Page 8 of The Stand-In


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I sigh and close my eyes again.

“Are you going to say shit?”

“Maybe.” I wave him out of the car. “Get hot lunch today. There’s money on your account.”

“’Kay. See ya.”

“Have a good day. Be good. Love you.” It’s the same thing that I say to him every single day.

“Love you, too, Mom.”

After breathing a huge sigh of relief that I got him to school on time, I drive over to the football team’s headquarters. As part owner of the team, I’m not required to keep an office there or stay abreast of the day-to-day operations of the team. But I enjoy it. I’ve learned a lot in the few months that Rome and I have owned the team, and I enjoy being in the middle of the hustle and bustle.

I used to keep my office at home, but that was lonely. Isolating.

Depressing.

I can do most of my work from my office at headquarters, both for the team and for the other companies I head. Getting dressed in business attire, slapping on makeup, and doing something with my hair makes me feel productive.

And, so far, no one has had an issue with me being around a lot of the time. Not that they’d tell me if they were against it. I am the boss, after all.

I pull my Mercedes into my parking space, and as I walk to the elevator, I lock the car behind me. I’m only running a few minutes behind the time I usually get to the office, so given the way this day started, I’m not doing too poorly.

To my surprise, the elevator stops on the second floor, and a sweaty, sexy Drew Montgomery walks on to join me.

“Ms. Ambrose,” he says with a terse nod.

“Coach.” I smile over at him. Drew is the one person on staff that I’ve had trouble winning over. He’s not rude, but he’s not warm and fuzzy either.

I don’t plan to stop working on him.

“I had a new idea for uniforms,” I inform him and have to press my lips together so I don’t laugh when that scowl forms between his eyebrows. “What do you think of sequins?”

“Like I said, yes—sequins?”

“Sure. I thought it would be pretty on the field, all the twinkling and such.”

His mouth twitches.

“Don’t look now, Coach, but I think you’re about to smile at me.”

He inhales and lets the smile come before glancing over at me, and the impact of that smile, with those intense blue eyes, is almost enough to knock me off my axis. I know I’ve only met two of the Montgomerys, but based on Will and Drew, the family isgorgeous.

“I trust you had a good workout?”

He glances down at his sweaty shirt and then nods. “A grueling one.”

“I should take advantage of the facilities here sometime. I never use the stationary bike I bought for my house. Isn’t that always the way? Spend a bunch of money on workout equipment and never use it?”

“It’s your facility,” he replies. “You should take advantage of it.”

I nod in agreement. “Please be sure to let me know if any of the equipment needs to be replaced or updated.”

“Okay.”

The elevator stops at his floor, and he walks out. “Have a good day.”

Just as the doors close, he turns and offers me another of those grins.

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