Page 44 of Striking Heat
Shaking my head I go about getting myself ready because I’ve got to get to the beach and hang out. I’m not this girl. I don’t get all giddy over guys. Especially him. He’s been hired to write about me. How can I be sure that anything I happen to say to him while I’m lying in his bed or he’s inside me won’t get printed. And that’s what I have to remember if I decide to go there again.
Which—who am I kidding? —I probably will.
Heading out of my apartment about an hour later, I see Cassie headed to her car too.
“Hey, Cass, wanna carpool?” I call to her.
“Yes, let’s do it!”
I jog over to her yellow Jeep and climb inside. “Are you ever going to put the doors back on?” I ask as I fasten my seat belt.
“Probably not, no,” she says. “Remember where we used to live? I barely got to take the top off it once we got to college. And now this baby is going to live with the doors and top off for as long as I can.” She’s giddy with excitement, and it’s enough to make me laugh along with her. “You adjusting okay?”
I’m surprised by her question. “Why are you asking me that?”
“You’ve just seemed really quiet lately. And then last night, you walked home all alone. I don’t know. You’re usually a bit bubblier. The pressure of being the captain getting to you?”
I sigh. “Maybe. There’s a lot riding on this, and now Cromwell is letting that reporter interview me. It’s just so much attention, and I feel like I’m under a microscope.”
“It’s probably because you are,” she says, hurrying through the Tampa streets so that we can reach Davis Beach, where the rest ofthe team is hanging out. “Although, if someone is going to examine you like that, it’s nice that it’s him.”
“What?” I ask, my head snapping over in her direction. “What are you talking about?”
“My god, you’re wound awfully tight.” Cassie keeps her eyes on the road and points in my direction. “You really should call that John guy and let him fuck you. He looks like he has money, so maybe you’d get like a present out of it or something.”
“You are horrible. I’m not a prostitute.” It’s the second time that word has come up today in reference to me.
“I’m just saying it would do you some good to get laid. Might even help you relax.”
Oh, if you only knew.
“Yeah, well, we have some important things happening right now. I don’t have time for guys.”
“That’s why I’m suggesting John.” Cassie cackles. She’s really enjoying this conversation, and I’m not. Normally, I might play along and let her tease me, but right now, I want to shut it down.
“I will not be doing anything with Danny. He’s about to do a story on us, and you forget about the shit he wrote about me.”
“Yeah, yeah, I remember. But the man is still fine as hell,” she says as she whips into a parking space.
We get out of the Jeep. I glance down at the beach to see a lot of girls have arrived already. There are some chairs, towels, and blankets set up. Some of the girls are playing soccer on the sand, swimming, or tanning. The smell of burgers wafts up to us from the grill. I almost regret that I ate beforehand, because man, it smells so good. But I can’t eat it. It’s not a cheat day, and I gotta keep my nutrition tight to stay at the top of my game.
It looks like a lot of the team came out to hang out. I need to remember to thank Andie for arranging this day. As the captain, it’s my job to do this. But she said she wanted to, so I let her. I think she knew I was overwhelmed and, in some ways, strugglingwith my role. Having Danny follow me around isn’t exactly helping.
“Mac, good to see you,” Coach Watts calls as we approach.
I wave and head in his direction. “How are you doing today, Coach?”
Jase is down by the water playing soccer with some of the team, while Andie hangs out with Watts, who is working the grill.
“Doing well. I hope it’s okay, but Cromwell invited Danny and his photographer friend to hang out with us today,” Coach Watts tells me.
“I don’t see them anywhere, thank god.” I look around, double-checking and neither of them are here.
“Oh, come on, Mac, this could be good. A chance for them to see you in your natural habitat. It could be good for you.” He bumps my shoulder and doesn’t say another word, just keeps on flipping burgers.
I head over to see that Cassie is playing soccer with a lot of the team. Hendrix is sitting out, so I head over and sit with her.
“You’re not over there trying to crush them all with your footwork? I know you have it,” I tease her as I lower myself onto the sand.
