Page 6

CHAPTER 6

COOPER

I ’m trying to keep my focus on the road but my eyes keep flicking to Scarlett’s long legs. Even encased in jeans, they look sexy as hell.

“What kind of car is this?” she asks.

“It’s a Corvette.”

Her hand caresses the black leather seat. “It’s gorgeous.”

“She is,” I agree, and even more so with Scarlett sitting next to me. She’s the first woman not related to me to ride in my car.

“Was your Corvette the first extravagant purchase you made?” she asks.

“I bought a watch too, but it cost me a fraction of the money I paid for this car.”

“Where do you and your sister live?”

“In Surfside.”

“Are you close to the beach?”

“We’re a couple blocks from it, like you and Autumn are.”

“Did you buy a place or are you renting?”

“I bought a house. I figured if I’m going to be here for a while, I might as well own a home. I might regret that if they decide to get rid of me before my next contract negotiation, but…” I shrug.

She laughs. “Yeah, like that’s gonna happen.”

“I’m not planning on giving them a reason to be dissatisfied with me.”

“Where did you grow up,” she asks.

“Swanton, Ohio.”

“Is that a small town?”

“You could say that.”

She turns, angling her upper body toward me, as if she’s interested in learning more.

“Is that where your parents live?”

“Yep. They’ll stay there until the day they die.”

“What did you do for fun?”

I shift my hands on the steering wheel. “Played football, worked out with my friends… you know, the usual.”

“No parties?”

“Maybe a few. What about you? Where did you grow up?”

“Charlestown, Rhode Island.”

“Is that a small town?”

“The whole state is small,” she says, laughing.

“That’s true, but I’ve never been there.”

“Well, I wasn’t going to bring this up yet, but one of my cousins is getting married and I need a date. Any takers?” she asks.

I smile, sending a quick glance her way. “As long as it doesn’t interfere with my game schedule, I’ll be there. Just give me all the information ahead of time.”

“I’ll make sure you have plenty of notice. It’s not for a couple of months anyway.”

“Good,” I say, feeling oddly pleased about having future plans with her, even if they’re part of our arrangement. “So tell me more about growing up in Rhode Island. What did you do for fun?”

She leans back in her seat, looking thoughtful. “Well, being so close to the ocean, I spent a lot of time at the beach. My friends and I would have bonfires, go surfing... oh, and I was really into watching professional wrestling.”

“I should’ve guessed the last part,” I say. “So you and Autumn grew up together, right?”

“She moved to my town for freshman year of high school, and we’ve been inseparable ever since.” I hear the smile in her tone.

“I think it’s awesome you’re so close. I don’t know many people who have friendships like yours.”

“We clicked from day one, and I’m not sure why but it just worked.”

“Hey, when something’s right, you don’t question it.”

We fall into a comfortable silence as I navigate the roads back toward her home. The street lights flicker past, casting a soft glow inside my car. I can’t help but steal glances at her when I think she’s not looking.

All too soon, I’m pulling into her driveway. I shut off the engine and then dart around the front of the car to open her door.

“Thank you.”

We walk along the walkway side by side, then climb the stairs together.

“You know,” she says suddenly, “I had a really good time tonight.”

I smile, feeling a sense of satisfaction. Not bad for my first official date, even if it wasn’t for real. “Me too. You made it easy.”

She turns to face me, her eyes sparkling in the dim light. “We make a pretty good team, don’t we?”

I nod, suddenly aware of how close we’re standing. “We do. I’m glad you came with me.”

“I am too,” she says softly.

There’s a charged moment where neither of us moves. I find myself drawn to her lips, wondering what it would be like to kiss her for real this time and not just for show.

I clear my throat. “So, I’ll let you know about any upcoming events. And don’t forget to send me the details for your cousin’s wedding.”

“Right,” she says, fumbling in her purse for her keys. “I’ll do that.”

As she unlocks her door, I stuff my hands in my pockets, suddenly unsure of how to say goodbye. A handshake seems too formal, a hug too intimate.

Scarlett solves the dilemma for me by leaning in and pressing a quick kiss to my cheek. “Goodnight, Cooper.”

“Goodnight, Scarlett.” I wait until she’s safely inside before heading back to my car.

Coach blows his whistle, ending the play. “Rogan, get rid of the ball faster, unless you like being sacked.”

I jog over to the sidelines, my cleats digging into the turf as I slow down. Coach motions for me to join the huddle with the rest of the offense.

“All right, let’s run it again,” Coach barks. “This time, Cooper, I want you to cut inside on your route instead of breaking to the outside. See if we can create some separation from the linebacker.”

I nod, wiping sweat from my brow. “Got it, Coach.”

As we break the huddle and head back to the line of scrimmage, Rogan gives me a quick fist bump. “Let’s make it happen this time, rookie.”

The defense sets up across from us. I get into my stance, muscles coiled and ready to explode into action.

“Hut! Hut!” Rogan barks out the cadence, and the ball is snapped.

