Page 77 of Broken Play
Where's my tennis bracelet? And why haven’t I noticed?
Did I lose it at the waterfall? Did it fall off at Greyson's house?
"You said those three giant words? And he said them too?" Anna screams as she adjusts her leg under her butt in the chair. "Then you had I'm-tearing-your-clothes-off-with-my-teeth sex?"
"No, we drove home in silence, holding hands."
"The stars brought you together. Think about it. His last name is O'Ryan, which comes from the Orion constellation. It's fate. It has to be. How else does someone go from playing tennis to being the general manager of the football team he plays for?"
I blow a puff of air. "It helps when your dad buysthesaidteam."
"It's weird. Do you think your dad saw those media photos? Like he was trying to get you together? Just because we didn't see them, being overseas, doesn't mean your dad didn't recognize you."
The thought hadn't crossed my mind. Biting down on my lip, my eyes scrunch. "Spending hundreds of millions on a team just to get his daughter face-to-face with a man from a nightclub...doubtful." But the thought tumbles in my brain.
Greyson is so much more than a football player. He doesn't see what everyone else sees: a man who wants to take away everyone's pain. Paulina is a prime example; he wants to give her a special memory to distract her from the sadness she's feeling about her grandparents.
He's the man who defended me in front of millions of people, if you include the television broadcast.
He's competitive, yes. But he's also a good friend to his teammates. The more time he spends with them, the more they love him. Last week, I even caught him talking on the phone with Stricker, and it wasn't about football.
"Sutty?"
"Hmm?"
"You zoned out on me. Are you considering it as a possibility?"
"Sorry, just thinking about Greyson." I can't tell Anna that Greyson's keeping a secret from me because if he tells me and then she asks, I don't want to lie to her. And he needs to trust me. I could be all wrong. God, I hope I am.
The handsome QB and I have talked endlessly on the phone for the past week, but neither of us has been able to sneak away for sugary kisses or Tabasco nights. So, I packed up and flew to Miami to watch Anna in her first tournament sincethe accident.
"About what? Those hot-as-hell arms? Those perfect lips?" She laughs, fanning her face.
"No."Where's my bracelet?
"Were you thinking about his...?"
My eyes narrow, possessive and territorial. "No. And you better not be, either."
"I'm so happy for you. When are you going public with the relationship?"
I lift my shoulders and blow out a deep breath. "I don't know. He wants to tell the world, but... it doesn't look good for the manager and quarterback to be dating."
"Sutty, if he doesn't care, you shouldn't."
She's right. But if he doesn't trust me with his secrets, can I trust him with my heart?
"I know. It's complicated."
"It's not, Sutty. He's not Bodhi, and honestly, Bodhi has been there for me. I really think he's changing."
I arch a brow at the thought. "Speaking of which, is Bodhi here... at the tournament?"
Her lids close and slowly open. "Yeah. And since he doesn't think you're seeing anyone, he probably wants to talk." Anna's voice cracks, and I swear I think she's hiding something from me or not giving me the full truth.
It's Anna's comeback tourney, and there's no way I would miss it. I would have thought twice about it had I known Bodhi was going to be here. I checked the tournament draw before I left, and he wasn't listed, but, of course, he shows up because he knows I would be here. It's disheartening to know that "the incident" didn't sway his fans. Yes, it was talked about, but his public apology filled them with sympathy for him...not me.
Greyson and the Armadillos are playing in Minnesota, where I should be cheering on my guy and my team. Luck isn't on my side. The Armadillos play at the same time as Anna's match.
