Page 36 of Racing Heat
“I don’t want to win because some of the team is hurt,” I grumble beside her.
“Yeah, well, this team is really good,” Hendrix replies. “They’re already in the playoffs, not on a bubble like we are.”
“Cassie is right, though,” Jase remarks. “It’s better to beat them without injuries, but we can use their injuries to our advantage. Capitalize on the fact that they’re down their best players and kick some ass. It’s a sure way into the playoffs.”
Our food shows up at that moment, effectively killing the conversation. It’s not delivered by Gretchen. I wonder if she complained about the way I spoke to her and won’t be coming back. I kind of hope that’s the case.
“This is so fucking good,” Hendrix says after her first bite of the fish. “I’m not usually a fried fish kind of girl, but this is heavenly.”
I take a bite, and a moan escapes my lips. “I agree. This is so good. I’m not sure if it’s because I’m hungry or if it’s actually that good.”
Jase laughs. “It’s actually that good. But yeah, I’m sure you’re starved.” The way his eyes darken and intently find mine tells me that he doesn’t just mean for food.
The rest of lunch goes by without incident. The conversation flows freely, and I find I enjoy spending time with Hendrix and Jase. It’s nice to be out to lunch with them and joking around.
When we arrive back to the stadium, Hendrix announces, “I’m going home to take a nap. I could use one after that practice and lunch. And you have boys’ night tonight, which means we get girls’ night. It will be nice for all of us to get together.” She backs away from us to her car. “I’ll see you both later. Thanks for the good food, Jase.”
We watch each other for a moment. I think we’re both hoping the other one says something to keep us here longer. I know that I am.
“The garage was able to bring my car here, so I’m gonna head home. A nap actually sounds great.” He turns to leave, but then he looks back at me and holds his hand up like he’s got a point he wants to get across. But he doesn’t actually say anything. Instead, he drops it and just says, “Bye.”
“See ya,” I say, getting back into the Jeep. I drive home in silence, running over the events of the morning, the kiss, and the lunch, dissecting every detail and wondering what, if anything, it all meant.
Chapter Thirteen
~JASE~
Anight with the boys seems to be just what the doctor ordered. My thoughts are all jumbled up, thinking about a certain midfielder. It’s unprofessional and it shouldn’t be happening. The Blaze has a very strict no fraternization rule. I’m sure the Cromwell’s won’t be bending it just for me. Even if August and I have formed some sort of a friendship.
I look around the bar, seeing how crowded it is tonight. There are a few Blaze players here, but not the one I’m hoping to see. She’s at home. Our schedule has been grueling lately—a lot of running and workouts for the girls. We’ve almost secured a spot in the playoffs, which would be amazing for a brand-new team. It’s early yet—only June—and the season can run until September, but we’re setting a good pace with our wins versus our losses.
“What’s on your mind tonight?” Danny says, pulling me out of my thoughts.
August, however, is texting. Typical August—probably looking for his latest hookup. I swear that man can’t go two days without getting some pussy. I, on the other hand, haven’t gotten any in a few weeks. Mentioning this to any of them would just involve them playing the Let’s Get Jase Laid game.
If a certain pair of blue eyes weren’t haunting me, I might be all for it, but not with the way she watched me when we talked at lunch today. Or the sweet, adorable way she helped me when my car broke down. The kiss we shared hasn’t left my mind. It shouldn’t have happened, but that hasn’t stopped our gazes from lingering longer than they should. And from my mind wondering about how she would feel in my arms again. Or how soft her skin is.
I’m so fucked.
“Jase, man, you good?” Danny is eyeing me carefully.
August is looking at me now too. Great. He’s not shy about saying something when he thinks he knows something. Danny just watches; you can tell when he’s onto something, but he has the good sense to keep it to himself.
“What’s on your mind tonight?” August asks, putting his phone down and taking a sip of his Scotch.
“Nothing. I don’t know. Just a little tired is all.” I shrug it off.
“Are they working you pretty hard over there, preparing for playoffs?” Danny asks.
“No, we’re not preparing yet,” August answers for me. “We’re just hoping to get in. It’s looking good, though.”
“It is,” I agree with him, hoping that we’re not counting our chickens too early. It was always a superstition for me when I played. Not looking too far ahead. Not thinking about playoffs before we were actually there. It was different with Manchester because we were awesome. While the Blaze isn’t terrible, they are a young team, and you can see it sometimes in the way they play.
I don’t bother to mention that to August. He doesn’t like to be told hard truths. He likes the warm and bubbly surface stuff. Mostly because this team is supposed to be left to him. His father puts a ton of pressure on him to make sure it’s successful before he’ll give August some breathing room and let him be. That kindof pressure cannot be easy. You can see the stress on him most nights, which is why he’s always on the prowl for something to help take his mind off it.
“Should we get you laid tonight instead of me?” August chuckles as he looks around the bar. “I mean, there’s some quality talent in here tonight.”
I nod. He’s not wrong. The women in this bar are very attractive. It’s not like what we see at The Backwoods. It’s always a sausage fest other than the team, and someone always realizes who August is and asks him questions about the team or angles for a job. That’s not happening here, though.
