Page 63 of Play Me
Renn chuckles. “That’s progress.”
“Can I ask you something?”
“Sure.”
A whistle blows below, and the activity comes to a stop. They all gather in a circle before breaking. Gray turns toward us with a towel in his hand. He’s talking to Jory when he looks up … and his gaze crashes into mine.
I want to look away, embarrassed at being caught watching him, but a blush settles over my cheeks as a grin splits his. His attention flicks to Renn, then back to me. I return his small smile before he looks away and follows Jory to the locker room.
“You wanted to ask me something?” Renn motions for me to follow him inside the empty conference room. “Hang on just a second.”
He walks to the other end of the room and quietly takes a call.
I slowly gather my things and the various samples and catalogs I brought with me and shove them in my bag. Renn was adorable as he picked out every detail for Blakely’s birthday. He wanted a say in everything down to the napkins. By the time he gets off his call, I’m finished.
“Sorry,” Renn says. “Back to your question.”
“What made you want to take a risk on Gray?”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean that he’s obviously a wild card. He’s only the best when he wants to be. So what makes you think you can make him want to be great?”
Renn plucks his blazer off the back of a chair and shrugs it over his wide shoulders. His brows pull together, and he slips his phone into his pocket. Finally, he turns to me. “Everyone deserves a second chance.”
I hoist my bag onto my shoulder and wait for the rest of the explanation, but it never comes. Instead, Renn leads me into the hallway toward the elevators. I follow him because it’s all I can do.
We step inside the lift, and he presses the button to take us to the lobby.
“You know what?” Renn says, watching the numbers lower as we descend. His eyes darken. “I take that back. Not everyone deserves a second chance.”
I know he’s thinking about his father. The only time Renn looks like he could murder someone with his bare hands is when his dad is the topic of conversation. But it’s justified. I’m nothing to Reid Brewer, and I want to kill the man myself for hurting his family the way that he did.
The doors part, and Renn waits for me to exit first.
“I’m meeting Tate down here in a few minutes.” Renn smirks. “Want to hang around and wait with me?”
“Ha!” I back away from him slowly. “Good luck. I’ll email you tonight with an update on the party plans. Let me know if you think of anything else.”
“Thanks, Astrid.”
“You’re very welcome.”
“I’ll tell Tate that you said hi.”
I glare at him, making him chuckle, then I turn around. I pull my bag tighter to my side and make my way through the lobby. My brain is in overdrive, picking apart my conversation withRenn. The one thing that stands out to me is that he thinks Gray deserves a second chance.Why?
It’s not that Renn wants to give Gray another chance. It’s why Gray needs it that bothers me. Because the way Renn said it didn’t sound like Gray needed another chance at winning or competing. It was as if he needed another chance at … something else. And I can’t figure out what that something else is.
I push open the doors and step outside, heading for the parking lot.
“Okay, I need to get some of these things sourced for Blakely’s surprise party,” I say, voice messaging myself a note in my phone for later. “Send Renn an update on that. I need to confirm with Brewer Air that they’ll have a jet for Renn to use for his trip to Vegas next week. And I?—”
“Hey!”
I glance over my shoulder and see Gray coming toward me from the player facilities. I slide my phone into my pocket and try not to stare.
“Trying to get some cardio in today or what?” he says with a grin.
