She mimed pulling a zip across her lips. “It’s safe with me.”
“You can’t think about pulling out now,” Derek said, his voice thick with irritation. “First you took way too long thinking about retiring, and now you’re having second thoughts about L.A.? It’s a small industry, Cam, and reputations get made and ruined on the turn o
f a dime. Marty pulled strings to get you this meeting. You can’t throw that back in his face.”
Cam ran his hand through his short hair, glancing at his suitcase from the corner of his eye. “Isn’t it just as bad if I go meet everybody in L.A. with no intention of signing? Honesty has to be the best policy, right?”
“No.” Derek huffed. “Having a plan is the best policy. Thinking things through is the best policy. Not messing up your career because you’re having too much fun running around with your brothers is the best policy.”
Cam had twenty minutes before he had to leave for the airport. Mia had insisted on meeting him there. It grated him, but he understood why. Being seen climbing into his car with a suitcase was asking for gossip to begin. And right now she thought they were a casual thing.
Yeah, well it was time to persuade her otherwise. Starting with saying no to L.A.
“I’m not changing my mind because of my brothers. I have a lot of reasons to stay east, that’s all.”
“You should think about things when you’re in L.A. Even better, you can do it around a swimming pool surrounded by models and actresses. The sun always shines in L.A. I promise you that. No more snow. No more rain. Just sweet blue sky every day. Why would you turn that down?”
“You seem really keen on me taking this job,” Cam pointed out. “It’s an expansion team. The bottom rung. It’ll take years for them to win anything, if they ever do. Maybe we should wait and see if there are any other positions opening closer to home.”
“If you turn this down, Marty just has to put out the word and nobody will touch you with a ten foot pole,” Derek told him. “I’m not telling you this as your agent, but as your friend. Seriously, you’re making a really bad decision turning this down. Your next step is crucial. You told me yourself, football is your life. Do you want to throw that all away?” Derek clicked his tongue. “Just do me one favor, okay? Fly out to L.A., meet me there, and we’ll see how you feel after that. If you really feel it’s not for you, okay, we’ll make a different plan. But at least give it a chance.”
Cam sighed. Flying to L.A. was pointless, but he hated letting Marty down. He didn’t think the Bobcats owner would cause him any problems if he turned a coaching job down, but the least he could do was be willing to meet Derek halfway.
“I’ll go, but I’m pretty sure I won’t change my mind.” He was certain, but no need to give Derek a fit.
“Okay. Good. Brian’s already booked your flight and hotel for next weekend.” Derek sounded suddenly upbeat. “I’ve got a good feeling about this.”
“I gotta go,” Cam said, checking his watch again. He wanted to be parked before Mia arrived. He’d booked them both into the VIP lot, and from there they’d be taken into the first class lounge. Right now, all he wanted to do was be with her.
“What’s got you so busy on a Friday night?” Derek asked.
“None of your business.”
His agent laughed. It was a strange, almost forced sound. “Keep your nose clean and don’t go breaking any hearts, okay?”
Yeah, well, he wasn’t planning on it. This weekend was about spending time with the woman he couldn’t get out of his mind. Preferably naked time.
“I’ll speak to you later,” Cam said, lifting the phone from his ear. Just before he swiped it, Derek replied.
“I’ll see you in L.A. next week.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
“We’re here.”
Mia slowly opened her eyes, smiling when she felt Cam’s lips brush against her brow.
“We are?” She looked up at him with sleepy eyes. “I guess I fell asleep, huh?”
“You were asleep before we’d even left the airport service road.” He brushed a tendril of hair from her cheek. “Which is good, because you’re going to need your energy tonight.”
“What time is it?” It was too dark to see her watch.
“Almost midnight. We’re going straight to our bungalow. We’ll need to get out of the car and into a golf cart.”
“Can’t we walk?” she asked him, hoping the fresh air might wake her up.
He chuckled. “The resort covers three acres. We could walk, but it would take a while. Maybe we’ll walk in the morning.”