Page 64 of Playbook
Good. Yours?
Brogan
Not bad. Better if you say you’re free tonight?
Me
I’m free.
I purposely didn’t make plans in case he needed a date for something, but now I realize how pathetic that sounds.
Brogan
Great. I’ll pick you up in fifteen minutes.
Me
Wait. Fifteen? Where are we going? What do I need to wear?
Brogan
A party and whatever you want.
Only after I race to my room to take the quickest shower I’ve ever taken in my life do I realize that I didn’t ask him about coming to my parents’ house next Sunday.
He arrives as I’m putting on a second coat of mascara. My hair is still wet, but I managed to put on my favorite black dress and paired it with sneakers, hoping I’m dressed casually but dressy enough to get by in any scenario.
When I swing the door open, his gaze immediately tracks down my body.
“Wow.” He runs a hand over his jaw. “You look great.”
My stomach flips and it feels exactly like a first date with a guy you really like.
“Thanks. You too.” And he does. He’s in jeans and a gray T-shirt but the way they hug his body is unbelievable.
He leads me to his truck and opens the door for me. I try to banish all my thoughts about this feeling like a date, but he is not making it easy.
“Where are we going?” I ask again.
“A teammate is having a party at his place tonight.”
I want to ask why he couldn’t go alone. Not that I don’t want to go, because I kind of do regardless of whether I have to pretend to be his girlfriend all night, but it seems like he could have easily just gone without me and made excuses that I had plans.
“Wait until you see his place. Slade lives in this sick penthouse with city and mountain views. He’s got a hot tub and pool on his rooftop.”
That makes my stomach swirl with nerves. I am so out of my league. A penthouse? A private rooftop? Hanging with pro football players?
My only saving grace, and the reason I don’t jump out of the truck, is that Brogan seems as in awe of that kind of luxury as I do. I guess he hasn’t quite gotten used to the fact that his new job can lead to that kind of life. It’s odd to think of him being a rookie professional football player as a new job, but it is. I make a vow to remember that.
The penthouse is as nice as I imagined. I try to keep my jaw from dropping as Brogan leads me through the massive space, but I don’t think I quite come off as unaffected.
He takes my hand and squeezes. “Crazy, right?”
My heart skips a few beats. Crazy is exactly what this is.
He doesn’t let go of my hand and I find I’m grateful because if I got lost in here, I don’t know if I could find my way out.
We stop in the kitchen. Archer is there with a beer in hand. When he sees us, he smiles.
