Page 105 of Falling Offsides

I nod.

“My sister… not some random girl.”

“You don’t have to explain yourself to me.”

His thick lips press together into a pout that makes him look young and vulnerable and beautiful. So handsome.

“I know, but…” Auguste pauses, taking Samson from me when I hold him out to him. Warm hands envelop mine, and in a hushed rumble, he starts, “Court…”

“No, Auguste. Not right now.” I shake my head and step back, making my message clear—the conversation he wants to have is not going to happen.

It’s his turn to nod while he pulls back, Samson cradled in his arms like an overgrown baby.

“I’m sorry,” he whispers so quietly that he’s practically mouthing the words to me before he ambles backwards to his door.

The elevator is shutting when I hear his sister ask, “Who was that?”

“My neighbor.”

“Are you two a thing?”

“No.”

“Is that why you’re so tortured right now? She’s cute,” Sabine giggles and he growls in response, “What the fuck are you wearing?”

The elevator starts going down before I can hear anything else. As much as my chest aches at the picture of his dejected expression etched into my thoughts, there’s a small flutter at his grumbled remark about his sister’s clothes. It’s so Auguste, so natural that it eases some of the resentment cloying my feelings.

Maybe Delilah is right. Perhaps his intention is not to control, but to care and genuinely protect the people he cares about.

It’s a freeing thought to have as I step out of the elevator and head outside to my waiting Uber.

However, it’s also the scariest realization to hit me. Because if I can’t be someone he cares about. My time in LA is on a countdown.

Lunch with Dadis hard today. Especially when I can’t focus onthe conversation. Every string of our conversation is tangled up with Auguste.

“What do you think?” I’m forking my salad trying to get my thoughts to align when he asks again, “Off the cuff, honey. How’s the team looking to you?”

“Good.” I give up on forcing myself to finish the cobb salad he brought from home. “Team looks set.”

“I have a feeling in my bones that it’s going to be a big year for us. Although, with Sylkes’ migraines playing up… and Bruce has been distracted lately. Couldn’t get him to focus at all today…”

“His sister is in town. Probably just excited.”

“Maybe… I hope so…”

Shit.

My heart is lodged in my throat as I ask, “You don’t think so?”

“Bruce is razor-focused. Normally.” There’s a pause as he wipes his mouth and closes his tupperware. “He’s not himself… something’s been going on for weeks.”

“That’s…”My fault.I cringe internally, wiping my mouth to hide my frown.

“Anyway, how’s everything going? Are you still enjoying the experience? Getting what you want out of it? I heard some of the guys talking about last night. Did you have fun?”

I nod. “It was nice hanging out with the team. Cecelia was there so I wasn’t the only female, and everyone has been so nice to me.”

“That’s a whole lot of nice there, Court. I’m not sure it’s a good thing?” Blue eyes narrow on me with an assessing perusal.

---