Page 40 of Playbook
She doesn’t meet my gaze as she says, “That was my ex-boyfriend.”
“Oh, I know. He made sure I knew.”
She looks up. Those dark green eyes lock on me. “It’s a long story.”
“I’ve got all night.”
I’m not sure she’s going to say any more at first. She sits across from me, picking at the beer label, seemingly lost in her own thoughts. I’m content just to stare at her. I’d forgotten just how gorgeous she is. That thick, long brown hair, the contrast of her inky black lashes against her skin, and the way her top lip flips up, giving her mouth this puckered look like she’s just been kissed.
“We broke up a couple of years ago, but that’s only the second time I’ve seen him since then. The first time was last weekend when I lied and told him I was dating someone. Sorry for getting you involved.”
Am I relieved she’s not actually dating someone? Yes, yes I am.
“Why’d you lie?”
“Pride?” She shrugs. “I knew he was dating someone else and I didn’t want him to think I was hung up on him or anything.”
That makes sense, but it seems like a lot of effort for some douchebag that doesn’t deserve any of her thoughts or attention.
“I never expected to need to prove it, but then he walked intothe bar as I was trying to escape you and I didn’t know what to do.”
“I’m thrilled I seemed like the better option.”
“Well, I didn’t expect him to think we’re together.” She laughs. “Can you imagine?”
I can, actually. Or at least some heavy making out.
“In hindsight, I probably should have just told him you were a friend and that the guy I was dating was meeting up with me later.”
“He wouldn’t have believed that.”
“No?”
“No guy is letting you out of his sight at a bar and he’s definitely going with you to meet up with another guy.”
Her cheeks take on a light-pink blush.
“Who’s getting married?”
“My sister,” she says, “is marrying his brother.”
My brows rise. Damn. That’s sticky.
“Yeah,” she says as if reading my thoughts. “They started dating shortly after Chris and I broke up. I’d successfully avoided him until they announced their engagement. They’re getting married in a few months so suddenly there are all these parties and plans, and I guess I’m not going to be able to avoid him forever like I’d originally planned.”
I never understood how two people who used to date or cared about each other could come to a point where they’d need to avoid each other. It’s beyond the feelings I’ve ever had for someone, I guess. But I can read the pain on her face and I feel for her, even if I don’t think that asshole is worth it.
She blows out a breath and gives me a smile that doesn’t seem all that happy. “Thank you for going along with it tonight. I guess he’s going to figure out that I was lying soon enough.” She laughs. “I probably should have thrown myself at someone a little less high-profile.”
“Right,” I say, thinking. It wouldn’t take a lot of research to find pictures of me with another girl as recently as tonight. An image of the woman who asked me to take a shot out of her cleavage comes to mind. “Yeah, I guess so.”
We fall quiet. She keeps picking at that label, and I look up toward the bar where my teammates are still hanging out. Cody glances over at the same time and I can tell he’s assessing the situation. His words from earlier this week come to mind and an idea forms slowly.
“Or maybe there’s a way we can help each other.”
Her head lifts and the question is on her face before she asks, “How?”
“I have started to get a bit of a reputation.”
