“I was kidding, Raine. Damn, you have a way of getting me off track. Okay, so when I almost lost them I decided to make some changes in my life. I didn’t want to be seen as the playboy ballplayer with no depth. Do you see what I’m getting at?”
“Kind of. I understand you want to overhaul your reputation, and to be someone you can be proud of. I don’t understand why that involves giving me the cold shoulder.”
“Because I’m your coach.” The way his eyes drilled into mine showed those four words should have explained more than I was catching on.
“And?”
Trip looked up at the ceiling and let out an exasperated breath before bringing his attention back to me.
“I like you, Raine.”
“I like you, Trip. Even though you’re really bad at explaining yourself and your situations.” My stomach flipped at his words, but I forced myself not to read too far into them.
“Coach Mae reminded me that I’m your coach and I need to be careful around all of you.”
“It’s not like we’re doing anything wrong. You’re my friend, Trip. If Brian and Renee keep hitting it off like they are, we’re going to be around each other a lot more.”
“I know that, Kenna. I just don’t want to get you in trouble. I have a really bad reputation, and if people catch on that we’re hanging out they’re going to assume the worst and they’ll drag you down. I can’t do that to you.”
“Have you met me? The walking stat girl. You have to know I don’t care what anyone says about me. If you want to be friends then let’s be friends. Really, there’s nothing they can do to me.”
“If they say we’re more than friends you could get kicked off the team and not walk during graduation. Tabloids have a way of changing reality to get a bigger story. They can make your life hell.”
“Bring it. I’m a big girl. I can make my own decisions. If you want to be friends I’m willing to risk it.”
Trip tugged the bill of his hat further on my head. “I’m glad you said that even though I shouldn’t be. I’ll admit I felt like my IQ was dropping being around you and not hearing any random facts being spouted off. We need to be careful, though. My behavior’s already under a microscope. I won’t lie. I really want to be your friend. You make me laugh and I feel relaxed around you. But this is a bad idea.”
“Then we’ll be careful. I’m going to help you become the best Trip you can be. Ask Renee, I’m a really good friend.”
“I’m glad you agreed to stick around. I have a feeling you’re going to help me become the man I want to be. I just hope I don’t ruin the girl you are. Gwen’s going to hate this,” Trip said, throwing me a smile.
“Who’s Gwen?”
“She’s the PR lady the team set me up with. She specializes in turning athletes’ reputations around.”
“Is she the woman who has been dropping you off at PT?”
My heart sped up and I tried to stop it from being too obvious. Trip just asked me to be his friend and here I was getting excited he was single. So I’m not as good of a friend as I thought I was.
“She is. I just purchased a new car and I was waiting for it to get detailed. Gwen offered to drive me around until it’s ready. That way she could drill into my head the dos and don’ts of changing my reputation.”
“And let me guess. I’m a don’t.”
“You’re a huge don’t.”
The smile Trip sent me looked nothing like a smile you’d give a friend. Without thought I took a step closer, unable to fight the pull. His eyes dropped to my lips and I almost groaned when his tongue peeked out.
McKenna Raine, stop it now.
“Okay, friend. Are you ready to eat?” I asked, blinking to pull myself out of the spell.
Trip was right. He needed a friend. I refused to be the girl who ruined his new reputation. He asked me to help him, and I was going to do just that. Even though it meant I’d have to ignore the searing look he just shot me.
McKenna, the fucking best friend to Trip Butler.
