Page 21 of Tangled Vows

“Alright,” I agreed, willing to do anything to keep the wins coming.

And they did. We won the next two games and were finally playing our first game at home. I found myself searching the crowd, hoping to catch a glimpse of a particularly fiery dietician, but if she was there, she was well hidden.

“Who you lookin’ for?” Kent asked, bumping my shoulder with his.

“Nobody,” I claimed. He wasn’t convinced.

“Right,” he drawled, a knowing smirk tipping up one corner of his mouth. “I heard we were getting smoothies after the game.”

My head whipped around, and I studied Kent, a hopeful gleam in my eyes. I hadn’t had one of Shayla’s smoothies—which I’d secretly grown to love—in days. We’d been on the road almost nonstop for the last several days.

“Shayla’s here? Where is she?”

Kent’s grin widened, and he shot me a look that saidgotchawithout him uttering a word.

“Fucker,” I mumbled under my breath.

“Just admit it. You’ve got the hots for her.” I crossed my arms over my chest but remained silent. I wouldn’t admit a damn thing. “Not that I blame you,” he continued, a taunting lilt to his voice. “That girl looks like a snack.”

Without thinking, I grabbed the front of his jersey and twisted it in my fist. “Stay away from her,” I warned, gritting my teeth. “She’s not one of your playthings.” Kent was a good guy, but he was a notorious fuck boy.

Much like I had been.

“Easy, bro, I’m not after your woman.” He held up his hands in surrender.

“She’s not my woman,” I declared, and an inexplicable ache spread across my chest.

“Okay,” he replied mockingly. “Tell that to the hand gripping my jersey like you wish it was my throat.”

I immediately released him and took a step back. Running a frustrated hand through my hair, I muttered an embarrassed, “Sorry.”

“Nah, it’s alright. Now I get to drive Weiss’s Lambo for a month.” He clapped me on the shoulder, wearing a shit-eating grin. “I’m about to go collect.”

What the… Those fuckers had a bet going, and it involved me and Shayla. Those two had big mouths and Kent liked to brag. No doubt the whole team would know about it soon.

This was a disaster. No one needed to know how I felt about Shayla. Hell,Ididn’t even know how I felt about her. Sure, she was hot as fuck, and I wanted her in my bed, but over the last month, I’d felt a growing fondness for her. It wasn’t just her looks that drew me in, but also our witty banter and the way she never cut me any slack. I found myself wanting to spend time with her and not just between the sheets. That was something I rarely experienced, but Shayla made me want more. And that scared the shit out of me.

18

SHAYLA

Ihated flying.

It wasn’t the altitude or the act of flying itself. I didn’t like being trapped. Once those doors shut and the wheels started rolling, there was no escaping, and I hated that feeling.

I hated it even more that I had to leave my mother. She started chemo two weeks ago, and the infusions were already making her sick. Luckily, I hadn’t been required to travel with them for the preseason away games and was able to stay home and care for her. Now that the season had officially started, I was expected to go where the team went, at least for the first few weeks. The coaches and GM wanted me around to guide the players and help them maintain their diet while on the road. Most of them would be fine. They were dedicated and liked to stick to their regimen. The rookies, however, still wanted to eat like nine-year-olds at the county fair. I’d have to keep an eye on them to make sure they ate something other than fries and pizza.

So here I was, strapped into a seat on the Wraiths’ private jet with my fingers digging into the armrest. People were still boarding the plane, and we weren’t even ready for takeoff yet,but already anxiety twisted in my stomach like little worms wriggling through my insides. I wanted to puke.

“This seat taken?” The deep voice drew my attention up, up, and up until it landed on the twinkling hazel gaze that plagued my dreams.

“Yes,” I replied through gritted teeth. The last thing I needed was Easton witnessing me freak out during takeoff. I would never hear the end of it. Besides, I had been saving the seat for Claire who was currently immersed in conversation with Coach Bradford.

“Well, whoever you were saving it for isn’t coming. I was the last one on.” The door clicked shut, confirming his claim. Ignoring my glare, he plopped down into the seat next to me.

“Shouldn’t you be with the rest of your team?” I asked, not even trying to hide the snarkiness in my tone. I wanted to scare him off so he’d leave me alone to have my mini panic attack in peace.

“You’re part of the team,” he declared with a cheesy grin, and I fought an eye roll.

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