Page 85 of The Chemistry Coach
“You already know the answer.We’ve built chemistry.We’re comfortable together.We’re friends and have gotten familiar with each other’s play styles.There’s a lot we can accomplish, and I’m looking forward to my future here.”He winked at Daisy, and all the other press gawked at her.Her face burned, but her smile remained in place.
Connor finished his interviews and told Daisy and Roxie to wait for him in the family room so he could shower.Valentine joined them, having already cleaned up.
The room got quiet when they walked in; the faces of fifteen women and children Daisy didn’t know stared at her.She couldn’t help but remember how she’d fucked up the last time she met the team.Everyone in this room dressed immaculately, their hair and makeup styled to perfection, designer handbags littering the chairs and tables around the room.Daisy felt frumpy and underdressed in comparison.Valentine looped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her toward a petite blonde woman who held a toddler on her hip.
As they approached the woman, Valentine whispered in her ear.“This is Gwen, Harland’s wife.She’s chill.Win her over, and you’ll win over everyone else too.”
Of course he’d introduce the most important person first.Daisy didn’t prepare for this.She didn’t know how to explain her relationship yet.Roxie unsuccessfully suppressed amused laughter, the stakes for her far lower than for Daisy.
“Gwen!”Valentine said when they got close.The boy she held reached out for Valentine, who let go of Daisy to hold him.“I have someone I want you to meet.”
“Oh, Connor!You have a girlfriend?You never said anything.”Gwen spread her arms out, inviting Daisy for a hug, and Daisy stepped into the embrace, feeling awkward about the misunderstanding.Did this lady think Daisy was young enough to be dating a twenty-one-year-old?
“Oh, no.”Valentine corrected before Daisy or Roxie could step in.“This is Beanie’s girlfriend, Daisy.”He stepped back, bouncing the toddler and bringing Roxie into the circle.“And her friend Roxie.Tonight they were allowed in as press for the first time.”
Gwen seemed delighted, and Daisy breathed a sigh of relief.Maybe this wouldn’t be a disaster.“Daisy!I’ve heard so much about you!And it’s so exciting they invited you to come out, Harland and Connor here have been hounding PR for weeks now to get you guys media privileges.I love your show; it sounds like you’ve whipped those boys into shape!And nice to meet you too, Roxie.”
Daisy had issues processing the information coming at her.First off, Valentine introduced her as Connor’s girlfriend.They hadn’t talked about it.Also, it was big news to her that Harland cared about her podcast.The last and only time she’d talked to him, he told her how much she’d fucked up with Patrick.
“Um, yeah,” she said.“They’ve been working hard.”
She sounded short and unsure, but her brain was operating at half capacity.Under normal circumstances she was great at small talk.
Gwen pressed her hand into Daisy’s shoulder, giving her a light push.“Oh, stop.They wouldn’t have gotten this far without you.All three Connors will admit that.”
She waved a hand at Valentine, who agreed with her.“True.You changed our whole season.”
Emotion rose in Daisy’s chest.These boys she’d grown so close to revered her as much as she admired them.She didn’t know how she’d conned them into thinking she was a cool person, but she’d do her best to stay in their good graces.
Harland joined them then, stealing his son from Valentine’s grasp.“Oh Daisy!Glad to see you figured your shit out.”He transferred the boy to one arm and held out his hand to Roxie, who shook it.“And you must be Roxie.You girls are so refreshing to listen to.It’s nice to have some press tell it like it is without making us sound useless.”
Roxie smiled at him.“We’re big fans.I hate the negativity so many other media outlets put out.We want to highlight the players as people too, who go through real struggles and still show up for fans night after night.”
Players arrived with wet hair and gym bags thrown over their shoulders.She scanned the room for Connor but didn’t find him.She did, however, find Hazy, who hurried toward them.
“Hey!Coach pulled Beanie to talk to him real quick; he should be out soon.”Hazy gave the toddler Harland held knuckles and ruffled his hair.
None of the other players or their families paid them any mind, all of them trickling out of the room as their husbands and fathers came to collect them.Harland patted Daisy and Roxie on the shoulders.“It’s late, and this one,” he bounced his son on his hip, “needs to get to bed.Let’s catch up soon, okay?Maybe at the next open practice?”
Soon it was just Daisy, Roxie, Hazy, and Valentine waiting for Connor.When everyone had vacated the large couch, they sat and chatted about nothing important.When half an hour had passed, Daisy got antsy.
“Did Coach Bree say what he needed to talk to Connor about?”she asked Hazy.
“Nope, he does this sometimes.It shouldn’t be too long; Coach likes to get home to his kids.”
But time ticked away with no sign of him.
Chapter 26
Connor
Connorwasonahigh after such a big win.When Daisy came into the locker room with the rest of the press, he had to restrain himself from ravishing her then and there.He’d settled for a chaste kiss.She looked so professional.Watching one of her dreams come true right in front of his eyes was as satisfying as scoring the game-winning goal had been.
He’d considered throwing her over his shoulder and taking her home, but Roxie had a point.He stunk.For the things he wanted to do to Daisy, he couldn’t smell.So he told her to wait in the family room and rushed through his shower, anxious about leaving her alone with the WAGs.
He had his bag flung over his shoulder and was jogging down the hall toward her when Coach called his name.Fuck.Coach Bree had a habit of pulling a player aside after every game, and it hadn’t been Connor’s turn in a while.He halted his movement.
“What’s up, Coach?”he asked.
