Page 9 of Ignite

“Are we really going there?” I deadpanned. Yesterday’s accident had literally been the talk of the town. Well, that and how good-looking the new guy was and how I was lucky to meet him first.

“Well, we can either talk about the new guy or the news that we shouldn’t mention?” Flick was already opening the bottle of wine before I could answer. “I was going to bring us a bottle each, but Eric can drop off another bottle if we need it.”

“See, you got the last good guy on earth.” I opened the refrigerator and found a couple of burger patties and enough salad to pretend to be a healthy meal. I tipped out a bag of frozen fries onto a tray and cranked the oven up to high. On a night like tonight, I’d need some carbs to soak up the alcohol. “I don’t know why the rest of us even bother looking.”

“Oh, I got the last bad boy who treats me good.” Flick tossed her hair and gave me her cheeky smile. “But there’s a new boy in town and from what I hear, he stopped you dead in your tracks.”

“What did I miss?” Zoe bounded through the door, her auburn hair piled on top of her head in a messy bun. “Has Rylee crashed out of the singles market and into love?” Zoe tossed me a box of my favorite branded tea. “Chamomile, elderflower, and lavender. The box says it’s more than a herbal tea, it’s a love potion.”

“Would the two of you stop it?” I stashed the tea away with my collection, poured a third glass of wine, and shooed my friends out onto the wooden verandah. I knew at least Flick would get distracted by all the things she could do to my garden and stop interfering with my love life. Not that I had a love life, but a girl could never have enough teas.

“My car is written off, and my neck should be in a brace but I’m living on pain meds so life is just peachy.”

“And wine?” Flick took the glass from me. “Is this a good idea? I can get you a cup of love potion.”

“Forget love. I think I deserve at least one glass of wine after living the day from hell yesterday.” I snatched my glass back, downed it, and poured another. I rarely drank, but tonight was the night for breaking all my rules.

“I did hear the new guy is as hot as hell,” Zoe said. “And Glenn said he’s a mad coach.”

“Coach?” I winced as I shot my friend a look. I hadn’t been kidding about my neck. “He’s not from here. He’s probably halfway back to Sydney by now.”

Flick and Zoe shared a look and then shrugged.

“What?” I said again. “Do I need to nominate a speaker or will one of you just tell me what’s going on.”

“What did you think of the guy you hit? Seriously.” Zoe battered her doe eyes at me, faking innocence.

“I don’t know. Gorgeous eyes, that hair would look good walking out of my shower,” I admitted before covering my hands. “Gosh, did I just say that? I’m blaming it on the wine.”

“And his body? I heard that he is fit and fine and would fill out any woman’s bedsheets.” Flick sighed.

“Don’t let Eric hear you talk like that, or he’ll put on that one-man show we’ve been begging him for.” Felicity’s partner used to be a male entertainer, and it was his ultimate threat. If she flirted with other men, he’d put on a one-man show for her friends.

“Oh, my Eric has the body I want in bed beside me.” Felicity hadn’t stopped blushing or smiling since Eric had come to town. “But you should know that at my yoga class this morning, there were half a dozen women wishing they’d been the ones exchanging numbers with your Ethan.”

“First, he’s not my Ethan. And second, any of them can have my life.”

The emotions from the past two days hit me at the same time as the wine. I burst into tears before brushing them away in disgust. “No, no, don’t worry about me. Yesterday’s news came as a shock, that’s all. I wasn’t expecting it.”

“Oh, sweetie, come here.” Zoe bundled me into a hug while Felicity rushed in to get the fries out of the oven before they burnt.

“Your Ethan is the new football coach and he’s going to be here all season for your entertainment.”

“And you know what they say.” Felicity put the bowl of fries in the middle of the small table and shook enough chicken salt over the top to cause a coronary. “The best way to get over one coach is in another coach’s arms.”

“There’s just one flaw with your plan,” I said, stuffing my mouth with hot potato, “I swore off footballers as anything more than friends, and Ethan made it very clear he doesn’t want to be my friend.”

“Famous last words,” my friends said in unison, and I winced again.

Chapter 5

Just Another Tuesday Night

“Wordonthestreetis our boys are back to training and determined to prove to new coach Ethan Cooper that small towns have big hearts. And nothing shows a big heart more than putting a big circle in your calendar for the last Monday of next month. Yes, ladies, it’s your night to bring home the man of your dreams—for a price. All our footballers will be auctioned off for charity. So ladies, and gents, if you want him, put a price on it. In other local news …”

Ethan

I tried not to look at my broken baby in the driveway as I prepared to jog into town, again.

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