Page 27

Chapter 26

Rina

" A ccording to a recent poll taken of season ticket holders, the campaign seems to be going over very well," Jenny announces. 'The Heatwave name is still trending on social, which means we can make a push for the Friday night event Rina and I have been putting together."

Mack nods as she takes in the numbers we've put together.

"Looks like I was right about the two of you. You make a hell of a team."

Jenny looks at me. "I think we both have our strengths."

"And this Friday night event," Mack asks. "What's the goal?"

"Presence," I say. "Heatwave fans and the city of Houston need to be able to have a personal connection to the players that represent their team. It's the only way we'll have a packed barn every home game, even if one of the guys has a public slip-up."

Mack considers it. "Well, the more we can be seen as a staple in this city—the more longevity we have. I like it."

Keelan raises his hand. Usually, he wouldn't be in our staff meetings, but Mack decided it would be best to have a player’s input to represent the team's best interests. And as the team captain, though on thin ice as he's been lately, he's still the obvious choice.

"Yes, Landry," Mack says.

"If I may, Mack, we already have a DJ that riles up our crowds during home games. For this Friday event, why don't we add a dance-off?"

I laugh. "Is this for the fans or for you?"

"Hear me out—DJ, dance-offs, the ice can be transformed into a dance floor, in addition to the family-friendly event taking place in the newly remodeled area of the arena. We can have a special after-party for the die-hards. Something that'll reward our most loyal fan base, the ones that cheer the hardest and represent the team colors the most enthusiastically."

"They're like homegrown cheerleaders," Jenny adds.

Keelan points a finger at her. "She's got it."

Mack thinks. "After Party Fridays at Space City Arena. We keep things PG. We have the players interacting with the public. And we build a loyal fan base. Let's make it happen."

"Really?" Keelan says.

"Mack, you sure about this?" I ask.

She stands and pushes out of her rolling chair. "Let's make sure everything runs through legal, but yes. This sounds like exactly the kind of attention this team needs. Great work. Meeting adjourned."

We all follow suit and stand as she walks out of the room.

"Leave it to Keelan Landry to convince a billionaire to make dance-offs a thing," Jenny says.

"It's very 2000s," I agree.

"Whatever, people love it! It's like karaoke with your body," he explains.

"Always did have such a way with words," I tease him.

"I gotta head out. I have a meeting with the art department," Jenny says, excusing herself.

She disappears down the hall, leaving Keelan and me alone.

"Any plans for lunch?" I ask him.

He gives me a look. "As a matter of fact, I do."

His hand comes up to my waist, and he pins me against the wall as he scans his card to open the door to the team equipment room.

"What do you think you're doing?" I whisper.

"Shh," he holds a finger to my lips and checks to make sure nobody is inside.

"Keelan, we can't just—"

He pulls me in and shuts the door, reaching for the back of my legs and picking me up as he pins me against the wall inside. His lips crash down onto mine, and we don't hesitate to devour each other.

"I can't stand having to keep my hands off you all day," he growls into my mouth. "Do you know how hard it is to avoid looking at you just so I don't lose my train of thought?"

My skirt is hiked up all the way to my waist.

"And you're always prancing around in these damn skirts and these fucking heels," he continues ravaging me.

I laugh into his mouth. "Prancing around? You make me sound like a ballerina."

"Oh no, you're no ballerina. You're a badass boss woman who I get the distinct honor and pleasure of helping lose every bit of her control," he says.

"That's more like it," I say, smiling.

It's been a few weeks since the Puerto Rico trip. Christmas is coming around the corner. And the boys' schedules are about to get insane with travel just before the holidays, thanks to a lineup of away games.

"How will we sneak in our lunch breaks with the rest of the team around?"

His hands are warm on my thighs, and he's still pressing into me, making my core pulse from his nearness.

But Keelan isn't a desperate lover. He takes his time with me. He makes me feel every bit of longing and desire until neither of us can take it.

"I have an idea."

"If your solution is a dance-off, I'm going to have to veto that request," I deadpan.

