Page 54 of On Merit Alone
Alright then.
“So you want a boys against girls game?” Gloria asked, visibly wary about the idea.
The other team captain in the room just shrugged, and I had to fight to get my mouth from pulling apart in a grin.
She was too much.
But Gloria wasn’t the only one who was wary about that idea. The coaches and even Ryan looked like they might not be on board with a bunch of six-eight men dunking on their six-foot female counterparts, though their leader didn’t seem to have a problem with it.
Extending my hand across the table again, I spoke up. “I don’t think boys against girls is necessary?—”
“Because they’re scared,” Merit grumbled. This elicited a seriesof snickers from her team and outraged chuffs and “yeah, rights” from mine.
I smiled because I couldn’t help myself as I rolled my eyes to the ceiling. Bringing my gaze down to meet hers, I hoped the words in my head got across.
Easy, killer.
“No, because we’re not in elementary school,” I said. She narrowed her eyes on me, and I held them as I continued, “We’re all adults. Grown men and women who know how to share a court. Right guys?”
I didn’t get an immediate answer from my men, so I glanced back and asked, “Right? You can put your egos away for charity, yeah?”
A grumbling “yes” filled my ears, the girls doing the same across the room. Up front, Gloria looked wary but powered through.
“Alright. Well, with that settled, I guess all that’s left is picking teams,” she said. “How does a hat sound?”
Twenty minutes later, I was sidling up to Merit’s side as she talked with Ryan in the corner of the room. Everyone else was dispersing, sporting their very own packets of itineraries and brochures from the foundation. But I had one goal in mind.
“Hey, teammate,” I said to the girl who’d spent the majority of the rest of the meeting pinning me with her serious eyes.
They were no less serious as she flipped a look up at me. “Hey.”
I leaned down. “Don’t be too excited that I’m on your team, Six. People might start to suspect things.”
This softened her a little, my sarcastic teasing pulling at her lips slightly. A stuffy, pointed clearing of a throat brought our attention to a glare. For a second, I dreaded that he was demanding attention out of jealousy or a claim of some kind. But I soon realized it was out of annoyance as he said, “The two of you are a pain in my ass apart. Try to refrain from being one together by injuring yourselvesagain.”
“You always say the sweetest things, Ry,” I said, slipping my hands into my pockets.
Merit’s smile was subtle but present as she said, “A game’s a game, Ryan. And we play to win.”
He looked up at the ceiling in exasperation before shaking his head. “Well, try to remember it’s a charity game and keep it together. I have to leave. Are we good with this?”
He was talking to Merit now, brows raised as he scanned her face.
Reaching forward, she gave his forearm a slight squeeze. I found myself getting jealous of the movement. “Yeah, Ry, we’re good. Thanks.”
Ryan returned the contact in the form of a soft pat on her shoulder before pivoting, nodding his head, and walking away.
“So this is all Ryan, then?” I asked, throwing a shot in the dark.
Sighing, she nodded. “Yeah. He’s helping with damage control. All this stuff is to help with my image or something. No one else’s ideas have been too great. But of course, leave it to him to find something that’s?—”
“Sort of perfect,” I scoffed. “Yeah, he’s good like that. Don’t you just hate that guy?”
“Can’t stand him.” She smiled but sighed.
“What’s up with you two anyway?” I couldn’t help asking.
“Up?” she asked, confused.
