Page 5 of The Interception (Southern Sports Sweethearts #2)

Chapter Four

Ender

I am screwed. I was also selfish in thinking I should pair up with another veteran and secure a win, especially when the amateurs were looking to us for guidance.

It occurred to me halfway through the orientation, with twice as many people as usual, I could lose.

That unabashed cockiness that works for me on the field doesn’t always carry over into real life, this contest being one of those times.

Every veteran took on a newbie, while I was left with my tail between my legs and no partner.

At least, not one that I could stomach working with.

There were several offers from women who, I am absolutely sure, had no interest in my cooking skills and every interest in my career.

Shocker for them, I’m not special. I might be one of the league’s highest scorers, but it’s only because my team is good at setting me up. Another shocker, we might not even have a team after the season.

I only have one option at this point—unless I want the organizers to set me up with someone I can’t stomach—and I have a good feeling even getting on my knees and begging is going to blow up in my face.

Layne Rossi. I only know her name thanks to her polite introduction—that I immediately rebutted—and I had to pay one of the admins a hundred dollars to get the address of where she’s staying.

She said she was a trained chef before my ambition cut her off mid-sentence.

Rudeness isn’t one of my finer qualities, but it rears its ugly head when I’m in panic mode.

If there was ever a time to panic, it’s now.

And I am, because I also realized midway through the orientation that winning the grand prize would be a huge financial burden off of my sister.

What I’m about to do is probably borderline stalking, but I have to find a partner before the admins pair me with someone who will only flirt with me through the competition.

Or worse, someone who can burn water. Technically, I don’t know that Layne won’t be flirty, but if I’m going by her introduction, which was nothing but professional and kind, I think she’s my best shot.

I make the final turn onto the street hastily scribbled on a scrap of paper.

Layne isn’t staying at a hotel like the other out of town competitors, and by the way she took in everything, I have no doubt she’s not a Charleston resident.

There is no denying that I noticed her. She’s breathtaking, and the adorable way she observes the scenes around her with wide-eyed wonder can’t be missed by anyone, including the guys I was standing with in line.

It’s the reason I purposely left an aisle seat open and claimed it was saved until she sat down.

I wanted to save her the frustration of getting flirted with the entire time.

And then I went and offended her. I think.

I can’t be sure since I bolted, but if I had to guess—and I’ve spent an entire drive considering it—I’d say she probably hates my guts.

The least I could have done was talk to her, find out what she does, see if we could be a good match.

But no, I had to go off with my own plan and bomb it.

When I arrive at the house, I hesitate but decide to park in the short drive.

There’s no backing out now. Well, I could, but I can’t.

With as much humility as I can muster, I get out of my truck and trudge down the walkway to the wraparound front porch.

I can do this. I can grovel with the best of them.

Mustering the last of my bravery, I knock on the front door.

The echo of footsteps bears down on me, forcing a lump into my throat.

This woman is going to throw me out on my rear end and probably make me the laughingstock of Charleston.

The door swings open and I come face to face with the raven-haired beauty once again.

Her green eyes narrow and her lip curls, but I don’t think she realizes she has the most disgusted expression a person can muster plastered on her face.

It really is a beautiful face.

“Can I help you?” she barks, reminding me that standing here staring at her doesn’t do me any good.

“Hi. Yes, actually, I wanted to apologize for being such a jerk earlier and take you up on your offer to be my partner, since all of the veterans are pairing up with novices.” I blink and remember to smile. What is wrong with me? I sound like a robot. My heart is pounding.

“You came to apologize and take me up on my offer because…everyone else was…paired? What you mean to say is, all the pros were paired and you’re left with the bottom of the barrel, right?”

I release a breath. “Yes, exactly.” Her face sours further and I consider what she said.

My palms sweat and I rub them together to focus.

Bottom of the barrel…oh no. “Wait…no. That’s not what I meant at all.

” I raise my hands to defend myself, but it’s too late.

A heavy, solid wood door flies toward my face, but I’m too dumbfounded by my own stupidity to stop it.

The knocker smashes into my nose and I step back, wincing as tears flood my eyes.

“Yeah, that’s how I thought this would go,” I mumble through my hand.

