Page 7 of My Secret Bandit

“I get you hate judging people by appearances. You kids have dealt with a lot of unkind, undeserved judgments in your short lives. All I’m saying is, sometimes the book reads exactly how the cover shows it.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

All those stories of Jeffrey being well-liked turned out to be true. Coaches and players, even some personnel and high-powered looking men in expensive suits, stopped to talk with him. Jeffrey never mentioned the game, though. He told us this pregame stuff was insignificant. I’d say the impatient looks covering a few of the faces that popped in and out of the locker room proved him right.

Their patience felt forced. Like they were working hard to stick to “proper” interview etiquette and the questions either pulled them out of their game-day focus or resulted in choreographed answers. And choreographed answers never made headlines.

Plus, it was chaotic.

Along with the shuttering of cameras, the small crowd threw questions out, just hoping that one snagged a bite. I sided with my mentor and observed.

Minutes before kickoff most of the others dispersed. Only a few press members remained, including me, Jeffrey, and his ex-wife.

The handsome, bearded guy Jeffrey’d been talking to disappeared through the closed door of the locker room. The ex and Jeffrey shared an awkward, hateful grin at each other as we moved toward an elevator.

“Oh, Jeff.” The woman’s thick lashes fluttered. “You found a new plaything. How cute. At least you won’t have to worry about losing her to one of the players.”

I recoiled. Tried to slip behind Jeffrey to hide my humiliation, but he wouldn’t let me. His arm swung around my shoulders, and he grinned in my direction.

“Don’t be jealous, Ariel. It may be the best quality to seep out of you, but it really is an ugly trait. Not every woman is in this business to score their next husband. How’s yours, anyway? Heard he’s as tired of your shit as I am.”

Ariel’s gaze cut to me before landing back on Jeffrey. Her dark eyes lost some of the danger they held before. Jeffrey struck a nerve. His barely there grin turned smug. Victorious, even as she huffed and stomped away.

“Oh, my god! You did not just say that to her.”

“What? She started it. She can’t be a bitch every second of the day and not expect someone to be a bitch right back. Besides, you don’t deserve that,” he said, readjusting his suit jacket before hitting the elevator button.

“Thank you,” I whispered, listening to the hum of the cart. It stopped a minute later, opening to a suite. “I thought we’d be in the press box?”

“Just something we like to do for the home-opener. Although you’re free to go to the press box if you want. I need to find someone. I’ll get you later.” Then he vanished. Lost in the sea of suits and stilettos.

Those who opted for the suite chatted amongst themselves, not paying attention to anything happening on the field below. I wove my way through the room. Emotionally unprepared for dozens of introductions and meaningless small talk, the balcony doors called to me.

Passing the large windows separating the suite from the rest of the stadium, I sighed in relief when the warm, humid outside air hugged me.

Already sitting alone on the balcony was another woman. She chuckled, patting at the chair next to hers. “It’ll get better, I promise. You’re the other intern from Tampa Sports. Jamie, right?”

“Yeah, that’s me.”

“I thought so. I saw you with Jeffrey. He is an exceptional jackass, so it may be hard to tell, but he really likes you. God… I still can’t believe he agreed to mentor. It’ll be good for him, though.”

I grinned at her open ramblings, dropping into the seat beside her.

“Sorry, I’m Suzanne. I run Sports over at Tampa Bay Weekly. Listen, Jeffrey may be a Scrooge year-round, but he’s the guy to get you where you need to go.” A shy smile lifted her cheeks. “Plus, he grows on you after a while.”

“I’m realizing that.”We sat in comfortable silence for a while, taking in the noise and activity of the stadium.

“There you are.”

I turned at the sound of Jeffrey’s voice, but his eyes weren’t on me. They skimmed over my head and landed on the woman next to me.

“I’m assuming you two have already met?” Real, uninhibited emotion showed on his tan features and sucker-punched me right in the gut. “How much shit did she talk, Flynn? Be honest.”

JeffreyfreakingHall was smiling!

Alert the paramedics. One of us is clearly having a stroke.

“Only a little,” Suzanne answered, noticing my shock.

---