He shakes his head and then kisses that spot on my neck that almost impulsively makes me arch my back and grind further into him.

"Let's tell them."

I stop moving and look at him. "What?"

He nods. "That'll be the best way to get everyone off our backs."

"We can't do that," I whisper.

"Why, because you're afraid of what people might think?"

"Because it's a conflict of interest."

"Rina… we're already acting like we're together in secret."

"It's too soon. The divorce was just finalized."

"And Redmond and Zara have already gone public with their relationship."

I push on his shoulders, and he backs away, allowing me space to slide down onto my feet.

"Redmond and Zara aren't working together. You and I, we're a little more complicated."

He steps back away from me and watches me, then finally says, "You're scared."

I guffaw, fixing the back of my hair that was just messed up against the wall. "No, I'm not. What could I possibly be scared of?"

"I don't know, Rina. You tell me. Because the way I look at it, there's nobody holding us back. Redmond is gone. You and Jenny are fine. Your parents love me. My sister would be over the moon. Honestly, at this point, the only person that's stopping us from being anything to each other is you."

I shake my head. "Well, I don't know what to tell you. It's unprofessional, Keelan. If we're going to do this, like really do this, we have to think about it for more than just a few seconds."

I sit down on one of the benches and rest my head back on the wall.

He sits down beside me. "I have thought about this for over a decade, Rina. Of what it would look like to have you, really have you. And I keep getting these glimpses of what it could be like. But it's always just a glimpse. Then the walls come right back up and reality sets in. I mean… do you even want to be with me?"

I roll my head to look at him. Those sad, beautiful eyes of his stare back at me. Waiting. Always waiting.

"Yes, of course, I want to be with you."

"Then what more is there?"

The truth is that I am not allowed to have a relationship with any of the players I work for. It's explicitly stated in my contract.

Even though it might be okay for people like Izzy and Ryker, due to the nature of my job, it's a big no-go.

Dating Keelan would mean giving up my position with the Heatwave. It would mean giving up everything I've worked for. And even though I want to be with him more than anything… it's way too soon to be thinking of changing careers. It finally feels like I have a handle on life.

"I just need time," I say.

"Time," he repeats, like it's a word that tastes way too bitter on his tongue.

"I know it feels like we've been in a fight against it."

"That's an understatement," he mumbles.

"But, I really do just need things to settle. It's been a lot this year."

He watches me, his eyes taking in my every expression. And he nods. "Okay. Time. Sure." He pushes off from the bench.

"Keelan, stay," I urge him. "Please."

He turns to look at me.

"Please," I say again.

He comes up to me, lowering himself down to one knee and placing a hand under my chin.

"I've waited for you even when you hated me. Even when you chose someone else. I waited. And I won't ever stop waiting for you because I know that at the end of it all, there's no championship. No hall of fame. Nothing that will ever be more important than making you the happiest woman on this earth. So I'll wait for you, Rina. I'll wait if that's what you want. But I need you to really think about what you want. Because I refuse to get in the way of that."

He dips my chin down and brings his lips to my forehead, kissing it gently.

"I'll wait as long as you need." He brings his forehead to mine, and we just stay there like that for a moment until the door beeps, and we realize someone is coming into the equipment room.

Keelan backs away from me and pretends to be searching his box for something when one of the equipment managers steps in. I'm still seated on the bench and he smiles and waves at me as he heads to the back with a cart full of fresh jerseys.

Keelan gives him a quick nod as he walks by, then glances at me, motioning for me to head out. I do because it's risky for us to be seen alone.

Outside, I bump into Izzy.

"There you are!" I was just asking Toby if he's seen you. He said he thought you might be at lunch.

"Nope, I'm totally free for lunch," I tell her.

"Perfect because I'm starving, and there's a new Indian restaurant with Vegan dishes to die for, so let's go."

She hooks her arm in mine and drags me down the hall.

Keelan pops out from the equipment room, and Izzy turns to and invites him too.

"Nah," he says, rubbing the back of his neck. "You two go ahead. I got some things to get together before we head out tomorrow."

Izzy tosses a hand at him. "Snooze, you lose. Let's go."

