Page 62 of Playing to Win
Spending more time with Ace will only result in me getting burned.
Once we finished talking, he returned to the field and played his little heart out. Seriously, he was so good. I couldn’t even wrap my head around him playing terribly because clearly, something clicked in his brain when he got the ball back in his hands. Everyone was cheering and clapping at one point, Mattson losing his mind to the point I couldn’t tell if he was happy or upset.
Turns out he was happy. He just has a weird way of showing it.
Eric and I captured everything that unfolded on video and AirDrop’d it to Gwen’s phone, so she could start editing right away. By the time practice was over, Gwen had already posted the arm candy reveal video and it was racking up the likes.
“Over two hundred comments already,” Gwen reveals as we leave the field and head back to our office.
“You only posted like thirty minutes ago!” I chance a look in Eric’s direction to find him scowling over this news, but the moment our gazes connect, the scowl is gone.
He’s still not thrilled by this when he really should be. We’re all in it together, after all.
“I know, it’s like…I don’t even know how to describe it.” Gwen is actually grinning—something she never does—and she’s shaking her head. “It’s unbelievable!”
“Well, I think it’s great.” I send a pointed look in Eric’s direction. “And it tells me this is the kind of content that will work and help us gain new followers.”
“We’ve grown,” Eric admits, sounding almost reluctant. “By almost two thousand followers. I’ve been keeping track.”
“See?” Oh, I sound smug. I feel smug. “Gwen, you were so right.”
“You’re the one who came up with the arm candy idea,” she says, giving me my props. “Looks like it worked.”
“We keep this up, we’re going to have so many followers!” I offer up my hand and Gwen gives me a high five.
We talk like this the rest of the way back to the office, with Eric interjecting here and there. He’s not as grumpy as he has been, so maybe he’s seeing that it actually works. Which it so does.
I’m gathering up my stuff and slipping my backpack strap over my shoulder when I receive a text.
Ace:Thank you.
Frowning, I read the text again, confused.
Me:Thank you for what?
I was the one who got an orgasm out of last night. Shouldn’t I be thanking him?
I’m climbing into my car, tossing my backpack on the passenger seat when my phone buzzes with his response.
Ace:For talking to me earlier at practice. I played better because of you.
A snort leaves me at his answer. Come on. I had nothing to do with that.
Or did I?
Hmm.
I decide to play it off.
Me:You’re welcome for nothing.
He immediately sends me a text.
Ace:It wasn’t nothing.
Ace:I want to see you again.
Ace:Tonight.
