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He put him in the nosebleeds.
I was the first guy out of the showers to more catcalls from my teammates who’ve now figured out how much of a goner I am. “She’s pretty,” Davis muses.
I glare at him, the overpowering urge to murder filtering through my limbs. My fists clench and unclench at my sides. “I will fucking end you.”
He lifts his hands in surrender with a smirk on his face. “Just saying. The staff gave her two thumbs up, too.”
Davis is probably my closest friend on the team, followed by a few others, but if he doesn’t watch it, he’ll be one of my closest dead friends. I’m not above phasing people out who threaten mine and Raeann’s relationship.
“People are going to figure this out soon. Is she ready for that?”
I think about all the attention we’re bound to get. Not only did she go viral talking about me, but she’s also a public figure with her own brand. People are going to have a heyday with this. They usually do. “I hope so,” I tell him honestly.
Cade Farmer tugs his shirt on. “She’ll be alright. If she wants to be with you, she’ll get used to it.”
I’ve met his girlfriend a few times. I don’t know what they did in that town they’re all from, but they seem to be happily situated early in their lives. Reid and his girlfriend, too.
“Here’s what you do,” Levi Soucy says.
A few of us groan. He’s a fantastic wide receiver, but I wouldn’t take relationship advice from him ever.
“Hey,” he grunts, offended.
“Why would I listen to you?” I pull my clothes on, listening to the other chatter in the locker room. Relief hits when it’s only the players in my immediate vicinity who are tuned into the conversation. The last thing I need is for them to hear this convo and think I’ll actually take Levi’s advice. “Did you spend last night with a girl from a bar? Or a strip club?”
“I have experience, jackass. That’s why you should listen to me.”
“Not always a good thing.”
“Flowers.”
“Did it.”
“Go out to eat.”
“Done.”
“Foot massage.”
“Where are you getting this from?”
“Women love getting their feet massaged.” His lids flutter, his eyes nearly rolling into the back of his head as if mimicking a woman’s reaction. “Works like a charm. Oh, and when you meet her mama, it’syes, ma’am, andno, ma’am.”
Raeann hasn’t spoken much about her mom. From the file Joey pulled for me, she’s not in the picture anymore. “Are you from Tennessee?” I ask.
“Better. Georgia.”
“Okay, how do you say shut up in Southern?”
My teammates’ laughter spikes, and a few “Ohhhs” rise up. Levi takes it all in good stride. “Bless your heart, and I’m just sayin’…”
“Yeah, and he’s sayin’ he wants you to stop sayin’,” Reid points out. There’s another round of heckles. I swear, a locker room is one of the harshest places a guy can be. You have to have tough skin, or you’ll get eaten alive.
I put on some deodorant and then I’m out, grabbing my jacket on the way and telling the guys a quick “later.”. I make sure to have my arms showing since there was no way I could miss how Raeann admired my tats earlier.
All the way to my box, I have the picture of Raeann on the Jumbotron in my head. The way she blushed and waved with that ghost of a smile on her face. Half of America probably fell in love with her, and that thought makes my legs move faster.
I open the door and half expect a line of fans around her, but there’s no sign of anyone. No Tab, Joey, or even her grandfather. Athena runs up to greet me. Two paws on my chest and a coupleof quick swipes of her tongue across my chin later, and we both go to Raeann who is sitting at one of the long tables, watching silently.