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“I’m not sure,” said Will. “My friend and I were just getting started working out.”
Another elbow, this time in the ribs, and Zoe wiggled her brows. “I’m injured, remember?” To emphasize her pain, Zoe limped in a circle. “Besides, you’ve seen my work. Let me see yours.”
“Ravens Cosmetics is my work,” Will reminded her, tipping the edge of his index finger across the slope of her nose. He offered a smile when she rolled her eyes toward the single puffy cloud in the blue sky. “But I’ll go just so you can see how I give everything one hundred percent.”
“Oh, man, this is the best,” Barney exclaimed. He patted Will on the back of the arm. “Let me go tell the boys.”
Zoe laughed as they headed for the field. Some of the boys were stretching, while others were bouncing a ball on their knees back and forth to each other. Will hated to admit he was excited to kick the ball around. He’d been far younger than these kids when a coach spotted his potential. High school was nothing but academics and sports. Judging from some teenage girls gathering on the sidelines, Will predicted a healthy balance for these high school stars.
Blood pounded in Will’s ears as he came closer to the field. His heart raced with deep beats. A ref’s whistle blew, signaling the start of a match. The sound evoked the auditory memory of his rapid breath when he used to run full speed toward the soccer ball. He also recalled the deafening sound at the Raiders Stadium when his opponent’s cleat had sliced into his flesh. The joy he felt overshadowed the pain. This was his element. He knew everything about the game. No one questioned him on the field. No one made him lose focus. Until now.
Since it was his fault that Zoe had to sit in the silver bleachers, the least he could do was try to make it comfortable for her. He ripped off his shirt, folded it and created a comfy spot for her to sit. Will had to admit her little curtsy in thanks was cute.
“Don’t hurt yourself out there,” Zoe called as he trotted off to join the crowd of boys.
On a soccer field, even a makeshift one, Will always gave a hundred percent, just as he’d promised to Zoe. Every now and then, though, he did glance up to where Zoe sat and smiled. Back in the day, Will had liked to think of himself as a sports-focused man. Of course, pretty women hung on the rails and even the sidelines to catch his attention, but Will had always been focused. He’d prided himself on that. Now, distracted by Zoe, one of the kids was able to steal the ball from him.
The players were fun and energetic. He was surprised at how many kids enjoyed soccer these days. A crowd of spectators began to fill the bleachers. At one point, Will shaded his eyes to make sure Zoe was okay. He spotted her becoming the center of attention of a group of girls more intent on whatever she was saying than the actual practice. The back of his hand dripped with sweat. He hadn’t realized he’d been playing that hard. He didn’t even have his cleats.
The sun was high in the sky, shining brightly over the entire park, by the time practice ended. Folks from Magnolia Palace gathered around the edge of the field. His newfound friends, Ramon and Stephen, clapped. All the boys hung around, begging for an autograph. Will signed soccer balls, T-shirts and even a pair of shoes.
But the only thing Will wanted to do was run over and swing Zoe in the air. This was the first time since the accident that he’d felt a complete fit on the field. He realized he owed it to Zoe. It had been his fear of looking bad in front of her that inspired him to keep up with the younger crowd.
The bleachers were filled with a young crowd of students, all of them holding their cell phone devices. So he held off from swinging Zoe around. Knowing how quickly things spread on the internet, Will wondered what Eva or Dana or the twins would think—or even the board for that matter. With her as a candidate for Creative Design Director, physical contact was not a good idea. It was clear Zoe wanted the position and he didn’t want to jeopardize everyone else’s opinion of her. Knowing where they both stood. She wanted the job Will did not want to give her. Yes, she showed signs of potential but she lacked the back-to-basics approach he needed. Will risked a sexual harrassment lawsuit with potential witnesses for Zoe.
