Page 84 of Striking Heat

“Think he’ll rat you out?” she asks.

“I don’t think so. They’re friends, so here’s hoping. You won’t tell anyone, right?”

“Of course not. I’m glad you’re happy. I’m glad you finally found someone you might love more than soccer. Because you know you can’t marry soccer,” she teases me.

“That has been pointed out to me a time or two.” I laugh, remembering how many of my relationships—or non-relationships—have ended because I wouldn’t put them before soccer.

“Has he noticed it yet?”

“I don’t know. He seems to get it. You know he used to be an athlete and all.”

“That’s right, a swimmer. So does he have a great swimmer’s body?”

“Oh yeah. He looks good out of those clothes.”

“Nice,” she says with a laugh. “I’m happy for you. I really am. I just hope you’re being smart. And for what it’s worth, I have noticed a change in you. You seem happier, and if he’s the reason for that, I’m all for it.”

“Thank you. I just hope this doesn’t blow up in my face,” I tell her, my biggest fear when it comes to Danny. I don’t want him to lose his job or me to lose my spot on the team. I would never get another one, and he would never get another shot as a report, his integrity being compromised and all.

“I hope not either. But enjoy the ride while you have it. Just make sure you’re being smart about it,” she cautions.

“I will.”

“Good and thank you for telling me about this.”

“I didn’t want to tell you because it made it real. Last night, it got pretty real and I’m glad I can share that with you,” I admit to her.

“Are you good with how real it got?”

“Yeah, I am. I just… I don’t know, it’s so complicated. But maybe it will be okay. I have to believe that if I want this to work, and I do.”

“I’m so happy for you. Look at you growing and shit.” She bumps against my shoulder. “Now come on, it’s time to do those juggling tricks you do before the game. We gotta get ready to kick some butt.”

“Yeah, we do.” I look over and see that Coach Watts and Coach Andie are coming over to us. It’s time to put this topic to bed so that no one else hears about it.

“Promise me one thing though, really quick,” she says, grinning like an idiot.

“What?”

“Please tell me all the sweaty details when we’re alone. I want to live vicariously through you.”

I laugh a little too loudly. “Yeah, I think we can do that. Ice cream and gossip night?” We used to have those in college all the time.

“Duh. How else would we do it?” She giggles.

Coach Watts and Andie come over and join us.

“Ladies, are we ready to kick some serious ass tonight?” Watts asks us, and we both nod. “Good, because we need to get this win. Let’s get focused.”

“That’s why we get here so early, Coach,” I tell him.

He nods and goes back to having a conversation with Andie. I look back over at Cassie and motion for her to follow over to the middle of the field near the goal. We go over there and juggle while we wait for the rest of the team to arrive and for warmups to begin.

I’m happy Cassie is here with me now. I’d be lost without her. And I’m even more glad that I don’t have to hide my Danny secret from her. I feel like I’m terrible at it, which is why I just avoided her. But now I don’t have to. I make a mental note to text Danny and tell him that we won’t be getting together tonight; tonight is a girls’ night for Cassie and me. He can hang out with August and Jase and keep that bromance alive while I dish to Cassie about the hot and dirty things he does to me.

Chapter Thirty-Four

~DANNY~