"So," Izzy says through bites of her tofu curry. "What are your plans for Christmas? It's coming up fast. You going back to see your parents?"

I push along the contents of my plate. "My parents are going on a Mediterranean cruise for Christmas. So, no, I won't be visiting them again this year."

"A cruise? I swear older couples get to have all the fun. Meanwhile, Ry and I are just getting started in the whole raising a family department."

"Well, luckily, it's not a race because if it were, I'd be miles behind." I'm still pushing my food around when Izzy reaches for the fork in my hand.

"What is it?"

"Nothing," I assure her.

"Oh, please, Rina. You're doing that thing again."

"What thing? I'm not doing a thing," I furrow my brows.

"Yes, you are," she says. "You're doing that thing where you put up a wall after getting vulnerable. You do it every time you let yourself open up. And this one's been up since Puerto Rico."

I scoff. "There's no wall."

"Says the woman wearing sunglasses inside." She reaches across the table and snatches them from my face.

"You're a real brat, you know that."

"So I've been told. Now, let me just give you a little friendly advice. Will you accept that at the very least?" She cocks her head at me.

I roll my eyes, which if she hadn't rudely snatched my YSL Sunnies away, I would've been able to easily hide.

"Don't get snarky with me," she says, using the end of my glasses to point at me.

"Fine, shoot." I interlock my fingers and rest my head on my hands to give her my full attention.

"You need to get laid."

I laugh. A little too sarcastically for her liking because she once again cocks her head to the side.

"I'm serious. You've been so uptight lately. It is my honest opinion that you just need to get supremely railed by a stranger who doesn't want anything serious so you can finally get over Redmond and move on with your life." She reaches for her water and takes a sip as she watches for my reaction.

"Oh, trust me. I am way over Redmond."

She squints at me.

"What?"

"Are you? Because I'm pretty sure that earlier this year, you were quite excited at the prospect of becoming a mom and raising our kids together, and now that's all changed for you. I mean, we'll still raise our kids together," she insists. "But you know, it's okay if your heart is hurting. It would just do you some good to actually acknowledge it. Maybe go to therapy?"

"Get therapy or get railed because you're giving me two different solutions here," I smirk at her.

"Either one! Both," she says, throwing her hands in the air.

"Jeez, Iz. Cool it," I murmur to her when a few of the patrons start gawking my way.

"Sorry. I just…" she sighs. "I hate seeing you like this. You were like this beautiful island goddess a few weeks back. Fully alive for the first time since I've known you. And it just sucks to see you crawling back into a lonely hole of despair like a sad little fox."

"You're killing it with the metaphors today."

"Thank you," she says cooly.

"You're welcome. Now, are we done talking about my emotional and sexual health because I want to know what the plan is for NYC tomorrow."

"I mean, I wasn't quite done but if you want to rapidly change the subject like it seems you want to do, I can hold on for this whiplash moment."

I roll my eyes again.

"Stop that. You're treating me like I'm my brother, and that's lowering the vibrations of this friendship."

"Oh, I would never treat you like I treat your brother."

Ew.

"Ok then, cool it with the eye rolls."

" Ok, Mom. "

She grabs a piece of naan and tosses it at me.

"Real mature," I say to her, popping it into my mouth and chewing obnoxiously.

She laughs. And I do, too. Because at the end of the day, Izzy might just be the sister I had always hoped to have.

We aren't related by blood. But we had such a natural connection from the moment we met. Not to mention, she's precisely the age that any one of my real siblings could have been.

And somehow, I've never put those two things together. If I had never met Keelan, I might not have ever met Izzy.

The man has brought me more good things than I care to admit. And maybe finally realizing that is the first step in really taking to heart what he said earlier.

What do I want?

It's not just to be a mom. My heart's desire is to have a family. And there's no one way for that to happen.

Case in point, the rowdy little dark-haired woman currently cleaning off the curry from her Heatwave shirt.

"So anyways. Back to NYC. We're there for two nights. So I think I might have some ideas," Izzy says, a grin spreading across her face.