Page 16 of Tempting the Teammate
“Don’t sell yourself short. My roommate has watched your episode three times, and she’s not even into sports.”
The compliment should have felt good. A beautiful woman telling me I was worth repeated viewing should have fed whatever ego had convinced me I belonged in the spotlight. Instead, I found myself glancing toward Andrei, who was systematically destroying a cocktail napkin while staring at something fascinating on the opposite wall.
Chloe followed my gaze and smiled knowingly. “He’s not much of a people person, is he?”
“He’s selective.”
“Must be nice, having someone who knows you that well. You two seem really close.”
There was something in her tone that made me look at her more carefully. Not jealousy, exactly, but recognition. Like she was seeing something more than was on display.
“We’ve been friends for a long time,” I said.
“It shows.”
When she suggested we step outside for some air, I found myself hesitating. The script seemed to call for me to follow her lead, to continue the flirtation into whatever romantic conclusion the cameras were hoping to capture. But looking at her expectant face, I felt nothing but a strange hollowness where excitement should have been.
“Actually,” I said, glancing back toward where Andrei sat alone, “I should probably stay with my friends. Boys’ night out, you know?”
Her smile faltered slightly, but she recovered with grace. “Of course. Maybe another time?”
“Maybe.”
She gathered her purse and coat, leaning down to kiss my cheek before she left. “You’re sweet, Griffin Shaw. Don’t let fame change that.”
As soon as she was gone, I felt the cameras swinging toward me like heat-seeking missiles. Jen appeared at my elbow with that smile that meant she smelled good television.
“Quick interview,” she said, gesturing toward a quieter corner near the bar. “Just a few thoughts on the evening so far.”
The camera operator positioned himself while I tried to organize my thoughts into something that would make sense on television.
“So,” Jen began once the red light was blinking, “interesting night. Two beautiful women, clearly interested, and you sent them both away. Our viewers are going to want to know why.”
I shrugged, falling back on the easy charm that had gotten me through every interview so far. “I guess it’s a boys’ night out.”
The words came out lighter than they felt, accompanied by the grin that usually smoothed over any awkward moments. But underneath the performance, I felt relief flooding through me like cool water. Relief that I didn’t have to pretend to be interested in someone I wasn’t. Relief that I didn’t have to perform an attraction I didn’t feel.
“Fair enough,” Jen said, though her expression suggested she wasn’t entirely buying it. “Friendship loyalty is admirable.”
When I walked back into the main bar area, Andrei looked up from his decimated napkin with genuine surprise.
“You’re back,” he said, and something in his voice made my chest tight.
“Where else would I be?”
Phoenix had returned from his phone call, his face bright with whatever conversation he’d had with Jaxon. “Everything good?” he asked, settling back into his chair.
“Perfect,” I said and meant it.
The rest of the evening unfolded without cameras in our faces, just the three of us talking and laughing over beers that grew warm while we forgot to drink them. Phoenix told storiesabout Jaxon’s rehearsal disasters, complete with impressions of overly dramatic choreographers and prima donna skaters. Andrei gradually relaxed, his shoulders losing their rigid line as he got drawn into Phoenix’s increasingly elaborate reenactments.
When Andrei laughed, really laughed, at Phoenix’s impression of a figure skater having a meltdown over sequin placement, I felt something shift in my chest. The sound was rare enough to feel precious, and watching his face transform with genuine amusement was better than any attention I’d gotten from the women earlier.
When we finally called it a night, walking out into the crisp evening air, I realized I couldn’t remember the last time I’d enjoyed a night out more. Not because anything dramatic had happened, but because it hadn’t. Just three friends, good conversation, and the comfortable rhythm of people who actually liked spending time together.
“That was fun,” Phoenix said, stretching. “We should do it more often, cameras or no cameras.”
“Agreed,” I said and caught Andrei’s small nod of approval.
