Page 73 of Only in Your Dreams

I love that he remembers. That I’m not alone in greedily hoarding memories of him, and the way he made me feel back then. Worthwhile, and tingly from head to toe whenever he’d look at me.

Not so different from how I feel now.

“Did you ever peek over your shoulder?”

“Trust me, I really wanted to. You look insane in that dress, Melody. It was meant for you. But for the record, you could walk around in a tarp and I’d still ogle the hell out of you. As long as you’re happy wearing it.”

I catch my reflection in the mirror. I look ridiculous, and it has nothing to do with the dress. It’s the pink cheeks, bright eyes. The silliest, out-of-control grin on my face. God, he’s just as charming as he always was. I feel myself falling into the trap that is Zac Porter like it’s ten years ago.

It’s insane. I’ve lived since then. Experienced, learned lessons. Connor was a charmer too, and look how that turned out.

More than once in the past few days, I’ve had to remind myself to pump the breaks, to keep myself from losing my head over sweet smiles and platitudes. The next time I fall for a man, it’ll take a whole lot more than that.

I turn from the mirror. “Okay, I think you’d better start charging me for these therapy sessions.”

“Does that mean you’re getting the dress?”

“I’m getting the dress,” I confirm, shimmying out of it.

I almost jump out of my skin at the sound of a knock at my dressing room door.

“Mels?” Summer calls from its other side. “Who are you talking to in there?”

Shit.

“No one,” I call. “I’m talking to myself. I’ll be out in a second.”

“Ouch—did you justno oneme?” Zac says in my ear.

“No—”

“You did,” he says with a laugh. “You totally justno one’d me to Summer.”

I purse my lips, trying not to laugh. “What was that? Zac, I think I’m losing you. You’re cutting out—bad reception in this dressing room or something—”

Zac laughs, and having the warm sound of it pointing straight into my eardrum triples its effect. My chest fills up with something sweet and warm. A flurry of goose bumps bursts over my skin.

“See you tonight, Clover.”

Chapter 18

Zac

“You have to admit it’s clear you have a problem here. You’ve got an NFL-caliber quarterback and still can’t manage to win a game.”

What a dick.

It’s bad enough having to sit through these press conferences outside of a gameday. But with our home opener around the corner, these are now getting scheduled all over the place, forcing me to withstand pointed abuse from local sports reporters looking for blood.

I don’t blame them. I’m not expecting to be handed roses given this team’s track record. But my job satisfaction has taken a definite hit.

“You got a question somewhere in there, Scottie?”

Harry Nunez has been at this a lot longer than I have. My boss leans his elbows on the table, fixing the reporter with an expression that clearly states,why is it always fucking you, Scottie?

Wouldn’t mind an answer to that question myself.

“Yeah,” the reporter spares me a glance before settling back on Harry. “My question is, at what point do you consider a coaching shake up? Or are you willing to let yet another season go down the drain out of loyalty to your coach, like you have for the last handful of years?”

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