Page 11 of Caught Looking

That was my Jeri. Always cut through everything and went right to the juicy center. “Why did you throw me at him last night?” There had to have been someone else she could have grabbed. Or we could have at least attempted to avoid Owen.

She shrugged. “I kind of like Butler. And I knew he’d help.”

“Youlikehim?”

“Not like that. Gross.”

“Then like what?”

She shrugged again. The move was like Rhett’s growls and grunts. It was meant to convey what normal people took a sentence to explain. The shrug meantSeriously? Listen to my words more carefully so I don’t have to keep speaking.“He’s blunt. He says what he’s thinking. And I’ve seen what he does when he thinks no one is looking.”

The first two things made perfect sense. Jeri was also blunt and always said what she was thinking. Something that had started many, many fights. But the third was interesting. “And what does he do when no one is looking?”

She cocked her head to the side and tapped her chin with her finger. “At the joint practice he cleaned up after us. Before the cleaning crew came in. He picked up all the bottles, the food wrappers, everything. At the charity run he played with that kid all day. Hung out with his family until they left. You know they went home with like ten grand in merch and autographs they can sell online, right?”

I knew he was good with the kid. But he really sent them home with signed memorabilia they could sell to make even more money? That was really kind.

“And on the Fourth, one of the servers was crying. I don’t know why or what happened, but Butler saw and came over. He put his arm around her and walked her out.” She studied me for a moment, like she was debating saying something else. And if Jeri was holding back, it meant it mattered. “He watches you, Ryan. Not like a creep or anything. But like you’re the most amazing thing he’s ever seen and just getting to watch you for a moment is a gift. He gets all soft and smiley. And I’d make fun of him for it if it wasn’t you. You deserve someone who is soft and smiley when he looks at you. So yeah,” she stood up, “I’m confessing to a little matchmaking.”

“You know he sleeps around.”

She sighed. Again. That was three now. I was really trying her patience. “And you know that you should never trust anything you haven’t seen with your own eyes. Does Roscoe lie?”

Damn, bringing in my dog was a low blow. “No, no he doesn’t.”

“Exactly. If you don’t trust me, trust Roscoe. That dog is never wrong. It’s freaky.”

It was true that my German Shepard had a strong stubborn streak. He either liked someone or he didn’t. There was no in-between. And Roscoe never, ever granted friend status to anyone not worthy.

And, to my shock and confusion, when Seth and I had both participated in that charity run, Roscoelovedhim. Not like. Loved.

I’d been confused ever since. Add in the Fourth and Seth Butler had become such a mystery that I couldn’t help but want to solve.

A long, shrill whistle signaled that our break was over. I stood up and followed Jeri out, shuddering as I spied the new cameras. They were everywhere. Not just the three that followed us around, but the fixed cameras they’d installed all around the practice field to capture us as we came out of the locker rooms, jogged onto the field, or worked on the sidelines.

“Ryan!” Coach Summer waved me over so I jogged her way as I loosened my stiffening muscles back up. “What’s up, coach?”

“Everyone is doing interviews. You’re up next.” She pointed over to Owen and his camera on a tripod in the end zone.

“Alone?”It’s romantic, Anna.I swallowed down the bile the memory brought up.

She arched an eyebrow. “You’re hardly alone.”

Meaning we were in front of a field of women. Which normal people wouldn’t think twice about. But normal people didn’t know Owen like I did. Like the fact thatOwenwasn’t even his real name. He picked it because he thought it sounded more catchy, more prestigious, than Jon Woodward. “Got it. Will this take long?”I just need you so much, Anna. I can’t help myself.

“Shouldn’t be more than ten minutes. He knows we can’t spare much time.”

I steeled myself and jogged to the other end of the field, a pit of dread growing in my gut with every step. “Owen.”

“Ah, Anna. So good to see you again.” He had that blinding smile back in place. If only everyone knew how much hate he had hidden behind it.

“Last night was a surprise.”I chose you. Don’t you know how lucky you are?

Owen frowned, stroking his chin. His blue eyes were clouded with thought and his blond hair surprisingly messy. “Not as much as it was for me to see you with Butler. How long have you been together?”

Damn that was fast. This was why I agreed to meet Seth tonight. We needed a story. A united front. Owen was the kind of man who dug around until he found what he needed to exploit someone. I could feel the bullseye on my back. “Not long.”

Owen’s gaze narrowed as he ever so subtly leaned closer. “It doesn’t sound too serious then.”

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