Page 7 of Marring an Athlete

Chapter Three

Anna

Anna stared at the back door as Michael shut it behind him. Who was that? And then she stopped herself. Thoughts about all the girls that Michael always had on his arm were never good. And if the speed at which he departed had anything to do with what McKenna had just proposed, she didn’t want to know that either. She didn’t need to digest how she felt about Michael not wanting to pretend to be married to her.

A hurt feeling grew in her gut. Of course he didn’t want to pretend that he’d settled down. He was the athlete playboy. She didn’t meet any of the qualifications he seemed to have for the women he chose to date.

She was thin and slightly curvy. But she wasn’t slutty. Or flashy. And from the last cover feature done on him, she was the last person he’d ever consider dating. Or fake marrying. She could only imagine the field day the press would have if he showed up with her on his arm.

She could see the title now. Star Athlete Gone Mad: Shows up with Average Girl. She snorted which caused McKenna to glance up at her.

“What?” McKenna asked, drawing her eyebrows together.

“Nothing. Just thinking about something I read.” She reached out and fiddled with the pamphlet to Rekindle Resort. “Do you really think this is a good idea? Me and Michael going together? Pretending to be married?” As she said it out loud, she began to realize how much of a mistake this was.

“Why wouldn’t it be?” McKenna asked.

Heat rushed to Anna’s cheeks as she thought back to their kiss. McKenna hadn’t seemed too fazed by Anna’s confession when Anna had told her about it when she got back from her honeymoon. She said something about how it was typical Michael.

Anna cleared her throat. “You know. . .” She raised her eyebrows.

“The kiss?” McKenna shook her head. “I wouldn’t worry about it. That’s Michael for you. He’s the kiss ‘em and leave ‘em kind of guy. Not the stick around and crush on ‘em type.” She sighed, using that breath to blow a loose strand of hair away from her face.

Anna swallowed. That was what she was afraid of. That’s what she had always been afraid of. Nothing like adding insult to injury. Part of her had always wondered if he might have had feelings for her. Now after he had called her by someone else’s name, and then adding in her giant failure with Patrick, she was starting to wonder if perhaps, it really was her.

Which was something she had feared for a long time. That she was just that unlovable.

Best friend. Yes.

Girl who’s always there for you. Yes.

But love interest? No.

She was never going to be the girl who got the guy. She should just accept that now. Preparation for spinsterhood seemed the best course of action.

Before she could say anything more, the back door opened, and Michael stepped into the kitchen. His skin had paled, and he had a worried expression on his face. Something was wrong. What had he gotten himself into? With his reputation, it could be anything.

“So, where were we on that faking marriage and going to the resort thing?” he asked as he pulled out the chair across from them and sunk into it.

He was worried about something. But what? Anna watched him. She wanted to ask, but then decided against it.

“We really hadn’t decided on anything,” Anna said as she eyed him.

Michael glanced at her, and then back to McKenna. “Well, I’m game, if Anna is.” His gaze made its way back over to her. “Are you game?”

Anna studied the table top. Well, he wasn’t repulsed by her—that was a good sign. But what seemed to boggle her mind was how eager he’d suddenly become when moments ago, he jumped at the first phone call and high-tailed it out of there.

“Really?” McKenna asked. She sat a little straighter in her chair as she wiped her nose with a nearby tissue. “That would be amazing. It’s just what I need.”

Michael stood up from the table and began to pace. “I think we should do it now. I mean, there’s no time like the present, right? You have your tickets. I’m sure it’s not hard to get ours.” He waved his hand at Anna.

McKenna sucked in her breath. “Yeah. We have our tickets. I hope that’s okay. Last minute flights to Bora Bora are going to be insanely expensive.”

A sinking feeling settled in Anna’s stomach. There was no way she could come up with that kind of cash. “I can’t afford that.” It stung to say those words out loud.

Michael waved away her concerns. “I’ll pay for the two of us to go. After all, I’m McKenna’s big brother. It’s the least I can do. Besides, I don’t think I even got you a wedding present.” He grabbed the pamphlet off the table and flipped it over. “I’ll call and get it all arranged.” He pointed at Anna. “Do you think the coffee shop will be okay without you?”

Anna swallowed as the words that he spoke rattled around in her mind. Man, she sounded pathetic. There was nothing keeping her here. She could jump on a plane that evening and go wherever she wanted. No boyfriend to alert. No job to beg for time off. She was completely unattached. And it hurt.

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