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“Ah,” Kirsty sighed. “That’s so cute.”
“I’ll ride with you,” Andy said to Ryan.
He didn’t want to be stuck in a car with Andy, either. It was taking everything he had not to lay into the smarmy jerk for putting him in this situation. “No, no, it would make more sense for you to ride with Kirsty. Don’t you have that interview coming up later this week? I’m sure she’d love the chance to talk to you about that.”
“I definitely would. That’s a great idea, Ryan,” Kirsty said.
“See you there,” he replied with a wave as he strolled to his vehicle.
His mind churned as he followed Kirsty to the youth center. How was this all supposed to work out? He knew the importance of a program like this and he wasn’t about to do anything that would screw up this program for the kids.
Why the hell had Andy put him in this position? He had to announce to the whole team Ryan was dating Peyton. Now there was no delicate way to back out. If Andy had just left it alone, it would have died a slow, silent death. He would have done his good deed getting her out of the party and he’d have been done. But no, now he was going to have to pretend to date a woman he didn’t know, and from what he’d seen so far, he wasn’t too sure he particularly liked. There was really only one reason a woman dated a guy like Andy and it, and it sure as hell wasn’t his personality. The guy was a tool. Hell, if they weren’t teammates, he’d have nothing to do with Andy. Even as teammates, his attitude made it hard to be around him most of the time.
Ryan pulled his car into the parking lot and inspected the old high school gym that had been turned into Kidsplay. The rest of the school had been torn down, and only the gym and fields remained. The basketball courts were in crappy shape, with cracks all over the concrete. It was amazing a kid didn’t blow an ankle out there. When school let out, he could picture a group of kids running on the soccer fields and another on the ball diamonds.
The league was pledging money to the program and volunteer hours from the players to build morale in the community and get kids off the streets. It was the kind of program Ryan had always wanted to be a part of. Too bad it was all wrapped up in all this other shit as well, and he couldn’t just enjoy playing ball with the kids.
Andy slowed down to wait for him as Ryan exited the car. “Don’t fuck things up for me with Peyton,” Andy told him.
“Seriously.” Ryan stared at his teammate. “Your fucking wife is here, dude. Maybe you should focus on that rather than how to keep you side piece happy.”
“Come on, you’ve seen Peyton. She’s worth the risk, man.”
“You’ve got issues,” Ryan replied, then started walking faster across the parking lot to meet Kirsty at the door.
He pulled open the front door and waited for Kirsty to go inside ahead of him. Before he could step forward, Andy slid inside. Andy surveyed the waiting area like he owned the place. “Where’s Peyton?” Andy rudely demanded to the man behind the desk.
“Sorry about him,” Ryan said. “We are here from the Hawks and were hoping to sit down with Peyton.”
“You’re Ryan Graves.” The man fanned himself. “Peyton didn’t mention how much hotter you are in person.”
Ryan coughed. “Umm, thanks.”
“He really is, isn’t he?” Kirsty agreed. “Hi, it’s James, right?”
The man nodded. “Let me just buzz Peyton. She’s in the boardroom with your wife and her friends,” he said pointedly to Andy. Ryan bit back a smile at the look of disdain on James’ face as he picked up the phone.
“I’ll take you all back,” James told them when he hung up the phone.
Ryan followed the other man down the hallway, past a gym where a couple of teenagers were lifting weights. Ryan stopped to peek through the window. All things considered it was a pretty decent setup. The equipment was older and well used, but it appeared to be maintained.
Continuing down the hall, he paused at the door to the boardroom, noting the group of women gathered around the table. Peyton glanced at the door and visibly sighed in relief when she saw Andy. Her eyes widened when they landed on Ryan. Then she appeared to relax even more. Interesting. He could just imagine the grilling she’d have gotten from Carmella and her crew.
“Ryan,” Lisa squealed. “We’ve been getting to know Peyton. You did good snagging this one. She’s a keeper.”
“Good to know,” he muttered. Peyton’s eyes narrowed as she made eye contact with him. What was wrong with saying that?
“Ryan, can I talk to you for a minute?” Peyton asked.
Guess him showing up had given her the out she needed. “Ugh sure,” Ryan replied.
“Excuse me for a minute, ladies,” she said to the group before pushing away from the table.
“Hey Peyton,” Andy said as she made her way toward them. She flicked a glance at him, then smiled at Kirsty. “I’m glad you could come down with the guys,” she told her. She grabbed Ryan’s arm and ushered him out of the room and down the hall toward an office.
She quickly closed the door behind them. “Oh my god, this is a nightmare,” she groaned. “What are you doing here?”
“You mean besides saving your ass?”
