Page 7 of Bound and Blitzed

“No,” he laughs. “Nothing like that. I’m just in a strange headspace. Tonight was Raia’s engagement party.”

“Oh! That’s right.” I nod.

Avery shakes his head. “I didn’t see your sister there.”

“Carla was super disappointed to miss it. But she’s hosting a baby shower for her former team captain in New York this weekend.”

“Ah.” Avery nods, but his expression is still stricken.

I frown. “You’re not happy about the engagement? I thought Cohen was your best friend.”

Avery takes a pull of his beer. “He is. It’s not that. I’m really happy for Raia and Cohen. They’re perfect together.” He doesn’t say anything else, but sadness sweeps through his eyes, momentarily making him look older.

The mood shifts and my understanding dawns. It’s strange that I can read what he’s not saying. Maybe I can attribute that to my tipsy state as well?

“You want that with someone,” I murmur, filling in the blank.

Avery lifts his eyes to mine. They’re lighter gray now, bleeding with a desire to be understood. It’s a look I know well since I often wear it. I always feel like an outcast. Apart.

But it’s not a sentiment I’d ever attribute to the state’s star quarterback.

“I’ll never havethat,” he says, his tone certain. “I won’t ever deserve it.”

I frown at his word choice.Why not?I want to ask but he continues before I get the chance.

“But I’d likesomething,” he tacks on.

“Yeah,” I murmur, nodding in agreement. I’d likesomethingtoo. And while I do think I’m deserving of it, I doubt I’ll find it. “Men find me too quirky to date,” I blurt out.

He laughs, grinning at me. Curiosity replaces the sadness in his eyes, and I like that I made him laugh. “I find that hard to believe.”

“You shouldn’t. You thought I was stalking you.”

His eyes glitter as he regards me. “True. Okay, Valentina.” He turns on his barstool, one of his knees dragging along mine until he shifts his position. Now, he faces me squarely, my knees bracketed by his. He takes a long pull of his beer before setting the glass down and looking right at me. “Your turn. What don’t I understand?”

I sigh heavily and take another sip of my wine. “I might be deported.”

Chapter3

Avery

“What?”I bark out, surprise rushing through me. “Deported? Are you…trying to immigrate?”

I swear, everything this woman says is unexpected. And yet, funny. A breath of fresh air.

Nothing like the stalker I imagined.

Valentina Garcia belongs to a powerful soccer family whose name and brand recognition dominates Europe and has footholds in North America.

She’s absolutely nothing like her spitfire little sister or intimating big brother I’ve heard stories about. She’s…different. More demure until she opens her mouth. Then, she has no problem saying exactly what she’s thinking.

And yet, from the blush that keeps fanning across her cheeks, I get the impression that she’snotlike that with anyone. But with me, tonight, she’s…herself.

It’s refreshing.

The few times I saw her at the football field she seemed reserved. Almost detached.

But the woman I’m speaking with tonight is smart-mouthed and animated. She’s given me a myriad of emotions in our short conversation. And I’ve loved seeing each one blaze across her expression and cause her fingertips to tap a beat against the bar’s ledge.

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