Page 81 of Offensive Plays
“Oh, it’s… um… it’s ok.” She looks down at her shoes.
“It’s just, if I’m being honest with you. I am single, but my heart… is taken, I guess.”
She meets my eyes again. “Oh.” She sounds disappointed.
“But, I have a lot of great teammates. Many of whom are single. Hicks, as wild as he can seem, is a great guy.”
She blushes at that comment.
“Not that I’m insinuating anything.” Though I kind of am. I don’t want to keep playing musical chairs with this girl. Handing her off from one matchmaker to another. That’s just unfair to her.
“He is fun to watch,” she admits with a smile.
But, maybe there’s something here after all. She’s not the kind of girl Hicks would go for. In fact, she might be the total opposite. But I’ll just do my part and let fate do the rest.
“Hicks,” I whistle at him. He looks up from his enraptured crowd and searches for me. I wave to him from where we’re standing.
“Duty calls,” he winks at his fans, before bounding over to us.
“What’s up, preacher boy?” His arm slips over my shoulder as he tugs me to him. “Yo, your brother is a total nut. You sure he’s getting married because some of the things he’s—“
I clear my throat to interrupt him.
“Hicks, I want you to meet someone. This is Cassidy Jones. Her father is the pastor of another well known church in the area and she’s a low-key fan of yours. Cassidy, this is my roommate, teammate and linemate, Joshua Hicks.”
Hicks gives me a quick look before he plasters on a smile and extends his hand, “A fan? Is that so?”
Cassidy blushes again as she takes his hand. Hicks brings it up to his lips and brushes a small kiss over it.
“I am,” she admits. “You’ve been playing really well in the conference finals. Not that you need me to tell you that.”
She recoils her hand and holds it to her chest.
“Well, thank you, Cassidy. You know sometimes I wonder if my linemates really appreciate the way I carry the team. They seem to only focus on the heavy hitters, but it’s us sneaky ones the other team doesn’t see coming that usually get the most unexpected goals.”
I roll my eyes.
“You know it’s true,” he says pointing a finger at me.
I swat it away and he and Cassidy go back to discussing some of his most recent plays. My eyes scan the bar area for my fiery red head. But she isn’t there.
I turn around to see if she’s at her table and she’s not there either. She did pound back quite a few drinks earlier. She’s probably taking a bathroom break.
“So, what is it that you do, Cassidy? Do you work at your dad’s church?”
“Kind of,” she says softly. “I watch the little kids during some of our services. But during the week I nanny.”
“I’m sure the kids love you.”
She smiles coyly. “Thanks, kids are just so easy to get along with. It’s adults that make me nervous.”
They continue their conversation as I scan the room one more time. What’s taking her so long? Kesley and Zane are nuzzled up whispering to each other at their table.
I pull out my phone and shoot her quick text.
Me
Where are you hiding, butterfly?