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“Crazy?” he finishes.

I nod and pull my hair out of its ponytail. “Exactly that.”

I look around him and see we’re all alone in the hallway when Jack pulls his hands from his hoodie and tips my chin up. “You played fucking awesome today.”

“You watched?”

His trademark dimple emerges. “I missed the first half because of practice but caught the second. That tackle?” He gives me a chef’s kiss.

I blush. “Thanks.”

“So, yeah, about family.” Jack reaches out and runs his fingers through the ends of my hair. “How do you feel about meeting mine?”

My eyes grow wide as I thumb over my shoulder. “Like, now? Today?”

He smirks and nods once. “Darce flew in for a few days since she’s got a study week, and Mum is … let’s just say, she’s insisting she meets you after last night’s photos.”

I stay quiet.Fuck, meet his family?

“I can tell them if it’s too soon,” Jack quickly adds. “Yeah, it’s too soon.” He pulls out his phone. “To be honest, this wasn’t even part of the arrangement. I don’t know what I was thinking.” He starts typing a message out.

My hand covers his screen. “No, don’t. I’d love to meet them. Just give me a few to get changed, okay?”

I’m pushing through the locker room door when my phone buzzes in my hand.

Ollie

There was no way you were living with him and nothing else. When you meet Jon, I want a full report.

My brother needs to calm the fuck down.

“Kend?”

I turn back to Jack. “Yeah?”

He looks like he wants to say something, but clearly changes his mind. “I’ve got my truck; I can drive us.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

JACK

The rain thuds against the windscreen of my GMC Sierra as I sit, drumming my fingers on the steering wheel.

She’s going to step out of the shower and straight into clothes, and she’ll likely fucking freeze when she walks out into this. Even if it is only a couple of hundred yards to my truck, she’ll be soaked to the skin.

I swing the door open and pull up my hoodie, heading for the same security guard who gave me access to the tunnel so I could speak to Kendra earlier.

Apparently, he’s a Blades fan.

“Yo!” I tap on the glass, and he startles.

He slides his window open, and I point across to the restricted access directly outside the players’ exit.

“I know it’s only for deliveries, but my girlfriend, Kendra Hart”—fuck, that feels good—“is going to get wet through.”

The guy looks at me like I’m from another planet. “Yeah, and? She’s a soccer player; she’s used to the rain.”

I step closer to the window. “She just played the game of her life, and I’m about to take her to meet my family for the firsttime. I want her to feel comfortable, not sitting there cold and wet.” I point over at the gate. “So, can you just buzz me through, and I’ll be out of your way?”