“Liz!” I groan out her name as I bury my face in the pillow Jordan threw my way earlier. “I can’t date him. I can’t eventhinkabout dating him. You know the rules.” My words are muffled by the pillow as I try to smother all parts of this conversation.
“Not even a little?” she hedges, voice pitching up at the end with hope.
“Not even a little,” I confirm.
“Whoa, heispleasant to look at,” Jordan finally chimes in, having Googled him on her own phone. “Why can’t we date him again?”
“We?” I lift my head and arch an eyebrow at her in question.
“You. Whatever,” she says, flapping her hand at me.
I sigh. “We just talked about this last week. The no fraternization policy. I cannot be associated with him in a romantic way. I’d lose my job, Jord. Youknowhow important my job is to me.”
She rolls her eyes and flops back onto the couch, kicking her feet up into my lap. Lovely. “Yeah, yeah. I still think you should go out with him.”
“Absolutely not. Besides, I’ve already turned him down.” My declaration results in a loud chorus of boos from the both of them. “Alright, that’s enough! It’s bedtime you hooligans. I’ve got another game to work tomorrow.”
Jordan
have you seen him yet?
Liz
Did he hit on you again?
Jordan
oh wait, answer liz’s question first! hers is more important!!!!
I rollmy eyes at the messages swarming my phone’s home screen. Those two have not let up on the whole Ryan Fletcher asking me out situation since last night’s recap. They even keptup their scolding over me turning him down. But theyknowI couldn’t have said yes. Now they’re hoping he’ll try again.
For his sake, I hope he doesn’t. He looked like someone kicked his puppy when I said no the first time. But I will say, I’m impressed he tried to shoot his shot. If it wasn’t for my job, I might have been inclined to say yes. He’s attractive and seems like he would begreatin bed. I won’t lie and say I didn’t spend way too much time last night thinking about his large, calloused hands and how they would feel on my body.
It also didn’t help that they both took it upon themselves to go on an internet deep dive into everything about his life, so now I know a lot more than I would want to. Things like he’s from a middle-class family in New York, where his parents apparently still live. He’s absolutely a mama’s boy. And he’s never been connected to a significant other by the press in his entire professional career.
I shake off my devious thoughts before I fall too deep down that rabbit hole, and then quickly tap out a reply to my friends before the broadcast starts.
Isabella
No and no. Pretty sure he’s still in the clubhouse
Gotta go though. Broadcast is starting
Jordan
ooo i’m gonna tune in. i need to see this beautiful man’s face in action
Liz
I made Jackson turn on the game too!
He checked to be sure I wasn’t feverish for asking him to put on sports
I snort a laugh and slip my phone back into my pocket. That absolutely sounds like Jackson. He’s so incredibly protective of Liz that if she’s suggested something so out of the norm, of course he would think she was ill. Hell, people might even think I’m ill for working in sports, knowing my vehement dislike.
“Hey there, firecracker,” a deep voice says softly as Ryan jogs past me.
Speak of the devil and he shall appear it seems.
