Page 46 of The Girlfriend Zone

16

NOT SO FAST

Leighton

The thing about pigeons pornicating is this—their cooing sound is right in my wheelhouse.

It’s low and a little rumbly, like thunder, and it wakes me up like high-pitched banging never would.

Fortunately, I’m a morning person, so I pop out of bed and turn off the alarm that is about to go off anyway.

In the living room, I pause at the window to check out the feathered friends with benefits. I suppose I should give them their privacy. But look—if Ms. Peck and Big Bird want discretion, they could pick a different place to get it on. I press my hand to the cool glass as I peer at the scene on the windowsill. “Get it, girl,” I say when Big Bird hops up on her back to seal the deal.

I’ll miss these little exhibitionists when I leave. Shame that this place is going co-op. I don’t mind Maeve’s quirky apartment—ducking in the low-hanging shower, and thesideways toilet. For these last several months, it’s been my own space.

I head out. I have a shoot later today, but I need to make a quick stop at the arena before I go to the studio. Dad texted me after he left the wedding party last night, telling me he’d forgotten to take home a box of chocolates and adding a sad face emoji so I’d grab an extra box for him.

The sweet-tooth treasure in hand, I hop on a bus. I gaze out the window at the city passing by, but in my mind, I’m watching yesterday’s highlights—the moment in the diner with the hostess, then stolen moments with Miles at the party, in The Spotted Zebra, in his car...

My stomach flips, but I shake off that weakness. I’m in full game mode by the time the bus pulls over at the Sea Dogs home, and I bound down the steps and toward the arena’s main entrance. Ruben, one of the security guards, greets me and quickly scans my bag before waving me through.

“Thanks, Ruben.” I hand him one of the boxes of chocolate I snagged from last night’s party. “And this is for you.”

“Whoa!” Ruben’s grin is a rare break from the serious expression I normally see on him. “What did I do to deserve this mid-morning snack?”

“You’re you,” I say, smiling as I head inside and take the escalator down to the quiet concession area. Training camp hasn’t started yet, and it’s almost eerie here without the usual buzz.

I pass the huge posters of the players on the walls, deliberately avoiding eye contact with Miles’s larger-than-life image. I don’t need more thoughts of him crowdingmy brain, especially with my dad walking toward me. On game days, he wears a suit, but today, he’s in a button-down and slacks. I know Riley picked out those trendy sneakers—he wouldn’t know that style or brand on his own, much less choose it.

“My chocolate supplier,” he says with a grin.

“Junkie,” I tease, handing him the box.

He hugs it to his chest. “You’re my favorite daughter today.”

I roll my eyes. “Such high praise.”

He tips his head toward the corridor to his office. “I got coffee for me. Tea for you.”

Dad clearly wants me to stay for a bit. “Very strategic,” I observe.

Reaching the management level, he scans his employee card, then holds the door open for me. “That’s because I am pretty strategic, Leighton.”

Yes, that’s his job.

As we head down the hallway, I spot Mako, the team’s photographer. We’ve worked together on a few projects when Everly hired me for freelance shoots. He wears a Sea Dogs T-shirt and a hat with the Japanese flag, and when he sees me, he smiles like he has something up his sleeve.

“Just the person I wanted to see,” he says.

It can only be a professional thing, and my father excuses himself from the shop-talk and tells me he’ll be in his office.

“What’s going on?” I ask Mako. “How is Sarah’s pregnancy going?” Last time I worked for the team, he and his partner were expecting their first child.

“Knock on wood—” He raps the concrete wall. “She’ssupposed to deliver in a couple weeks, and I just got approved for paternity leave. Three whole months.”

“Nice,” I say.

“I’m pretty excited about it.” His dark eyes twinkle as he rubs his palms together. “That’s why I wanted to talk to you. I requested that you fill in for me. I just gave the director of marketing a heads-up, so?—”

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