle,” Brooke says to the main guy.

“Are you asking him out?” one of the others asks as he provides it, and snorts erupt amongst the teens.

“Nice try,” Brooke says dryly without looking up. “There. The video’s all yours.”

They’re still giddy when I put my jacket back on and we start for the restaurant, my heart thudding a little more and the blood thrumming in my veins.

“It was cool of you to send them that video,” I say as we head up the sidewalk side by side, her taking two steps for every one of mine.

Brooke laughs. “They’ll keep it forever. But first, they’re going to post it, and it will spread like wildfire. Your shoe company will see it. So will Kodiaks management, which will remind them they made the right choice.”

My mouth works for a second. “But… how do you know it’ll spread?”

She smiles. “Trust me.”

The walk sign comes up, and we start across the street.

I shake my head. “You’re scary good sometimes, you know that?”

“I know,” she says evenly. “You afraid of me?”

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