“We appreciate the invite, but we’ve had a long day and are just looking to relax,” I said, nodding to Ryder, who didn’t seem happy about me cockblocking him tonight.
Ryder had a habit of getting swept up in the moment, especially when there was a pretty girl involved. He was way too impulsive, which usually turned into a mess that someone from our team had to clean up.
Jax covered his mouth with a laugh. “Ignore him. He’s in a mood.”
“Agreed.” Ryder set his drink down with a thud. “So, why do I have to stay put?”
I shot him a look. “You asked me to keep you out of trouble tonight, right?”
He shook his head. “No, I said I need you to stop me from making a bad decision. That’s different.”
I rolled my eyes and pushed him farther down in his seat. “You ladies have a good night. Maybe we’ll catch you some other time.”
They shared a glance and lingered for a second, debating if they should move along or give it one last try.
The blonde’s smile dimmed, but she tried to play it off. “Come find us if you change your mind.”
Once they were gone, Ryder jerked his body sideways. “What the hell is wrong with you? You killed the vibe. That was cold and unnecessary.”
I took a sip of my drink, letting the cold beer hit my throat. “I saved you. You’re welcome.”
“That wasn’t a thank you.” He groaned. “You didn’t need to send them away and shut it down for both of us.”
Jax laughed. “Ry. You’re the one who asked for supervision.”
I picked at the label on my bottle. “I was only doing what you asked me to do.”
As much as he hated me right now, he would thank me in the morning. Those two were nothing but trouble.
Ryder leaned back and crossed his arms. “I take it all back. You look tired. You should go home and get some rest.” He turned back toward the crowd, scanning the room for another pretty target while pretending not to sulk. The bar was getting crowded, and the music was getting louder.
I scrolled through my phone while my teammates laughed and drank. A few more girls had breached security and made it over to the table.
A redhead, whose name I couldn’t recall, leaned in. “Do you have any plans after this?”
I stuffed my phone into my pocket and stood up. “I’m actually headed out. I have an early morning.”
Her smile dropped, but I didn’t stick around to make her feel better.
Jax caught my arm as I walked away. “You’re leaving already? We just got here?”
“I told you I was only stopping for one.”
He brought his beer to his lips. “Suit yourself, but I’m taking advantage of my last few weeks of freedom before our curfew kicks in.”
The coaches weren’t as strict during training camp, but once the season started, that all changed. They wanted to make sure we got enough rest and stayed focused. It wasn’t so bad when we had home games, because it wasn’t like they could come knocking on our door at one a.m. to make sure we were in bed. But on the road was a different story.
Not to mention, there were cameras everywhere today, and I needed to show the fans that I was committed to this season.
I made my way to the back entrance and pushed through the door. The noise of the bar faded behind as I slid into my Audi.
The drive home was short, but by the time I made it to my house, I tossed my keys on the counter and flopped onto my bed.
I stared up at the ceiling fan and rubbed a hand over my face. I kept thinking about the upcoming season and everything that was on the line. I was pushing thirty-one, which meant my NFL days were numbered. I needed to get my shit together and put all my focus on winning this season. Not the pretty little reporter who annoyed the hell out of me.
CHAPTER 3
BECCA