Realizing I’m bleeding is the least of my problems. I can manage a bloody nose, do it a lot actually, but I can’t win a cooking contest with a subpar cook.

Something tells me if Layne cooks as well as she issues a scathing glare, we’ll be all right.

Well, she and whoever she chooses for a partner might be, but the blood streaming between my fingers tells me I am as I had previously assumed. Screwed.

The door flies open again, and a bag of ice is shoved in my face. “Here,” Layne says, her tone demanding. “I’m sorry I hit you in the face, but can you leave now? I slammed a door on you, and where I come from, that means you walk away insulted. You’re really screwing up the dynamic here.”

“The dynamic?”

She scoffs and puts both hands on her hips. “Yeah, you know. Slammed door, defeated hopes and dreams, you walk away sulking after learning your lesson about the kind of person you think I am? Ring any bells?”

Pressing the ice to my bloody nose is the least painful part of this moment. “I did not defeat your hopes and dreams. There are tons of amazing cooks in this competition, and you’re bound to get paired with one of them.”

Her eyes go wide. “Now is not the best time to anger the beast, Langley. Now is the time for you to realize that yes, you were an epic jerk, but the proper way to apologize is to not insult me further.” She crosses her arms and bites her lip before adding, “And maybe the proper way for me to respond is to accept that you might be an egotistical jerk, but you’re an egotistical jerk who can help me win, so I shouldn’t look a gift horse in the mouth. ”

I yank the ice off my face. “I am not an egotistical jerk. You don’t know me at all.”

“And you don’t know me, but you made inaccurate assumptions about my capabilities.”

I groan because we can definitely do this all day, but time is running short.

“Listen, I was absolutely in the wrong at the stadium. I should have heard you out, and yeah, I’m desperate to find a partner who knows what he or she is doing.

But I want to work with you because despite the way I treated you there, you were gracious toward me. ”

She raises her eyebrows.

“I said there. As in, not here. Here, you were just mean.”

“I slammed a door in your face as a show of annoyance. It isn’t my fault you don’t know what that means, or that one should step aside when a door comes flying at one’s face. I’d hardly call that mean.”

“I’m bleeding, Layne.”

She purses her lips at that. “Listen, Langley—”

“Why are you calling me by my last name?” I can’t say why I don’t like it, but it rubs me all the wrong way. And there is no denying that I absolutely want to know what my first name sounds like in her voice…complete with fiery eyes and all.

She shrugs and shakes her head, brushing me off.

“Habit, I guess. My brother is an athlete, and I’ve called all of his friends by their last names ever since I was a kid.

Anyway, Ender, I suppose a crummy apology is better than none, and I’m worried about who the administrators might pair me with, so fine, I’ll work with you. ”

“Don’t sound so excited about it. You got what you wanted.

” My tone is harsher than I want, but I’m beginning to think this whole cook-off is probably a bad idea.

It’s certainly gotten off to a horrendous start.

And my name in her voice? Yikes. Maybe under different circumstances it would be music to my ears, but that scolding tone has me feeling like a kid.

“Forgive me if I’m not thrilled a man I don’t know made assumptions about me, then came to ask my forgiveness by insulting me again.

” Her voice softens and her demeanor shifts.

The anger seems to drain from her stiff body until she relaxes and sighs.

She points to the porch swing. “Want to sit and make a plan? Figure this out?”

I adjust the ice and press it to my nose again. “Yeah, that would be nice.”

One side of her mouth turns into a frown, almost as if she’s only half sorry she bloodied my nose. “Actually, why don’t you come in and I’ll get you some fresh ice and some coffee. It’s been a long day, and I need it.”

Her sudden hospitality has me slightly worried. “Are you sure you won’t lace it with cyanide?”

She rolls her eyes. “Listen, life gave me some lemons this week. When life gives you lemons, it’s best to make a nice limoncello and pretend it’s what you wanted.”

“Limoncello?” A genuine broad smile makes her chuckle in return. “I like your way of saying that better than the old way. And yes, let’s go inside and chat about what we can do to win this thing.”

Layne steps aside and allows me to enter the foyer.