At Rogan’s signal, I burst off the line, driving hard for five yards before cutting sharply to the inside. The linebacker tries to stay with me, but I’ve got a step on him. I look back over my shoulder just as Rogan launches the ball. It spirals perfectly toward me. I stretch out my arms, feeling the satisfying thud as the pigskin hits my hands. I secure it against my body as I turn upfield, sprinting for the end zone.

“That’s what I’m talking about!” Coach yells as I cross the goal line. “Great route, Cooper. Excellent throw, Rogan.”

I jog back to the huddle, trading high fives with my teammates.

“Nice catch, Coop,” Rogan says with a grin. “Keep running routes like that and we’ll be unstoppable.”

I grin back at him , feeling a surge of pride. “Thanks, man. That felt good.”

Coach calls us in to wrap up practice. As we huddle around him, I notice a few reporters and photographers lined up along the sidelines. I’m still getting used to the constant media presence at practices.

“All right, listen up,” Coach says. “Good work out there today. We’re making progress, but we’ve still got plenty to improve upon. Hit the showers and get some rest. I want you all fresh tomorrow.”

As we break from the huddle, I see one of the reporters waving to get my attention. I hesitate, not sure if I should go over.

Rogan notices my uncertainty and claps me on the shoulder. “Better get used to it. Go say hi. Just keep it brief.”

I nod and then jog over to the sideline where the reporter is waiting. As I approach, I recognize her as Melissa Chen, one of the local sports journalists who covers our team.

“Cooper, great practice out there,” she says with a smile. “Do you have a minute to chat?”

“Sure, what’s up?” I reply, trying to sound casual despite my nerves.

Melissa holds up her recorder. “Mind if I get this on tape?” When I nod, she continues, “There’s been a lot of buzz about your performance so far this season. How are you feeling about your role on the team?”

I take a deep breath, remembering the media training we received. “I’m feeling good. The coaches and my teammates have been really supportive in helping me adjust to the NFL level. I’m just focused on doing my job and contributing however I can to help us win games.”

“You’ve certainly been making an impact,” she says. “Your chemistry with Rogan seems to be developing nicely. Can you talk about how you two are building that connection?”

I nod, choosing my words carefully. “Rogan’s been great to work with. He’s a talented quarterback and a real leader on this team. We put in a lot of extra time after practice to work on our timing and communication. It’s still a work in progress, but I feel like we’re making strides each week.”

Melissa smiles. “That’s great to hear. Now, switching gears a bit, there’s been some chatter on social media about you being spotted at a charity event with a mystery woman. Care to comment on that?”

I’m caught off guard by the question, and try to keep my expression neutral as my heart rate picks up. I hadn’t expected my “relationship” with Scarlett to be a topic of interest so soon.

“Oh, uh, that was my girlfriend, Scarlett,” I say, aiming for a casual tone.

Melissa’s eyes light up with interest. “Oh, really? This is the first we’re hearing about a girlfriend. How did you two meet?”

For a few seconds, I rack my brain, trying to remember the story the two of us agreed on. Being put on the spot makes it difficult to think clearly.

“We met through mutual friends and hit it off from the start.”

“How sweet,” Melissa says, smiling. “And how is she adjusting to dating a professional football player? I’m sure it must be quite a change.”

I laugh, praying it doesn’t sound forced. “She’s been great about it all. Very supportive and understanding of the demands of my schedule.”

Melissa nods, looking satisfied with my answer. “Well, it sounds like things are going well both on and off the field for you. Thanks for taking the time to chat, Cooper. Good luck in Sunday’s game.”

“Thank you, Melissa. Appreciate it,” I say, relieved the questioning is over.

I jog back toward the locker room and quickly shower and change. As I’m gathering my things, Rogan comes over and leans against my locker.

“How’d it go with the reporter?”

I shrug. “Not bad. Mostly questions about practice and the team.”

Rogan raises an eyebrow. “Mostly?”

“She asked about Scarlett.”

His other eyebrow joins the first, both lifted in surprise. “Already? Damn, word travels fast.”

“She wanted to know about my ‘mystery woman,’” I say, using air quotes. “I think I handled it okay.” I zip my bag. “Just gave the basics of our cover story—that we met through mutual friends and hit it off. I tried to keep it vague.”

He nods approvingly. “Smart move. The fewer details you give, the less they can pick apart later.”

I nod, grateful for his advice. “Right. I’ll keep that in mind for next time.”

“You might want to give Scarlett a heads-up,” he suggests. “In case she gets approached by reporters too.”

I consider his suggestion for a moment, realizing he’s right. “Good call. I’ll text her when I get home.”

As Rogan and I leave the locker room, he asks, “So, how are things going with Scarlett? You two seemed pretty cozy at the charity event.”

I shrug, trying to appear nonchalant. “It’s going fine. She’s easy to be around, which makes things a lot less awkward than they could be.”

Rogan nods. “That’s good. Just be careful, man. It’s easy for lines to get blurred in situations like this.”

I glance at him, curious. “Speaking from experience?”

He laughs. “Nah, but I’ve seen it happen to teammates before. One minute it’s all pretend, the next thing you know, feelings start getting involved.”

“You don’t need to worry about that,” I assure him. “Scarlett and I both know this is just an arrangement.”