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1
Women can’t play football. The refrain played on repeat in my head, matching my steps beat for beat as they echoed off the long, empty hallway.
I’d heard variations of it my whole life, but the thing is… Ican.
The heavy door of the weight room slammed shut behind me, and I took a second to just breathe. My shoulders relaxed at the smell. The football training center had the same musky undertone that reeked of home—sweat and passion and hard work—though it was almost buried under the scent of cleaning solution.
The university logo reflected back at me a thousand times in the pristine mirrors, a scarlet TU over a snarling cat. Not a surprise since they’d slapped it on every reasonably flat surface.Go, wildcats!I wanted to roll my eyes, maintain my stoic distance, but a fissure of excitement traveled through me. Teagan University was a dream. One I hadn’t completely accepted yet.
Wide eyes stared back at me from the mirror, and I forced myself to take deep breaths until my pulse slowed. This place may seem like lightyears ahead of where I’d been, but I’d earned my spot here. All I had to do was show them.
I shook my head. The semester hadn’t even started yet, and I was already gearing up for battle. My time would be better used prepping for the grueling practices sure to come. A division one college football program didn’t succeed by going easy on the athletes.
And Teagan University was succeeding. Or they had been until the playoffs last season.
Two of their players had orchestrated a take-down of their skeezy coach, which left the team limping into the championship that they ultimately lost. My gain though, since the new coach was the one who’d recruited me.
I began my warm-up as the picture from SportsCenter flashed across my mind. Face impassive, Parker Shaw, the back-up quarterback at the time, had stood on the sidelines as the clock ticked down with sportscasters questioning his actions. I respected someone who’d put doing what’s right ahead of winning, but it must have been hard on him.
That same week Coach Gordon had approached me about transferring to TU for my junior year. I’d watched every clip I could find on the internet, and then I spent the next seven months obsessively checking my email to make sure it wasn’t a mistake. If I hadn’t already committed to a kids’ sports camp back home over the summer, I’d have moved as soon as my spring classes ended. Hell, I’d have moved in January if they’d let me.
My dad would have been so proud.
With my heartrate raised and my muscles warm, I eyed the rows of dumbbells and headed for the squat rack instead. All the plates were neatly organized, and I grinned at the distinct lack of dust. Did they have cleaning elves who swept through after every session? Probably some poor intern not getting paid enough.
I was no stranger to late night conditioning, but the stillness and quiet skittered across my nerves, raising the hairs on my arms. Not even the fluorescent lights buzzed above me. I purposely made more noise than normal as I set the bar to the right height and started loading my plates. Next time, I’d remember to unpack my earbuds.
Coach Gordon had warned me the weight room was dead at this time of night, but I wasn’t expecting full-on zombie vibes. A loud clang echoed from the big metal doors, and I nearly dropped the weight on my foot. Quiet shuffling from around the corner made me second guess every decision in the last year that had led me here. No amount of playtime was worth getting eaten on my first night.
Instead of the shambling undead my brain insisted on picturing, a tall guy in shorts and a shirt stamped with the TU logo came around the corner. He stopped briefly when he noticed me, but then his mouth widened into a grin.
I recognized him from the months of stalking TU’s team. Adam Mackenzie, up-and-coming wide receiver. A junior, like me, he’d earned a spot in the starting lineup last season. Watching him play was a whole different experience from meeting him face-to-face.
Even without all the gear, he was tall and built, but no more than any other guys I’d played with. Football tended to be full of people who were tall and built, even me. I’d dealt with my fair share of attractive teammates, and I hoped he fell on the fun side rather than the douchey, arrogant side.
He eyed me up and down, but it felt like curiosity more than a come-on. No flicker of recognition, so I guessed the news hadn’t hit yet.
“I didn’t expect anyone to be in here.” He punctuated the statement by dropping a small duffel bag at his feet.
“That makes two of us.”
He chuckled. “Yeah, but only one of us issupposedto be in here. You must be a rebel, Diana.”
My head tilted. “Diana?”
“Prince? Wonder Woman? C’mon, girl.”
I smothered a laugh at the utter horror on his face. “I know who Wonder Woman is. What does that have to do with my presence here?”
“You look like her a little bit, and you’re not afraid to enter the world of man. This weight room is for football players only, but I won’t tell if you won’t.” He winked, and against all odds, I felt a smile pull at my lips. “Adam Mackenzie. Everyone calls me Mac.”
I took his outstretched hand and felt nothing. Thank goodness. He reallywasa good-looking guy. “Nice to meet you, Mac. Riley Jones.”
“Need a spotter, RJ?”
RJ. I liked that. No one had ever given me a nickname besides my dad. A quick pang of sadness disrupted the happy thought—there and gone almost before I could register it. Mac’s eyes narrowed slightly. Observant. I’d have to remember that.
I shrugged. “As long as you don’t plan to offer me helpful advice on how to use the equipment.”
