Page 76 of Roughing
Trent ignored my question. “He doesn’t have a romantic bone in his body. It’s up to us to help a teammate out.”
Kirby’s intense gaze lasered right past my defenses as if he saw the unfiltered me. He had an uncanny knack for understanding others, even when they didn’t understand themselves. “Michella is a classy woman. Whatever you do, make it classy and worthy of her. That is the only way you’ll win her over.”
The group fell oddly silent before the suggestions continued. Some boring, some outrageous, some just not enough. One of these guys should be able to come up with the perfect thing, but they were as clueless as I was.
“We can’t do this for you. You have to make this uniquely you, or she’ll see through it.” Kirby read my mind.
“Uniquely me?”
“Shit, that’d be eating with his hands at the jousting thing in Vegas.” Braden’s evil grin caused me to narrow my gaze.
“Tournament of Kings dinner show. I love that,” Jamal said.
“I know, right?” Jarrett grinned and fist-bumped with Jamal.
“No fucking way is Michella eating dinner with her hands.” I shook my head in dismay. These guys were worthless when it came to usable ideas.
The next hour went along the same lines until Dash broke up the party and sent everyone to their room. “Got a game to play tomorrow, kids. Get some sleep.” He ushered the last guy out the door and turned back to me. I was still lounging on the bed.
“If I were you, I’d follow Kirby’s advice and come up with something uniquely you that Michella won’t be able to resist.”
“She likes bling,” I supplied lamely.
He shook his head and sighed. I was still the same clueless bastard I’d been an hour ago, but at least I was a clueless bastard with friends.
ChapterTwenty-Seven
TREASURE HUNT
~~Michella~~
Ilooked up as the bell tinkled over the main door to Gone Missing. I was surprised to see Aspen. She stood uncertainly in the doorway, glancing around for signs of life.
“Back here, Aspen.” I waved from the door of the office.
“Hi.” She rubbed her hands on her pant legs and didn’t look me in the eye. I gave her my friendliest smile to settle her down as she seemed very nervous.
“Have a seat. Would you like some coffee?” Since Carla wasn’t picky about her coffee, I’d complained to Everly, and she’d given me a case of Captain Dash’s blend. It was incredible.
“I’d love some.” Aspen clasped her hands in her lap. “The WAGs have missed you. You haven’t watched the games with us in a few weeks.”
“I didn’t feel it was right. Briggs and I are taking a break.” As if she didn’t know that. The WAGs knew everything that went on with the team. Briggs and I had most likely been the subject of more than one discussion.
“You’re still our friend. We miss you.”
“Ah, thank you.” My throat constricted, and I choked up. I hadn’t known many of those ladies long or well, but I had missed them too. They’d taken me under their wing at home games and welcomed me into their homes for away games. “Do you know how Briggs is doing? His game seems to be going well.”
“Yes, he’s playing well. I’ve heard he’s quiet and seems sad, but he’s hanging in there.”
Okay, that made me feel like shit. I’d tried to convince myself that he’d moved on. After all, we hadn’t spoken in three weeks, when I’d asked for a two-week break. Did that mean he respected my wishes and was waiting for me to make the first move, or he didn’t care? I was unreasonably disappointed he hadn’t reached out at the end of two weeks. Of course, he wouldn’t. I’d made myself clear and hadn’t given him options other than waiting for me to make the next move, yet I hadn’t made any moves either.
In my defense, our two-week separation ended while he’d been on that week-long road trip. I could’ve contacted him, though, and talked things out on the phone, but I’d been reluctant to mess with his game.
All those reasons were excuses because I was a conflicted coward. Should I follow my head or my heart? I’d gone over all the logical reasons to end it with him, but what about the not-so-logical reasons? The ones my heart insisted were just as valid, if not more so?
Love doesn’t listen to reason. Love does what it wants to do.
Love?
