“I’m not. You’re brilliant,” I say.
She blushes. “I just mean because it’s such a good gig. Working for Carlisle Enterprises has always been a bit of a dream. It’s sort of the perfect amount of lawyering for me. No courtrooms,” she says with a self-deprecating laugh.
“Not your style?”
“No way. I like the details of law, the puzzle of law, but I don’t want to go fight or roll the dice,” she says.
Another thirty minutes of talk passes in a flash aswe get to know each other and continues as we’re cleaning up. How is this only our second night together when we already have such a natural rhythm and flow?
But then, it’s not entirely our second night. We spent the meet-and-greet together—chastely—and then walked around together. We’ve texted for weeks.
But every time I see her, one moment seems to spill into the next. She’s got to be feeling the same pull, despite the risks.
“By the way,” I say, “you said earlier that I was a man of his word. I’m glad you’re not holding that ghosting against past-me anymore,” I say as I close the dishwasher.
“Drew,” she says, sounding as if she’s coming clean about something. “Some of my emotions that night weren’t even because of you,” she says, then blows out a breath. “My ex cheated on me with many women. He even messaged me the day I met you, so that was in my head. So when I thought I hadn’t heard from you…it all seemed too good to be true.”
My heart hurts for her, but I also want to give a piece of my mind to the dumb shit who cheated on her. “He didn’t deserve you,” I bite out. “He doesn’t deserve anyone.”
“That’s probably true. But I wanted to apologize. I should have…trusted our first night together and tried harder to track you down. Cara even suggested it.”
I straighten with interest at that last nugget. “She knows about us?”
“I told her, yeah. But she won’t say anything to Patrick. She knows that guy talk belongs in the sister vault.”
“Good. I haven’t said anything to him,” I admit, but then I wave off any concerns. “Just because he’d worry, since he’s my finance guy and all. He takes an interest in all my business affairs, so he might worry about…”
Fuck. I hate saying this out loud.
“How it would look,” she supplies, her tone heavy. She leans back against the counter, her mood clearly dampened.
Patrick’s concerns are more than appearances though. If I tell him about Brooke too soon, he’ll worry it’d be college all over again, like when I fell for Marie.
But the situation with Brooke isn’t the same. Not one bit. “Yes,” I say, but then I try to brighten the mood. “But my buddy Carter knows. I kinda couldn’t keep it from him.”
“Why’s that?” She sounds delighted, and I’m glad for the one eighty.
“He’s a giant cinnamon roll,” I say. “He even suggested we date in the off-season,” I say impulsively. I didn’t plan to put that possibility out there tonight, but maybe it’s not the worst idea? Maybe there is a way to pullusoff.
She lifts a curious brow. “He did?”
“Probably nutty?” I suggest with a light laugh in case I’m coming on too strong. “But maybe not?”
She exhales hard. “I don’t know. What I do know is Stephen loves the good-guy image you have. He’s been so pleased with your press coverage, your social media. I mean, obviously he’s impressed with your game play, but he likes the whole package. I don’t want to ruin it.”
My hope deflates. Maybe that was too wild an idea.
“But,” she adds, like she’s reconsidering it, “it’s something to think about.”
I smile. I don’t try to hold it back. “Yeah?”
She reaches for my hand. Clasps tight. “Yeah. Let’s…think about it.”
I should be focusing on football, but two games into the season and I’m kicking ass. Maybe that’s a sign I can somehow manage…somethingwith Brooke.
She squeezes my hand, then adds, “I like that you told him, then.”
“It’s impossible not to. He knows everything. He helped me deal with my last relationship when it imploded,” I say, since we’re having some kind of confessional night.