Page 2 of A Whole New Trick

I can’t suppress my smile. In college, Lacy was the bold one. She never shied away from going after what she wanted. She hasn’t changed.

I follow Lacy as she leads Cam to the side of the room closest to the secondary bar tucked against the wall. The main bar is near the entrance, surrounded by patrons trying to get a drink.

“Can I get you ladies anything to drink?” Cam speaks to us both, but his eyes are on Lacy.

“No, thanks.” Lacy flips a section of blonde hair over her shoulder. “So, Cam, what do you do for a living?”

He sputters for a second.

I openly chuckle.

Cam gets ahold of himself and answers with an intrigued smile. “I’m a goalie for the Texas Ranchers.”

“Ah.” Her lips turn down. “An athlete. That’s a shame.”

“Pardon?”

“I don’t date athletes.” Lacy’s eyes are already scanning the room like a predator searching for her next prey. Lacy definitely seems to be looking for someone to warm her bed tonight. Good thing I drove myself. Grabbing a rideshare in downtown Dallas at this time of night would be a nightmare.

“Who said anything about dating?” Cam asks, sounding slightly offended but also intrigued.

“No one. Good point.” She pats his arm placatingly, then turns to me. “I’m going to use the ladies’ room. Stay here and talk about your job interview. I’ll find you when I’m done.”

Lacy turns and struts away without waiting for a response. I wince and silently pray Cam didn’t hear what she said.

“Job interview?”

I sigh.

Thanks, Lacy.

“I’m interviewing with the Ranchers tomorrow,” I admit, my cheeks warm.

“What? No way. For what job?” Cam’s enthusiasm is a little extra for someone who just met me, but I think it’s genuine. Maybe he’s just one of those good-natured guys who’s always positive. After all, the press likes to paint him as a golden retriever type. They could be on to something.

“It’s for an assistant nutritional coach.”

I passed the Registered Dietician certification a few months ago. I thought it would be easy to find a job with one ofthe professional sports teams in Dallas. Heck, I even searched for jobs in other Texas cities. But even though I have all the credentials to recommend me, I didn’t have enough experience to be hired as a Sports Dietician.

So, while working as an assistant nutritional coach isn’t my dream job, it’s a foot in the door of my desired career field. I plan to work my ass off and earn a promotion to a full-fledged dietician as soon as possible. If I get the job, that is.

An interview doesn’t guarantee anything, but it’s more than I’ve achieved in the months I’ve been job hunting.

“That’s cool.” Cam’s friendly smile remains. “Any idea what the job involves? Will you be working with players?”

“I’m not sure. That will be a question I’ll ask in my interview.”

“Fair enough. Well, if you do get the job, be sure to find me in the facility sometime so I can congratulate you in person.” He speaks as if we’re old friends. Oddly enough, I find the familiarity charming instead of presumptuous.

“We’ll see.” I laugh. “I’m not sure it would be smart to fraternize with a player right away.”

His eyes sparkle. “Fraternize? I like the sound of that.” His joking expression undermines the flirty words.

I shake my head and laugh.

I decided to like Cam—not in a romantic way. It’s been a long time since I’ve liked anyone likethat.I have my cheating, narcissistic ex to thank for that.

“Do you think your friend is going to come back?” He looks over the crowded club with subtle eagerness. “Does she really not date athletes?”

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