Page 109 of Hard to Score

“I overheard,” he says as he enters the small closet-like space.

My sigh is heavy as I lean my ass against the desk and turn to face him. “We’ve been through this, Justin. I told you I couldn’t promise anything, especially when I have absolutely no authority to negotiate for you.”

“So then you were just bullshitting me?”

“Not at all. I included you in my discussions with them. I made suggestions on how to make their offense stronger. I told them they needed you.”

“My guess is that you weren’t convincing enough.” He squares his shoulders as he takes another step closer.

“And my guess is that you haven’t exactly been shining on the field lately to help your own case.”

“Oh, so that’s what this is? Bash me so you and your boyfriend can ride off into the New York sunset together?”

“My boyfriend?” I laugh.

“You think I don’t know Bowman has a thing for you?” he sneers, and I hope I don’t look as taken aback as I feel.

But I recover quickly. The last thing I want is Drew coming into this conversation when he has no place there.

“If that were the case, Hobbs—if I were screwing you over as you’re implying for Drew’s sake—then I’d want you the hell out of here so he could be starting QB.” I take a step toward him, using my finger to point at him. “I’d have done everything in my power to get you there, but I don’t play like that.”

“Sure you do,” he says, his voice lowering as he steps into my personal space. He emanates such unexpected anger. “And since you didn’t play like that for me, I think you owe me.”

“Owe you?” I scoff, but when he takes another step closer, I don’t like the position he’s put us in—he towers over me. Especially noticeable when he’s this close.

Alarm bells sound off in my head when I can usually keep them at bay.

Crap.

“I don’t owe you shit, but I’ll tell you the same thing I told you back then. Talk to Finn. Tell him you want California. Make him work for you, because I’m beginning to think this was all an exercise in futility. Even if I made it work, you had no intention of signing with KSM. You just need that big ego of yours fed. You need to feel like everybody is running around like chickens with their heads cut off trying to please you.”

“I know a way you could please me,” he murmurs, and I swear to God, if he reaches that hand out to touch me, my knee is going straight into his crotch.

No hesitation.

“Watch your step, Hobbs,” I warn.

“What’s little ol’ you going to do about it? Huh? Because I can think of about ten things right now that would make things so much fucking better.”

“Like you taking about ten steps the fuck away from Brexton.”

My head whips over to the voice in the doorway. I’m shocked as hell to see Finn standing there, arms crossed, and fury in his expression.

I let out a breath I didn’t realize I was holding, when Finn glares at Justin until he does as Finn asks.

“Finn.” I gulp in a breath of air.

“Go get changed,” Finn orders Justin. “And don’t you dare fucking leave. You and I are going to have words.”

Justin stands there and looks from Finn to me and then back to his agent. “It’s not what it looked like.”

“I heard enough to know exactly what it was.” Finn raises his eyebrows and motions toward the door.

With an annoyed sigh, Justin strides out of the room without another word.

And when he’s gone, both Finn and I take a second to consider what happened.

“I never thought I’d be happy to say this, but it’s good to see you, Finn.”