Page 14

Chapter fourteen

Shane

I t’s been three harrowing days since I’ve seen or talked with Janae. I’ve tried texting her to see how she’s doing, begging for another chance, but they never go through. I got the hint when I tried calling and the automated voice on the other end told me that my call couldn’t go through.

She’d blocked me.

I need to figure out how I’m going to get her to go on a second date with me. Maybe I could bring her flowers and try to force her to talk to me? She likes flowers. No, she works with flowers. That’s too pedestrian, I need to think bigger.

“Get your ass over here, Mitchell,” the offensive coordinator yells, breaking me of my thoughts.

I push my ideas to the side and head over to the huddle. “It’s about time,” one of my teammates says to me.

“Sorry, guys,” I say.

“Ok, men, time to get your head in the game. We have our first game in two weeks, and we need to be in top shape.” Turning to me, he narrows his eyes at me. “That means you, Mitchell.”

“Yes, sir,” I answer because the man is right; I need to focus on my game, then I’ll figure out how to get Janae back. This will be my first NFL game so I can’t choke. Because what if she’s watching?

Before I can let my brain go down the spiral of Janae, Coach is explaining our next drill. I line up on the line of scrimmage next to one of our offensive line men, Blake Scott, and get ready to run my route. I’ve been working on them for weeks now to prepare for the game. Since I’ve been in the clouds the last few days, it’s time to show them that I know my stuff.

“Ready. Hut. Hut. Hike,” the center calls and then the ball is snapped.

I slide past one of the defensive men and make it out to the sideline. Thankfully, the quarterback sees me and throws the ball. It comes right into my hands and I’m able to catch it. Doing as planned, I move and start to run toward the end zone, but Coach blows the whistle before I get too far.

The coach claps his hands looking at me and yells, “Now that’s what I’m talking about. Next is to put it in the game.”

For the next hour, we continue running different routes. I’ve been studying since I got here to show them that I know the plays. By the time we’re done, I’m exhausted. Making my way to the locker room, Kade and Blake jog up next to me, sandwiching me in between them.

“What’s been going on with you, Mitchell?” Blake asks me.

When I go to open my mouth, Kade beats me to it. “He’s pouting about a girl I set him up with.”

I try to respond but Blake jumps in first. “Oh, the girl from the article? She’s hot.”

My body tenses at the way he says “hot.” I’m about to tell him to go shove it when Kade keeps going, “Yep. He didn’t tell her he was a football player.”

Blake stops with those words, forcing us all to stop while he stares me down. “Why didn’t you tell her you’re a football player?”

This time Kade doesn’t interrupt. I guess it’s my turn to talk now. “I didn’t say I wasn’t a football player, I just didn’t confirm it either.”

“Why?” Blake asks again.

This time Kade doesn’t let me answer. “Because he’s stupid.”

Turning toward him, I narrow my eyes as I protest, “Hey.”

But Kade doesn’t back down, he crosses is arms over his chest and gives me a look that says “don’t even try to deny it.”

My shoulders slouch and I concede, “Okay, yes. It was stupid. But I’ve had people use me before, all because I’m a football player. When she didn’t seem to know who I was, I saw it as an opportunity for her to get to know me .”

Blake slaps his hand down on my shoulder. “That’s commendable but you should’ve known that she would find out.”

“I know. I just hoped it wouldn’t be so quick. Now she’s blocked me, but I’m going to figure out how to get her to go out with me again.”

Kade shoots his hands up in the air and shouts, “I know. I know.”

“You look like an idiot,” Blake tells him while grabbing his arms to pull them down.

“What do you know?” I ask him.

“You need a grand gesture,” he says like it’s an obvious answer, and that’s because it is.

“I know that. But what grand gesture?” I ask.

“Let’s go get some food after practice. I’ll text Sam. I have an idea, but we’ll need her help,” he says, and that’s exactly what we do.

I went to dinner with Kade and Blake. Sam met us there. Kade’s idea was a great one except that it meant I wouldn’t be able to talk to Janae for two weeks, the day of our first game. Doesn’t he realize how awful that is? I’m not sure I can do it. Which is why I’m now standing in front of her house, or at least I think it’s her house. This is the address she sent me before everything erupted. I was supposed to pick her up for what would be our second date two days ago.

Now I’m just going to actually do this. Maybe she’ll just let me explain and it won’t matter. But I don’t have any more time to contemplate because suddenly the front door opens and a raging Janae comes out. “What are you doing here, Shane?”

Every word that I wanted to say gets stuck in my throat as I take her in. Fuck, she’s even more gorgeous than the last time I saw her. She’s standing there in running shorts, a t-shirt, no makeup and her curls are wrapped up. I could stare at her forever.

She pulls me out of my trance when she snaps, “Are you not going to say anything?”

I take a few steps to eat up the distance between us, towering over her. “Janae. I’m sorry. I—”

But she cuts me off before I can keep going. “You’re sorry? Do you know how foolish I looked? And you lied to me. Why did you lie?”

All of the answers are on the tip of my tongue, but they don’t seem to want to come. Hoping that the words will flow, I wrap my hands around the back of her neck, pulling her closer to me, touching forehead to forehead.

“I’ve had a bad experience with women knowing I’m a football player,” I say as if it explained everything, but I don’t allow her to say anything else because I crash my lips to hers. And just like last time, everything around us fades away, leaving just us two.