Page 85 of Comeback
I can’t stop staring around the space and grinning. All the walls are painted, the barre is hung on the front wall, the new floor has been laid, and speakers hung.
The rookies already took off, but the rest of the guys are sitting around on empty boxes and overturned buckets and there are pizza boxes strewn around the floor.
“I better get going.” Cody is the first to stand.
“Yeah, me too.” Tripp gets to his feet as well and hikes a thumb toward Merrick. “This guy has a date tonight and he needs a shower.”
Tripp leans toward his buddy and sniffs, then makes a face that has us all smiling. Merrick is a quieter guy and at the attention, his face pinks.
I hold a hand over my mouth as I finish chewing and then say, “Thank you so much for today. I can’t believe this place. I don’t know how I’ll ever repay you guys. Free dance lessons for all your future children.”
“I’m going to hold you to that,” Tripp says.
“Good luck tonight, buddy!” Brogan calls out to Merrick.
“Oh, hey,” my brother adds like it just occurred to him. “Archer has some cologne you could borrow, maybe. It seems to have worked for him.”
Merrick finally cracks a smile.
“No way.” Archer shakes his head. “I can’t have the whole team smelling like me. Chicks like the way I smell. It draws them in.”
I bust out laughing and Archer smirks in my direction.
“Worked on you,” he says and winks.
“Worried I’m gonna steal your girl?” Merrick asks him. The big, quiet guy glances over at me quickly.
“You are handsome,” I tell him.
I swear his face goes even redder.
But not as handsome as me, right?Archer signs.
“What’s he saying?” Merrick asks. “Is he threatening to kick my ass.”
“Yes,” Archer says at the same time I say, “No.”
Archer and I are locked in a stare off. No one is as handsome as him. Not that I’m going to admit it now in front of all these guys. Is that even something you’re supposed to admit to a guy?
I don’t know. I’ve never been so into someone that the rest of the world seems to disappear, but in a room of attractive and nice professional athletes, the only one I’m interested in staring at is Archer.
“All right. Let’s get out of here before Archer throws a hammer at your head.” Tripp puts an arm around his buddy’s shoulders and leads him out, glancing back at me as they go. “Later, Sabrina.”
“Bye. Thank you again,” I yell as they head out with Cody right behind them.
“I should get out of here too,” Slade says. “I need to make a call to my therapist.”
He turns a playful scowl my direction.
“I swear I thought I warned everyone about the mice?—”
“Ahhh.” He holds up a hand, cutting me off. “Don’t say the word.”
His entire body shudders.
“Thank you. Sorry for traumatizing you.”
“I’ve never heard anyone squeal that loudly,” Brogan says.
