Page 94 of Home of the Brave

“He’s grumpy in the morning.”

“Yes, he is.” Josh agreed before giving me a soft smile and my heart. . . did nothing. It remained unchanged.

Deny, deny, deny.

As long as I kept telling myself there was nothing there, I could ignore it. Pretend until this tournament was over and I got some distance, and it would eventually be true.

I realized I'd been quiet for too long and cleared my throat. “Good luck today. I’m supposed to remain neutral, but I’m rooting for you guys.”

“I’m telling,” Cambrie chuckled behind the camera, and I realized she’d just filmed that awkward interaction.

“We’re deleting that,” I pointed at her.

She zipped her lips, and I rolled my eyes.

“Thanks, I won’t spill your secret.” He gave me another smile, and I had to lock my knees. I was fine. Unaffected by the way the corners of his eyes crinkled.

“See ya,” I bit my lip as he turned and headed to the lobby.

Cambrie lowered the camera and scrunched her nose. “Why was that so awkward?”

I leaned against the wall. “Because of me.”

“What did you do?”

I closed my eyes and sighed before answering, “I told him we should keep things professional.”

“Ew, why?”

Because I’m a dummy.

“I thought it was for the best, long-term.”

We should probably get a taxi to the arena, but I wasn’t ready to go anywhere.

“Again, why?” She moved to lean next to me.

“Distance? His season is starting soon? Me hopefully getting assigned to a conflicting schedule?”

“Those are excuses, not valid reasons.”

“Why start something that’s doomed to fail?”

“It’s going to fail because you are both busy?”

“And live on opposite sides of the country,” I reminded her.

She turned to look at me, and I meekly met her gaze. “Those are lame excuses. A real reason to keep things professional is if you aren’t interested in anything romantic with him. If you realized you don’t feel safe with him. If you two don’t align on something you can’t compromise on. If you two want diametrically opposing things out of life. Those are obstacles that cannot, and usually should not, be overcome. Distance is not one of those.”

I wasn’t ready to admit to myself, let alone anyone else, that he was the first man in a very long time to make me feel. . . anything really. I haven’t been attracted to anyone in years. I haven’t felt such immediate chemistry ever.

From that first interview his rookie year, I knew there was something different about him. He was one of the easiest people to talk to. It didn’t feel like I was there for an article. I was getting to know a friend.

The universe kept us apart for this long—maybe there was a reason for that.

Then again, maybe there was a reason we met again and were able to clear the air. Maybe I was taken off the women’s teams so I could spend more time getting to know him.

Ugh. I didn’t want to think like that. I didn’t want a crush to get in the way of the career I’d spent years building. It wasn’t easy earning the respect of my male colleagues, and I just know that if it got out that I was dating a player, they’d look at me differently.