Page 20 of Over the Moon

He arched a brow. “Oh. Is that so?”

“Dude. She’s my coach’s daughter. Do. Not. Go. There.” I held his gaze.

“I don’t think it’s your coach that I need to worry about.” He barked out a laugh. “I’ll grab our waters. Meet you on the court, Bridger.”

“So, let me ask you something,” Bridger said, staring across the courts to where the free play was happening.

“No, you can’t date her.”

“That wasn’t my question. I don’t ask for permission to date someone.” He blew out a frustrated breath. “But why is your trainer here with the enemy? I saw her and Emilia playing together; I just didn’t realize she was your trainer.”

I followed his gaze to where Emilia Taylor was playing pickleball and literally missing every single ball that came her way. I prayed like hell that Eloise could play better than that, or Easton would lose his shit.

“She rents the guesthouse behind Emilia’s house.”

“So she’s probably feeding Emilia information about us,” he huffed.

I rolled my eyes. “She barely speaks to me. She has not asked for any family secrets.”

“Just watch your back. Emilia probably brought her in to infiltrate the family,” he grumped. “They may have known one another for years.”

“Let me get this straight. You think that Eloise Gable went to physical therapy school and made sure her father got hired by the Lions as the head coach, all so that she could come to Rosewood River after I tore my MCL to get information about our family to print in theTaylor Tea?” I started laughing and couldn’t stop, because my brother was ridiculous when it came to this shit.

He whacked my upper arm with his racquet like the dickhead he was, and I howled in pain, which he completely ignored. He used his two fingers, pointing them toward his eyes and then back to me, as if I wouldn’t understand his next words. “Just keep your eye on her.”

He jogged out to the court where Axel was bouncing the ball, and I turned my attention to where Lulu and Eloise were playing.

Eloise wore a pink tennis skirt and a white collared tank top. Her legs were lean and tan, and she was incredibly distracting. She stirred something in me that I knew I needed to stifle.

She was as off-limits as one gets.

I watched as she spiked the ball before high-fiving Lulu.

This was definitely not her first rodeo.

I sat back and enjoyed the show.

Eloise Gable had just stood up to my brother and took my place on the Chad-Six.

This girl was full of surprises.

six

. . .

Eloise

We’ve been at Booze& Brews for the last hour, and I’ve already attempted to line dance a couple of times, though I’ve never had much rhythm. Emilia helped me the best she could, but I bowed out to go get a drink and take a break.

The bar was packed, and it was clearly a local hotspot. Country music boomed through the speakers, and I made my way to the large wood bar that made a giant square in the center of the space. My feet crunched against peanut shells as I moved, and I dabbed my fingers along my forehead, as I was sweating from all the energy I’d just exerted on the dance floor.

I met a few of Emilia’s friends, and they were all nice, but I was ready to find a table and people-watch for a while.

I ordered a beer for both me and Emilia.

“Pickleball and line dancing. You’re a woman of many talents,” a familiar voice said, as he moved to stand beside me.

Clark Chadwick.

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