Page 94 of Blitzing Emily

“I never knew you were a fish and chips guy,” she teased.

“I had to get you up here. I have something for you.” He dug into his pocket.

“You already bought me a really nice ring, and I love the earrings. I enjoyed the flowers, too,” she said.

“But that was all a few months ago. I ... Well, this is almost as good.” He put an envelope with a Sharks logo into Emily’s hand. “I’d really like it if you would come to my first preseason game. The view isn’t quite this breathtaking from the other side of the stadium, but you’ll be under the roof if it rains.” He waited expectantly. To Emily’s surprise, his hands trembled as their fingertips brushed. He licked his lips and wouldn’t meet her eyes. She peeked at the date printed on the tickets. Luckily, it was the only week she wasn’t booked in August.

“I’ll be there. Thank you for asking me.”

He reached out to embrace her, miraculously missing the food and drinks spread out in front of them. At the same time, the food was pretty secondary at this point. She relished the scratchiness of his cheek against hers and the warmth of his embrace.

“You must think I wouldn’t want to go,” Emily said.

He studied his food for a moment. The self-assured, funny, masterful guy Emily believed she knew suddenly turned into a shy, hesitant high schooler.

He shrugged. “You might have a scheduling conflict.”

She wiped her fingertips on a napkin, and took his chin in her hand to look into his eyes. “I can’t wait to watch you play again,” Emily said. She held up the tickets. “I’ll bring Amy. I know she’ll want to be there, too.”

“Sure. If you need more tickets for your mom and dad, let me know.”

“I’ll do that. Thank you.” She kissed his cheek. “Did you really think I wouldn’t be interested?” She stuck the tickets and envelope into her handbag.

He shrugged, took a sip of his iced tea, and ate another bite of fish. As usual, he’d devoured a double portion of fish and chips and was now working on hers, too. Finally, he spoke.

“Anastasia never wanted to see one of my games.”

“I’m not Anastasia.”

“No,” he agreed, “you’re not.”

“I’m a little curious ...”

“Hit me.” He slid his arm around Emily’s shoulders and let out a sigh.

She took a deep breath. “I’d love to know exactly what it was about Anastasia that appealed to you. Why did you ask her out?”

“Sugar, you’re going for the gusto.”

“You don’t have to answer if you don’t want to. I just wondered.”

“I’d love to tell you it was her brains and personality, but, mostly, it was what she looked like. And I kept asking her out. Sometimes she’d say “no,” and sometimes, she’d say “yes.” I had to chase her. It became a challenge.” He shook his head. “Would it make you feel better if I tell you it’s probably one of the more stupid things I’ve ever done in my life?”

“Wanting to ask someone out isn’t necessarily stupid—”

He shook his head. “I knew the first time we went out that it wasn’t good. I kept at it, though, because she was a model, and, to be truthful, I got to show her off.” He rubbed his chin with his free hand. “Yeah, she was a challenge, but she had no interest in anything I find valuable. She doesn’t like football. She couldn’t understand why I work out through the off-season, or why it’s important to me to see my parents and my brother as often as I can. Not surprisingly, my parents weren’t that crazy about her when they finally met. I didn’t want to go to New York and hang out with her model friends. The guys thought I was godda— a little crazy to break it off with her when it finally happened. All professional athletes want to date women the normal guy can’t get.”

Now it was Emily’s turn to feel awkward and insecure. She wasn’t sure what to say, but Brandon, as usual, sensed she wasn’t overly thrilled.

“Sugar, I’m an ass,” he said as his hand closed around hers. “What I should’ve said is that I’m damn lucky to be here with you tonight. I can’t believe you’re wearing my ring. Out of all the parking lots in the entire world, you wiped out in mine.”

Emily had to laugh when she saw his slightly crooked smile. “I just didn’t understand how you could ... Well, Anastasia and I don’t have much in common.”

“Thank God.”

Emily laid her head against his shoulder and looked up at the endless, starry sky. “You’re not an ass.”

“I really messed up just now.”

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