Page 74 of The Break Down

“Oh, thank God,” she says, flinging her arms around Finley as she steps away from the SUV.

I drop my arm, so I don’t get caught in their girl hug. Pretty sure it’s the smart thing to do since Coach would likely have my arse if I touched his woman. Even accidentally.

And really, I get it. Because I feel the same about my Red.

“I thought I was going to have to post a missing persons alert.”

Finley groans into her shoulder. “Can we not make this a big thing?”

Carolina pulls back and smirks. “You vanished with the Rovers’ number eight in a luxury SUV and came back looking like you survived a sex hurricane. It’s already a thing, Fin.”

I scrub a hand down my face.

So much for slipping in quietly like a couple of reasonable adults involved in a consensual relationship.

I mean, sure, I want to shout it from the rooftops, but I need to get a better read on Finley before I do that.

Don’t want her running scared.Again.

My heart squeezes, and I look at her, chatting with Carolina. She seems fine.

Thank fuck.

Then I look around, and I growl.

What was supposed to be a low-key re-entry into camp has turned into a goddamn parade.

One by one, more Rovers and staff come sauntering over, like pigeons to dropped chips, craning their necks to see what the fuss is.

Perfect.

Just bloody perfect.

This is it. My personal hell.

All this bloody attention.

Everyone acting like we’re a couple of teenagers who got caught together, staying out too late after prom.

Tank narrating everything like it’s a Netflix special.

And then—because of course—Coach Dane strolls up from the field with his clipboard like he’s about to announce my crimes in front of a jury.

Sunglasses low.

Expression unreadable.

The man's got more gravitas in his pinky than a whole courtroom.

I brace for the lecture.

The chewing out.

The sarcastic commentary.

Even though, technically, Dane was the one who told me to go after her.

It doesn’t matter really, because underneath all of that anxiety?

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