r /> He’s sitting in a chair in a house. His house? Still wearing the dark blue and red flannel shirt, his hair a little wilder in this interview clip. There’s scruff on his cheeks and he’s…God. Extra sexy.
Looking directly at the camera, he says in that familiar low, melting voice, “I think about her all the time.”
His words make me sit up straight, my entire body buzzing with electricity. Is he…
Is he?
Talking about?
Me?
No. He can’t be.
“Find out more on the season premiere of Inside Football,” the announcer continues, just as Jordan fades to black.
“Holy shit, just listening to him turns me on.” Lena shakes her head, her gaze meeting mine. “There’s no way he’s talking about you, right?”
I say nothing. I’m trying to communicate everything with my eyes and one raised eyebrow.
Lena blinks once, twice, three times like rapid fire. “Wait a minute. You do think he’s talking about you?”
“Maybe.” I shrug, going for indifferent. I don’t want to look like a total snob, like I believe the entire world revolves around me, but come the hell on.
The one who got away? He thinks about her all the time?
He must be talking about me.
I nibble on my lower lip, wishing like crazy I had another margarita to drown my sudden doubts in. Maybe he’s talking about me.
But then again, maybe not.
It’s Friday and I’m at work, and it’s almost five. Appointments are light today, and I’m bored because no one is around, since most of the therapists who work here are already gone for the weekend. The only person left on shift is me and Cade, with Lena covering the front desk.
She’s an assistant physical therapist like me, but we trade off every Friday afternoon to cover the appointment desk and phones, since our receptionist only works a half day. Her kid has some mommy and me gymnastics class, and considering we work at Atlas Wellness Center, which specializes in sports medicine, management goes bananas for that sort of thing and will automatically give employees time off when they ask.
Seeing Rhonda take off at noon every Friday with a giant smile on her face makes me wish I had a child I could put in mommy and me gymnastics class too.
But that feeling quickly fades, because kids? No. I’m too young, too non-committed, too selfish. I’m not ready for a wedding or a marriage or babies. I don’t even have a boyfriend so, ya know, guess you need one of those first to make it happen.
Though really you don’t. I just want to take the more traditional route.
“Is it five o’clock yet?” I lean against the raised counter of the front desk, smiling down at Lena. She hates answering the phones. Customers make her angry even when they ask her innocent questions, and sometimes she has to watch her attitude.
“I wish.” Lena glares at the elaborate phone system on the desk in front of her. “If I get one more call from a grouchy coach asking if he could get a release letter for his favorite boy playing tonight…”
“Yeah, I hate those calls.” They make me uncomfortable. During football season, there’s always a coach out there who wants to put his injured player back on the field too soon. It’s only the end of August and we’re already getting those calls. It’s bound to get worse.
“Ladies.” We both turn our heads to see Cade approaching the front desk, a smile on his handsome face. He just finished with a patient only a few minutes ago. “Are we the only three left?”
“Afraid so,” Lena chirps, sending me a knowing look. I really hope Cade doesn’t notice. I don’t want to seem too overeager. “Though I’m perfectly willing to leave a little early if you’ll let me.”
“Since you’ve worked here longer than I have, don’t you think you have authority over me?” he asks jokingly, sending me a quick wink.
Ugh. Winks. Are they cheesy or cute?
I’ll have to take it under consideration.
“Perfect. Then I’m out. Amanda, you can watch the phones.” Lena throws open a drawer, yanks her purse from its depths and is gone in a matter of seconds.