Page 14 of When Stars Collide (Chicago Stars 9)

“American Samoa,” Junior clarified. “It’s the NFL’s favorite training ground.”

“I had no idea,” Olivia said.

Thad continued the introductions. “Ritchie Collins is at the other end of the table.” Tonight Ritchie wore a single gold hoop near his scalp tattoo. “Ritchie’s the fastest wide receiver the Stars have had since Bobby Tom Denton.”

“Ritchie’s my go-to guy,” Clint said. “Me and him are going to rule the world.”

“Not until you learn how to handle pressure in the pocket, little girl.” Thad had the satisfaction of seeing Clint wince. “The ugly dude next to him is Bigs Russo.” Bigs sometimes got offended if his ugly mug wasn’t acknowledged, and Thad didn’t see any point in taking chances.

Bigs’d had some new dental work since the last time Thad had seen him, but that hadn’t done anything to fix his squashed nose, bald head, and small eyes. “Bigs might look like a broke-down prizefighter,” Thad said, “but he’s the best defensive lineman in the League.”

The other men nodded in agreement, but Olivia seemed concerned that Thad had hurt Bigs’s feelings. “I find rugged men incredibly fascinating,” she cooed. “So much more interesting than those pretty-boy athletes who model underwear in their spare time.”

They all hooted, none louder than Bigs. Thad’s resentment eased. He had to hand it to her. The Diva wasn’t taking his crap lying down.

“So you two a thing now?” Ritchie asked.

“Oh, no,” Olivia replied emphatically. “He detests me. Not entirely without reason. He brought me here to embarrass me.”

“That’s no way to treat a lady, T-Bo,” Junior said.

“She insulted me,” Thad explained.

Olivia apparently decided to put it out in the open. “I accused him of something he didn’t do. This is his revenge.”

“I did notice you aren’t wearing shoes,” Bigs said.

“She’s a nature lover,” Thad said. “Half the time she walks around naked, but tonight she settled for bare feet.”

“Not true,” she said. “But an entertaining story.”

“Why’d you do that?” Ritchie asked her. “Accuse him?”

“I was fed some bad information.”

Ritchie nodded. “It can happen.”

“It wouldn’t have if I’d considered my source.”

Thad liked the fact that The Diva was being upfront. Maybe she wasn’t so bad after all.

The bartender came over to take their drink orders. Thad watched Olivia’s gaze switch from her grimy surroundings to his equally grimy apron.

“I’ll have iced tea. In a bottle.” As soon as the bartender left the table, she offered an explanation. “I’m allergic to E. coli bacteria.”

They all liked that.

“I’m guessing you gentlemen are obscenely wealthy, so . . .” She made a gesture toward the nicotine-stained walls and mostly dead Christmas tree lights draping a longhorn steer skull. “Why this place?”

“Bigs chose it.” Ritchie slid his fingers over the embroidered rose on his leather bomber.

“It’s important to keep it real,” Bigs said.

Ritchie tilted back in his chair. “This is a whole new world of real.”

The Diva didn’t seem to mind when the conversation inevitably drifted to football. For someone who made a living commanding center stage, her willingness to step back surprised him. As they tossed around their opinions of sports broadcasters, team owners, and exchanged some general trash talk, she ignored her iced tea and listened patiently.

Clint, not surprisingly, tried to get her to leave with him.

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