Page 14 of Keeping the Single Dad
“Right.”
An awkward silence fell. When I’d put in a word about a job for my sister with Gabe, I hadn’t considered that I’d have to see her more. At least I didn’t see her much. The sound of the mower on the pitch filled my ears. Mel opened her mouth and closed it again. I didn’t even attempt to make conversation. I never knew what to say to Mel if it wasn’t about Dad, and we both knew better than to talk about him at work.
Mel cleared her throat, and glanced at her fancy watch. “I should go. I don’t want to be late.”
Relief flooded me. Yes. Please go. Put us both out of our misery.
“Fine. I’ve got laps to do.”
She flashed a tight smile. “Right.”
“Right.”
She peered over my shoulder. “Ah. Here we are. This is my next meeting. He looks lost. I’d better help him.”
Mel waved to a figure in the distance. “Over here.”
I locked eyes on the man-mountain in a smart suit. My brain cartwheeled, and my breath froze in my lungs.
What the actual fuck?
The man I’d spent the night getting naked and sweaty with, and never wanted to see again, was heading toward us.
Melissa reached out to shake his hand. “Alexander McAllister? I’m Melissa. I’m a lawyer at the club. We’re in this meeting together. I’ll take you.”
Alexander’s gaze flashed to mine, and I watched the play of emotions on his rugged, handsome face — shock, confusion, panic and finally horror — before he smoothed his expression.
Alexander’s dark eyes locked with mine. “Melissa?”
“Lana.”
A line appeared between his brows. “Pardon?”
My cheeks heated. “My name is Lana.”
I had to hand it to him. If he was freaking out as much as I was, it didn’t register in his cool appraisal. He must have been so confused. It didn’t help matters that Mel and I shared a lot of characteristics — the same light red hair, pale freckled skin, and green eyes.
Mel hitched her designer bag higher on her shoulder. “I’m Melissa. This is my sister, Lana. Lana plays for the women’s team.” Mel’s glossy ponytail bounced as she inclined her head in my direction. “Alexander is the new Calverdale goalkeeper.”
A bloody goalkeeper! No wonder he was a giant and his hands were so huge. If he was signing for the top team in the Premier League, he was a good one. Why hadn’t I heard of him?
Alexander frowned and transferred his curious gaze back to me. “You’re not Melissa? Your name is Lana?”
Mel checked her watch again and gave a low impatient hum. “We need to get going.”
My mouth was dry, but I forced out the words. “That’s right. My name is Lana.”??
Melissa flashed a thin-lipped smile. Patience had never been her strong suit and nor had concealing her irritation. “Shall we move this along? This meeting is about to start.”
My heart pounded. Was he going to say anything about yesterday? Melissa would rage if she knew I’d pretended to be her.
Alex held out his huge hand. He didn’t have the slightest hint of the kindly smile that had graced his full lips last night. “Nice to meet you,Lana.”
I shook his hand; his palm cool against my clammy one. A tingling warmth crept up my neck. Less than twenty-four hours ago his face had been between my thighs.
Melissa watched us with a small smile. “Well, this is funny. Lana is one of our youngest players and you’re one of our…” She stopped herself when she caught his expression. “Most experienced players.”
He raked a large hand through his hair. “Youngest player? How old?”
