A soft chuckle rumbles from my belly. “Fine by me. I’m ninety-nine percent sure that if the guys knew, they’d start joking about me falling in love with another one of my friends.”
Hayley grabs my arm as she laughs much louder than I did. “Your teammates are assholes.”
“Nah, they’re good guys. They just love to give each other shit. And this is the only thing they’ve got on me.”
“Because you’re squeaky clean.”
“You know it.” I pretend to shoot her with a finger gun and she giggles until her expression turns curious.
“You do love her though, right?”
“I don’t know about love.” I sigh, my expression tight as I grip the back of my neck. “But I like her. A lot. I’m playing the long game. It’s a talent I possess.”
Hayley snorts out a laugh before covering her mouth with her hands. “Shit. Sorry. I wasn’t laughing at your feelings. I was laughing at…” She trails off when I raise an eyebrow. “Actually, never mind. It’s awful no matter how I say it. But I didn’t mean it to be.”
“I get it. I do. It’s a little pathetic. I’m a twenty-eight-year-old hopelessly falling for a woman that doesn’t feel the same.”
“You forgot to add that you're a twenty-eight-year-oldfootball starthat could have any woman he wanted.”
I smirk and she laughs again.
“Anyone I wanted, you say?”
“Obviously notanyoneor you’d haveBria.” She mouths Bria’s name as the back door opens and a few guys walk out. I pause for a second until my gaze passes over their faces with no recognition, and relief fills me.
“I’m just a huge source of entertainment for you, aren’t I?” I deadpan, making her smile. “Is that why you want to be friends?”
“Among other reasons.” Hayley shrugs and I can’t help giving her a friendly shove. “What?” She throws her hands in the air. “I can’t help it if your messy love life brings me joy. It’s nice to know there are others out there in a similar boat.”
“Oh, so you’re also fighting unrequited love?”
“Hell, no.” She mocks horror. “That’s never been an issue for me. But the messy love life…that’s something I can relate to.”
“Mine’s less of the messy and more of the nonexistent variety.”
“Actually, I’m the same. Though mine’s by choice.” She frowns and I mimic her expression as my stomach knots.
“Is there a story there?”
“Not one I’m interested in sharing right now. I think I might be a little tipsy.”
“A little? I passed ‘a little’ a while back. You’re a bad influence, Hayley Jackman.”
“And you’re a good one. I think we’re going to be perfect for each other.”
I stare at her for a moment as Bria’s angry expression flits across my mind. “You know, I think you’re right. To new friendships.” I hold up the almost empty bottle, and Hayley holds up her glass.
“To new friendships.” She cheers the bottle a little awkwardly before adding, “in secret,” and I burst out laughing when she winks.
This could be fun.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Hayley
Iknock back another shot of whiskey and shake as the liquid warms my soul. “Do you think we should sneak out to the garden?” I ask, my eyes flashing to Reed’s.
The balcony we’re on overlooks a beautiful rose garden that’s marked as a look-don’t-touch situation. But really, what damage could we do?
