That did it.
Kane was responsible for some of the worst moments of my life and I was asking for trouble by forgetting what he did to me… forgetting how easily he walked away…
A soft sigh preceded retreating footsteps. Automatic doors swished open and closed.
And then I was alone.
Five minutes later, my car arrived, and I wasted no time sliding into the back seat. As we pulled out of the Aquatic Center I had blocked my day out to attend, I brought up Allie’s number and hit send. Her cell barely rang once before the call connected. “What happened? Tell me everything. Wait… did you go? You weren’t there long. Did you tell him to go to hell?”
A grin spread across my face as Allie rambled without breaking to hear answers.
“Darcy?”
“Oh, it’s my turn, is it?”
“Bitch, just tell me what happened!”
“I will. Do you think you can meet me at the Sports Bar? Late lunch on me.”
“Oh, shit. Yeah, okay. I’m heading there now.”
Letting my head drop against the seat, I mulled over the meeting, looking for another option. This was crazy. What was I thinking, saying yes to this plan?
* * *
“That’s insane.Why the hell did you say yes?!” Allie yelled, shoving a curly fry in her mouth as she leaned over the table, like the proximity might help my decision make sense.
“I had no choice. Coach Turner pretty much told me no fake relationship, no article. And my boss told me no article, no job. I’m stuck. I just have to make it zero contact like I told Kane. We can fake it without getting close.”
Allie made a noise low in her throat.
“We can!” I insisted.
I didn’t want to get close to Kane again. Ideally, I could destroy his dreams the way he almost destroyed mine, and skyrocket my career with a killer article while I was at it.
“I’m just concerned about how you’re going to walk away from all this. I mean, babe, you’re Superwoman. But Kane Bryson has always been your kryptonite.”
“Not anymore.” I grit my teeth so hard they squeaked, but I needed her to know I was serious about this. No way was he getting in my head, or anywhere else, this time.
Allie sat back in her seat and took a pull on her beer. “Okay, then. There’s a cute guy at the bar who has been watching you for the last twenty minutes. Why don’t you go pick him up?”
Light brown hair, broad shoulders, dressed nicely in a polo and jeans. He caught me looking and smiled. Nice teeth. With a quick glance at Allie, I slipped out of our booth and wandered over to him.Casual, Darcy. Easy.
He finished the last of his beer as I came up next to him and raised a hand to signal the bartender.
“Can I buy you a drink?” he asked, turning back to me.
“Sure,” I said, sliding onto the stool next to him.
“Darcy.”
He grinned. “Randy. What are you drinking?”
I ordered a vodka soda and settled in to chat with my new friend.
Randy was a varsity football player for Fairville college. Youngest of three brothers, he was enjoying his last year of college football before he followed his father and brothers into medicine.
He was polite, witty, and all-around pleasant. When he invited me to dinner, I agreed. Half an hour later, after swapping cell numbers, I waved goodbye to him and slid back into the booth across from Allie.
