Her mouth dropped open as she realized the meaning behind my question. “Yes, just friends. He dated my sister a long time ago, so he’s like my brother.”
“Oh.” Relief washed through me, loosening the tension in my shoulders.
“It’s nice to meet you.”
“You too,” I said.
She crawled over the bleacher seat and plopped down right beside me without an invitation, and I stifled a laugh. She couldn’t have been more obvious. Ruby was the nosy friend who wanted all the details about the new woman in Grant’s life.
Whatever the penalty was, it had been sorted out, and the players moved back into their huddle.
I couldn’t hold the question back. “He mentioned me, huh?”
She flashed a knowing smile. “Oh, yeah. You’re the first one he’s talked about since Morgan.” My blank expression must have forced her to explain. “His last girlfriend? They lived together for a while, until he kicked her ass to the—”
Her voice lost its power at the end, as if she realized at the last second she probably shouldn’t have said anything.
“He kicked her out?”
She looked embarrassed. “I should probably let him tell the story.”
We watched the men, their feet churning up the grass as they tried to drive toward the end. Awkwardness hung in the silence between Ruby and me, and it must have been too much for her.
“It’s not bad,” she said. “Well, I mean, it was bad.” She sighed and pressed her fingertips to the center of her forehead, rubbing the crease there. “She sent a bunch of nudes to their coworkers. I didn’t tell you that.”
“Wait, their coworkers?”
“Yeah, Morgan’s the on-air weather person.”
Nudes. To his coworkers. I couldn’t wrap my head around Morgan’s motivation. “Why?”
Ruby shrugged. “Because she’s not too smart, or has self-esteem issues, or who the hell knows? That girl was the worst. So high maintenance.”
She wasn’t subtle as she scanned my clothes, taking in the ripped jeans and combat boots, and she seemed pleased. I looked edgy and comfortable, and anything but high maintenance.
We spent the first half of the game chatting in between the plays. It was helpful having her there to explain what was going on, and I made sure to keep the conversation focused on her, so she wouldn’t ask what I did for a living.
She was an attorney, as was her boyfriend. In fact, she’d been the one to help Grant with his US citizenship a few years ago. Ruby had a foul mouth, a direct personality, and rage-baked fabulous macarons. I’d eaten two of them before the break at the half, and it took even less time for me to decide I liked her.
Throughout the game, Grant would sneak peeks my direction, and each time he did, my pulse skipped. Oh, I was in trouble. I liked him way too much, and it meant several things had to happen.
I’d have to take him to meet Silas and Regan. And I’d have to tell him about the blindfold club, which was a huge risk. Not just for my audition, or our relationship, but for my friends and coworkers. Unease swelled, and I calmed it by reminding myself there wasn’t a rush. Grant was playing by the rules right now, and maybe even enjoying them.
It was better if I waited until the audition was done. Then, if he chose to walk away, I’d at least have that.
Two more weeks of lying to him.
I scowled and forced myself to not think about it. Hopefully, he’d forgive me.
When the game ended, he grabbed his gear bag off the bench and bounded straight for Ruby and me. His team had won, but I got the feeling his glowing smile was more about me than anything else.
“You came,” he said. “That’s awesome.”
“You’re the first girl who’s done that,” Ruby added. “Besides me.”
The spectators around us
stood and gathered their things, leaving the stands. I stood as well, leaning close to him. He was covered in a sheen of sweat, patches of mud with bits of grass, and athletic tape around his knees.