“This place belongs to my sister-in-law’s friend. It’s got a nice deck out back. If you want to head out there, I’ll make some coffee, and we can chat. It really is a great view.” She speaks over her shoulder and heads to what I assume is the kitchen while pointing toward her right.

I peer that way and find the door to the back.

Large floor-to-ceiling windows let in the last light of the late afternoon.

The days are so much shorter now as fall sets in.

Sort of. It’s cooled down since earlier today, but it’s still a little warm.

Out on the deck, I see what she likes about the yard so much.

There’s a variety of trees, so the slight color change is pretty.

There are still a few weeks until peak color shift, but this gives just a hint of autumn spice.

Several chairs line the deck so I pull one up and position it to watch the sun sink behind the trees.

There’s already a faint purple glow highlighting the skyline.

Taking a deep breath, I thank God that Layne seems to be the forgiving type.

At least, she’s the type who can put differences aside for a common goal.

The door opens behind me and Layne pitter-patters over with two steaming mugs of coffee.

“I wasn’t sure how you liked yours, so I went with just creamer. Is that okay?”

I reach for the mug. “Yeah, that’s how I take it. Thank you.” I nod toward the tree line. “You were right. It is pretty.”

Layne settles in the seat beside me. “I’m sorry I hit you in the nose.”

I roll my head to look at her. Her sincerity is written all over her face. This is such a bad idea. A face like that, highlighted by the last golden rays of sunlight, should not be attached to my partner. I’m going to be distracted, and I cannot afford that. Still, she’s probably my best hope.

“I deserved it, for sure,” I admit.

“No, you didn’t. The scolding, you deserved, but I shouldn’t have slammed a door in your face.

Thank you for coming to ask me to be your partner.

” She pulls her hands into the sleeves of her cardigan and tucks her legs up close.

There’s a slight breeze and the scents of fall come rushing forward—crisp leaves, that earthy, warm aroma that always makes me happy.

I sip the coffee and sigh. “Mmm, this is really good. And for the record, everything came out wrong earlier. I didn’t come because I’m stuck with the bottom of the barrel.

I’m actually not a fan of crowds, so I was overstimulated at the orientation meeting as it was.

I’ve got a lot riding on this year’s competition, and I got in my own way.

I’m sorry if I made you feel badly about your ability. ”

Her lips slowly curve into a warm, sweet smile. “Now that is a good apology. I accept. Now tell me, what do we do now?”

I stretch out on the chair and relax further. Layne isn’t just easy on the eyes. She’s easy on everything and has managed to not only calm my racing heart, but also ease my anxiety significantly. “Now, we compare schedules, discuss what we’re good at, and make a meal plan.”

“I’m literally free all day every day. You tell me, Mr. Football Celebrity, what works for you?”

Running my hand over my face, I groan. “Promise me you won’t call me that again. Just Ender. To you, I’m just Ender, the idiot who almost let you get away, but by the grace of God, scored you as a partner.”

“Oh,” she laughs. “Oh, now you’re just groveling. I already said yes.”

I chuckle and take a few more sips of coffee. “You call it groveling, I call it ensuring I’m in your good graces before I shove you into this competition head-first. Are you really ready for this, Layne?” I arch an eyebrow in question.

She takes a deep breath and her emerald eyes scan the setting sun. “Honest answer? No, not really, but I’m a hard worker and I’m willing to do what it takes.”

When she looks back at me, the sunlight catches her hair and lights it up with golds and purples, grazes her slender nose, and bounces off her eyes, igniting them with sparkle that captivates me. She knows I’m staring at her, and her lips flutter into another soft smile.

My heart kicks again.

“Um…” I shake my head clear. “It’s okay.

I can work with that. It’s a little different this year, so everyone is a little thrown off.

If you’re that wide open schedule wise, then why don’t you come by the field tomorrow morning?

I have early practice, but after that, we can use the facility kitchen. ”

“At the stadium?”

“Yeah. I use it every year to practice. Does that work for you?”

“Yep. You tell me when to be there, and I’m there.”

I don’t know what it is right now, but there is something about Layne that makes me feel…different. Comfortable, less on guard. Almost like she’s an old friend I just haven’t seen in a long time. Whatever it is, I think it might be dangerous for me.