Page 12 of The Comeback

“How’s school?”

“It’s good. I’m only taking three classes this semester with working full-time.”

“I’m so excited for you to get your degree. I know the team will jump at the chance to hire you, and then we’ll all work together.” Dani is one of the personal trainers for the team, and her best friend Ashley is the team’s nutritionist.

“They might not think it’s a good idea with my dad coaching and my brother playing on the team. Too much nepotism.”

She laughs. “I’m not sure there’s such a thing as too much nepotism for this team. We’re one big family. You know the owner hasn’t had issues with relationships between the players and other team staff.”

“I’ve still got another couple of years of schooling left before we find out.”

From the other end of the bar, Gunner slings his arm around Weston’s shoulders and laughs at something my brother, Knox, says as they all chat together.

Of course, they’d all be here.

Why do I find the man attractive? Okay, that’s a stupid question. The man is gorgeous. It would be more of a question if I didn’t think he was good-looking. However, his personality should be a turnoff.

But like a schoolgirl with a stupid crush, I cut out the photo of his ex-girlfriend and kept the picture. Stupid. I shake my head and turn away from them.

“I saw you looking at Weston. Have you met him?”

Heat floods up my neck and all the way to the tips of my ears. He’s making me stupid. I can’t afford for word to get out I was drooling over him. I’ll never hear the end of it from my brother. “We’ve met. He’s a jerk.”

“What?” Her eyebrows raise almost to her hairline.

“Never mind.” I hand the bartender the money and grasp the beer he deposited on the counter, taking a sip. God, that’s disgusting. I cringe and swallow.

“Oh, no, you don’t.” Dani crosses her arms over her chest. The glistening in her eyes lets me know she’s not giving up until I’ve spilled my guts.

“Fine,” I sigh dramatically. “He came to the studio this afternoon and insulted dance in general, and me, specifically. He said he didn’t think dance would benefit him after correlating it to reading his horoscope.” I tuck a strand of hair behind my ear. “And he said I’m unqualified. I’ll never understand why he was there in the first place.”

“Did you tell him your past experiences and your qualifications?”

“No.” I take another drink. This one is slightly less nauseating than the first.

“Don’t you think you should have? You helped Devin a lot. He wouldn’t have caught that pass in the Super Bowl if he hadn’t worked with you. Combining what you do in the dance studio with what we do in the gym can take a player to the next level.”

“You’re right.” Guilt eats at me.

This time, when I glance over to where he’s standing, he’s looking at me with a clenched jaw. Yeah, I’m not high on his popularity list either.

“So, what’s the problem?” She grabs the glass of pink crushed ice with a tiny red umbrella perched on top. “You’ve met people who don’t consider dance to be a legitimate sport, and you didn’t bat an eye over it. What’s different about him?” Her eyes widen. “Oh….”

“Stop.” I slam the bottle down on the counter and grip her shoulders. “Do not get stars in your eyes. You know I don’t want to date a football player. Their future is too unpredictable.”

“Charlotte.” She shakes her head and chuckles. “I didn’t want to date a football player after my college boyfriend, but look at me now.”

“Fuck,” I growl and step back, letting go of her and stumbling on my heel. “That’s not going to happen. Just because you found a great guy in Gunner doesn’t mean I will. Weston thinks he’s better than everyone else. His last girlfriend was a model.” I wave my hands in front of my body. “Do I look like a model?”

Her eyes soften. “You’re beautiful. And Weston might not be as big of a jerk as you think. He’s moved his mom and sister here to help take care of them. Does that sound like an asshole?”

“Damn you,” I mutter under my breath. I don’t want to know his positive qualities.

“And he’s worried about his place on the team. When people’s backs are against the wall, they bite. It’s a basic human reaction to stress. It might not paint us in the best light, but you know that as a future sports psychologist.”

God, I hate her.

“And this is for the team.” She tilts her head and presses her lips together. “Team first.”

---