Page 18 of Roughing the Player
She drops her glass on the table with a thud. “Can we not talk about my daughter?” There’s a haunted look in her eyes. Strange.
“I’m just trying to reconnect, Ellie.”
“We don’t need to reconnect, Brock. Not on a personal level anyway.”
I get it. She doesn’t trust me. Not with my rep. I need to explain things in a way she won’t become suspicious of my motives. “You’re the only person I know in this whole damn town. And my only true friend is in a dog kennel.”
Her gaze softens. “You’ll see him soon, Brock. Surely you can make friends with some of the players. Trevor seems nice.”
Trevor is nice, but once bitten, twice shy. “That would not be a good idea.”
“Why not?”
“Sometimes friendships cause you to make bad decisions.”
She brushes a soft hand across my arm, something she’d done in the past when I’d been frustrated or upset. “Is that what happened with Bernie Waters?”
The lineman I invited to that ill-fated party in Florida. “Yeah. I trusted him even though all the red flags were there. He drank too much. He partied too hard. And then he betrayed my trust by bringing drugs into my house.” I slam back what’s left of my champagne and pour some more.
“The cops knew you didn’t provide the cocaine. If they thought you had, they would have charged you with a crime.”
“But social media believed it. So did my team. Hell, some of the players blamed me for his death.”
“I’m so sorry, Brock.” Her touch strums through me, making me feel things I haven’t felt for a long time.
“Me too.”
“Not every player’s like Bernie.”
“Yeah, but with pre-season starting in three weeks, I don’t have time to get to know them. Plus, I can’t allow friendships to affect my performance on or off the field. So I’ll just have to go it alone.”
“You didn’t make friends with any football players in San Diego?”
“No. I had too much to lose.” I stare into my glass. “Chicago’s no different. Especially, since I’m only here for a year. Next season, Ty will get his job back, and I’ll move on to another team.” I gulp back my drink and pour another. “No sense in getting to know the Outlaws’ players.” Knowing means friendship and friendship means pain. I’m better off keeping to myself.
She sips her champagne while studying me. “I shouldn’t tell you this. Don’t want to get your hopes up. But there are rumblings.”
I gaze down at her beautiful face. “Yeah? Of what?”
“Teams that may want you to start for them next year. Of course, it will depend on your performance this season.”
Glad for the change of subject, I laugh. “No pressure there.”
She grins. “No. None at all.”
I want to kiss that smile right on the corner, share that joy with her. Be happy this damn once.
“Oliver Lyons seems to like you.”
“Yeah?”
“Aha.”
“How do you know?”
“Well, for starters, he gave you a brand new SUV with all the bells and whistles.”
“How do you know it’s loaded.”
