Page 4 of Marring an Athlete

Chapter Two

Michael

Michael took a deep breath as he sat at the table at the far end of the coffee shop. The last few minutes rolled around in his mind. What the heck had that been?

He hadn’t expected the feelings that raced through his body when he’d seen Anna pop up from behind the counter. Suddenly, he was that dorky senior in high school, standing in front of the girl he’d crushed on for so long. Or the girl that he’d stupidly kissed two years ago. The girl that had been there through everything. Anna.

He swallowed as he rubbed his palms on his jeans. Did she notice how out of sorts she had made him?

When McKenna had called, asking him to pick up Anna, he had been fine with it. Besides, two years had passed since their kiss. Surely, he was over her by now. But from the way his stomach lightened and his heart raced when he saw her, it became quite clear that he wasn’t over her. Not in the least. And here he sat, feeling like such an idiot.

He drummed his fingers on the tabletop in front of him. He could get through this. He had to. The media storm that was about to hit him back home was going to be a big one. Leaving seemed like the only rational plan.

He just hoped McKenna could keep him hidden until the story blew over. But he wasn’t sure how long that was going to take. When it came to the Mayor’s daughter, Daisy, the media didn’t seem too lackadaisical. Anyone associated with them became the new topic of the front page every day.

What had started as a joke, quickly turned into a nightmare. He should have known better than to meet Daisy that night. But he was stupid, and now that stupidity was going to chew him up and spit him out.

Thankfully, Anna emerged from the back room before Michael went insane from delving into his past mistakes. Right now, he was desperate for any distraction. No matter how complicated.

His gaze roamed over Anna. Her hair had been set free, and it fell softly around her shoulders. She was wearing a dark blue shirt and jeans that accentuated the curves she most certainly didn’t have when they were growing up. Michael swallowed. Had she always looked this good?

When her gaze met his, he realized that he was staring. He stood, slamming his leg against the underside of the tabletop. His skin heated as he cursed under his breath. He scooted his chair back and stepped away from the table.

“Are we good?” he asked.

Anna pulled her purse strap higher up on her shoulder. “Yeah. Betsy said she’d cover for me. I was off in an hour anyway. It’s dead around this time.”

Michael reached out and brushed her arm with his fingertips. The feeling sent zaps of electricity through his body.

Anna’s gaze dropped to his fingers, and he pulled back as if he’d been burned. Was that too intimate? What was wrong with him? This was Anna. The girl he used to terrorize. If he could go back to remembering that, it would be best for everyone involved.

The kiss they’d shared at McKenna’s wedding had been a mistake. Anna was too good for him. He was a fool and always seemed to make the wrong decisions. Anna was the kind of girl you settled down with. And he wasn’t meant for that kind of life. Why would he hurt her like that? He couldn’t. Which was why he’d said someone else’s name and pretended to pass out. He just hoped it was something she’d forgotten.

“It’ll be fine. Let’s just get going.” She took a step toward the door.

Michael nodded. Good. He needed a job to do. Nothing good ever came from him being idle.

They started walking toward the door together. Out of instinct, Michael brought his hand up to the small of her back to help guide her. When his fingers touched her shirt, she tensed. But then she relaxed.

He started to wonder what that meant, but then quickly pushed that thought out. The last thing he wanted to do was drag Anna into his mess. It was best for him to stay away. Far away.

“I’m parked over there,” he said, nodding toward his red convertible parked alongside the Jumpy Bean building.

Anna glanced over at it, and then back to him. “Wow. A convertible. Nice.”

He nodded. “It was my grandpa’s. I got it when he passed away.”

“Oh, that’s right. I remember now. McKenna told me that. And she got. . . What was it? A weed wacker?” She raised her eyesbrows.

Michael smiled. “Hey, don’t feel badly for McKenna. She followed my grandpa around for years asking him if he’d let her use it. It only made sense to a ninety-five-year-old man to will it to her.”

Anna laughed. A light, whimsical sound. Michael couldn’t help but laugh along with her. Suddenly, he was taken back to a time when things were simple. When they were just two teens in high school. Back when he wasn’t a complete idiot.

“Yeah, she didn’t tell me that tidbit.”

As they approached the car, Michael reached out and pulled on the door handle of the passenger side. He opened it and waved his hand in. “That’s McKenna. Always the drama queen.”

Anna moved to climb in, but then paused and glanced over at him. She was inches away. Her smile faltered as she met his gaze. She glanced down at the ground and then back up at him. Why was she acting so strange?

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