Page 19 of Playing to Win
I offer my fist to Eric and he eagerly bumps his against it.
“Glad you’re the starting QB, Townsend. Can’t wait to watch you on the field this season,” Eric gushes.
Gwen just rolls her eyes.
“Thanks, bro.” I appreciate his support. There have been some—okay a lot of—grumblings about me and how difficult it’ll be to fill Camden Fields’ position. I can’t lie that seeing those articles, hearing them talk on podcasts or whatever, it shakes me a little. And leaves me feeling like I’ve got more to prove than ever.
“We have a new member of the social media team,” Gwen says, waving a hand in Ruby’s direction. “Ruby Maguire.”
Coach Mattson frowns. “Wait a minute. Knox’s little sister?”
“Yeah, that’s me.” Ruby nods, smiling at Mattson. “Hi.” She waves.
More eye-rolling from Gwen while Eric just nods enthusiastically.
“Happy to see you here. I miss your brother.” Mattson turns his attention to me. “Do you know Ruby, Ace?”
“We’ve met once.” I keep my voice purposely casual, my gaze finding hers. Sparks fly from her eyes and I realize that yep, she’s still not over how I dissed her on New Year’s Eve. Not that I meant to. Not like she’ll let me explain myself.
If she was open to hearing what I have to say, I’d tell her I didn’t kiss that girl. She kissed me first, and her lips barely touched mine when the door flew open and Ruby was standing there, disappointment written all over her pretty face.
I still feel like shit over it. Hell, I can’t even remember that other girl’s name.
“Look, Ace, we won’t take up too much of your time,” Eric says, getting right down to business. I’ve always liked that about him. “But we’re hoping we could get you to align yourself with us and convince the team to be a little more, uh, willing to allow us to film them for content.”
“Weren’t we mostly willing last year?” I always was. Sort of.
Okay I gave them endless shit and I remember the text one of our coaches recently sent the team, asking for our cooperation.
“Uh…” Eric and Gwen share a look before he replies, “Not really.”
“Why not?”
“Because you’re all just a bunch of egotistical assholes?” Gwen blurts, her gaze jerking to Mattson. “Sorry, Coach.”
“Not a problem, little lady. You’re actually right on the money with that assessment.” Coach chuckles, scrubbing his hand along his jaw. “We have a new crew this season, meaning we have lots of new guys on the team who might not be so hung up on the old ways, if you get what I’m saying.”
“What sort of old ways are you referring to?” Ruby asks, sounding defensive.
“I think he means that we’re a little more open to allowing ourselves to be filmed,” I answer for Coach. Ruby’s attention swings to me, her fiery blue gaze seeming to burn me where I stand. “We try not to take ourselves too seriously around here.”
“Oh.” She crosses her arms, plumping up her tits. I know because my gaze lingers there. She’s got a nice set. “So last year’s team took themselves too seriously then.”
I paste a smile on, trying to ease her ruffled feathers. “I appreciate how supportive you are of your brother. I get it.”
“Do you?” She arches a brow.
I roll right over her comment. “But have you seen some of the team accounts out there on social media? They’re hilarious.”
“You’ve seen them too?” Gwen appears surprised. “And you think they’re hilarious?”
“Yeah.” I shrug. “They are. And I know where you guys are coming from. We need to lighten up and play along. I can talk to the guys and get them to agree. Don’t worry.”
“You have that much influence over your team already?” This comes from Ruby, who sounds downright hostile.
I take a step closer to her, regretting my decision the moment I do it. Her scent is even stronger now. And I can see the delicate spray of freckles across the bridge of her nose. Actual freckles.
She’s adorable.
