Page 12 of The Linebacker

“All the guys on this team seem to be bonded, and I’m pretty sure most, if not all of them, get laid on the regular.”

She gave him the side-eye and pursed her lips.

He sighed. “It doesn’t matter. I’m the kid who starts school in his junior year, after all the cliques were formed, and nobody wants me.”

That analogy sounded like it might be a real-life scenario. “These guys aren’t like that, Amil. They’ll warm to you. It’s literally been a single day of practice.”

“Yeah, I know. I just hate this part. The starting fresh, not knowing where I fit in. I just want to jump ahead to where we’re all one big happy family.” He flapped his hand, much like she had been doing earlier, when she kept putting her foot in her mouth. “That’s the vibe I got when I researched the team, after I was approached about the trade. They’re like a family.”

“We are a family,” she corrected. “You’re part of that family now.”

“And we’ve come full circle to the Jalen situation.”

She could feel him watching her. She refused to shift her gaze away from the road.

“Okay, I’ll admit Jalen has some issues he needs to work through. But I need you to understand that if I wanted to carry on an affair with you, I would do it despite Jalen’s feelings on the matter.”

“But you don’t want to.”

She opened her mouth. Closed it again. The problem was, she did want to. Which was scary. And was not something she was quite ready to analyze. Especially with him.

“Oh, look, we’re here.”

He peered out the windshield at the wine shop she’d parked in front of. “Where is here, exactly?”

She wagged a finger at him. “You never go to dinner at a friend’s house without bringing a bottle of wine. Otherwise you’ll have seven years of bad luck.”

She hopped out of the car, needing space. Being in such an enclosed environment with Amil made her fidgety, produced excess energy that needed to be burned.

And she knew exactly how they could burn that energy.

No. Not happening.

“Is that a real superstition?” he asked.

She chuckled as they entered the shop. “No. But it is bad form. Plus, they are big pinot noir fans, obviously, since Willamette Valley is in our backyard and Allison works at a winery. I, on the other hand, prefer rosé when I drink wine.”

She went straight to the coolers, where she knew her favorite label would be waiting for her.

“You said ‘when you drink wine.’ What do you prefer when you aren’t drinking wine?”

“I was a Captain and Diet Coke girl in college. My tastes have expanded since then, although that’s still my go-to when I’m stressed or frustrated or whatever.”

He nodded like he was mentally taking notes.

“What about you?” she asked as she placed the bottle on the counter for the attendant to ring up.

“I’m a wine person. My father is from Turkey. He has Assyrian roots. There are archaeologists who believe the Assyrians invented winemaking some 2,700 years ago.”

“Turkey, huh?” She took the opportunity to blatantly study him, just because she liked to look at him. He was as beautiful as a waterfall, and she could sit and enjoy a waterfall all day long.

“Like what you see?”

Damn it.

Before Diana could hand over her card, Amil had already handed cash to the attendant. “Hey,” she protested.

“We’re going over there because I’m considering buying their house. Seems like I’m the one who ought to be bringing the wine.”