Page 46 of Hello Quarterback

“Yes, darling?” he asked her.

She said, “Where are the drinks?”

Trent reached a hand in the air and snapped his fingers. Within seconds, a server arrived. “Can I help you, sir?” he said. He couldn’t have been more than twenty.

“Awfully slow service tonight,” Trent complained.

The server opened his mouth to respond, but Trent fluttered his fingers, cutting the kid off. “Drinks for the table. Sugar free for my daughter.”

“Yes, sir,” the server said, hustling off.

I couldn’t exactly blame him. I wanted to run away too, but unfortunately, I was stuck here for the evening.

“Felicity,” Mia began. “I saw your latest magazine spread. What was that like?”

Felicity seemed to brighten. “Actually, did you know there are four rounds of hair and makeup checks before you’re allowed on set?”

“I didn’t,” Mia replied. “What do the checks entail?”

Felicity started rattling off things that didn’t entirely make sense to me, but Mia nodded along. I didn’t dare make eye contact with Trent, acting enraptured by Mia and Felicity’s conversation.

No sooner than Felicity answered Mia’s question did Mia come up with another one. “What was it like to work with that photographer? I hear they’re notoriously difficult.”

“Oh yes,” Felicity said, launching into a tirade about demanding photographers and sharing stories of how difficult they were to work with. Trent and I hardly got a word in edgewise as Mia and Felicity carried the conversation, Mia asking questions and Felicity answering while I held Mia’s hand under the table.

She had this. And with each second that passed, I was more and more amazed by her. And a little ashamed of myself too. Mia had brought out the best in someone who I’d only assumed to be Trent’s entitled daughter.

The only break we got in the conversation was when the food came and the two paused for bites of their meal.

Eventually, Trent must have been fed up with it all because he waved his hand and said, “Enough. We know you love your job, Lissy. Let’s hear from Mia. How did you and this one meet?” He waved his fork at me.

“Oh.” Mia smiled over at me, her gaze so charming, I almost believed her. “Do you know that Gage and Ford grew up as neighbors? So before Gage retired to the board, I got to see Ford come in and out of the office or to meals, and I watched games from the suite. I remember the first time we spoke though.”

“You do?” I asked, surprised.

She nodded, meeting my gaze for a moment before looking back to Trent. “See, my best friend married Gage. She and her children came to one of the football games and stayed in the suite, and Ford was kind enough to come say hi after the game. Her oldest son was so intrigued by the life of a professional athlete and must have asked Ford a million questions.” She squeezed my hand. “Ford could have blown him off, signed an autograph or two and left the suite. After all, he’d just spent hours out on the field. He must have been so tired. Instead, he talked with Levi for at least an hour. Not trying to impress anyone or gain anything. Just because he’s agoodguy. I remember having a little bit of a crush on him then, but I figured nothing would ever happen. It’s hard to believe we’re together now.”

It was the most she’d spoken all night, and hearing her say it warmed my heart. “I remember that day too,” I admitted.

Everyone looked at me, but Mia sounded genuinely surprised when she said, “You do?”

The vulnerability in her question had my chest squeezing. “I remember this cute girl in the suite wearing a black dress and pearl earrings and thinking she’d look awfully good in purple.”

Even Felicity softened at that comment. “That’s adorable.”

Color rose on Mia’s cheeks, and she shook her head at me. “I guess it was meant to be... So what about you, Felicity? Anyone special in your life?”

The question was brilliant, and she slipped it into the conversation so effortlessly.

Felicity looked despondent for a moment, saying, “Not yet.” She glanced my way for half a second before looking down.

Mia reached across the table, covering Felicity’s hand with her own. “I’m sure you’ll find just the right person. But until then, girlfriends are the best to have. We should go get drinks sometime.”

“Yeah...” Felicity seemed hesitant at first but then brightened. “Yeah, I’d like that.”

“Great.” Mia smiled.

The echo of the microphone sounded, and I looked to the stage to see Coach preparing to speak.

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