Page 49 of Their After Hours Playbook

He was disappointed, but he understood. She had a lot on her plate. “Of course I want you there. We’ll work it out.” Zach and Paige had become even more inseparable over the last several months. They practically lived at his place. They spent every night together. They’d even gone on a vacation a month ago. It was just a quick week in Fiji, but it had been absolutely magnificent. They stayed in a private villa on stilts over the crystal blue ocean. They lounged in hammocks and drank fruity cocktails and made love at all hours of the day and night. Phones and e-mail were a distant thought. And all he’d thought at that time was that he wanted it to last forever.

Of course, real life was not a vacation, but damn if Paige didn’t make it feel like that. Perhaps it was because she was just so much fun. They laughed together. They cooked and drank wine. They worked hard, and they had serious discussions about love and life, but it always came back to a very basic premise—from the word go, he and Paige understood each other. Even on the rare occasions when they argued, it didn’t last for long. Not a lot of discussion or persuasion was required to help each of them see the other person’s point of view.

Downstairs, they got off the elevator and walked through the stadium tunnels, past the locker rooms and eventually out to the field. Out in the open air, you could really hear the roar of the crowd, the music thumping, and feel the immensity of the game. Being up in the luxury box was incredibly fun, but this was what he came for. The excitement. The thrill. All close up.

A stiff wind blew through the stadium, sending Paige’s hair across her face. She brushed it aside and Zach caught her smile, and all he could think was that Paige, close up, was also bigger than life. Being with her made him feel alive. She made him feel centered. And lucky. So damn lucky.

“Oh, look. The players are coming back out,” Paige said, pointing to the tunnel where she and Zach had just walked.

Zach turned and spotted Ryan, who was jogging along with his dozens and dozens of teammates and the coaching staff. He waved at Zach, then made his way over to them.

“I see you found your way out of the luxury box,” Ryan said.

Zach laughed and clapped Ryan on the shoulder. “We had to come down to the field to see you kick some serious ass. Plus, I wanted you to finally meet Paige.”

Ryan was quick to zero in on her. “I feel like I should hug you. It’s like I know you. This guy will not stop talking about you.”

“I can’t believe we haven’t met yet,” Paige said, taking the embrace Ryan promised. “But then again, you’ve been busy. I’ve been busy.”

“I heard you signed the new quarterback for Dallas to your agency,” Ryan said.

Paige grinned from ear to ear. She was incredibly proud of the achievement, and she had every reason. She’d worked hard to bring him on as a client. “Yes. My first professional football player. I blame Zach. He gave me the fever for the game.”

That made Zach ridiculously happy. Paige was a fan of all sports, but she hadn’t been particularly keen on football when they met. Once he shared with her his favorite nuances of the game, she was quick to jump in and join the fandom he’d always belonged to. It was yet another way in which they were wholly compatible.

Ryan elbowed Zach. “Zach does that. His enthusiasm is infectious. It’s why I work with him.”

“Smart man,” Paige said. “Very smart.”

“You’re friends with April Chapman, aren’t you?” Ryan asked.

“I am. Best friends, actually,” Paige said.

Ryan nodded. It seemed like he was hiding a smile, which made Zach curious. “April’s great. Really great.”

“Yes. She absolutely is,” Paige agreed.

Ryan glanced over at the coaching staff. “I’d better go to work or these guys will not be happy with me.”

“Have a great second half,” Paige said.

“Yes. Go kill it,” Zach added.

“I’ll try. See you both later.” Ryan trotted off with his helmet in his hand.

“What a friendly guy,” Paige said. “No wonder you love working with him so much.”

“Honestly, I’m still thinking I don’t want to work with anyone else. I realize the prevailing wisdom is to keep growing a business, but I’m enjoying just keeping things small. Simple.”

Paige laughed and shook her head. “Those are not the words of the guy who was working it extra hard in Vegas. What happened?” She held the back of her hand to his forehead. “Are you feeling okay?”

“Yes. I feel great.” As to what happened to him, Paige was the answer. It wasn’t that she’d taken away his ambition. He merely felt like he was already living a dream. Why mess with that? He didn’t see the point. “Here comes April.”

Paige turned and rushed over to give her friend a big hug, then the two walked back to Zach with their arms around each other.

“If it isn’t Ryan Wilson’s personal manager,” April quipped.

“Hey, April,” Zach said, waving at her. “How are you?”

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