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“I want you, Patty,” he declares, his voice low and raspy.
“That would be professional suicide for both of us,” I reply, trying to keep my head about me.
“You want me too,” he counters and his eyes lock with mine.
“You know I do,” I sigh. “But we can’t go there.”
He takes a step toward me. “This thing between us is different. Maybe because we became friends first.” I love his openness and his ability to wear his heart on his sleeve.
“Evan, you shouldn’t talk like that. We can never be. Please just be my friend,” I beg as my body betrays me. My legs feel like liquid jelly and I ache to kiss him.
“If that’s what you need, then that’s what I’ll be,” he confirms, and it makes me like him more. I’m losing my mind. I want him so bad but we have to stay friends. We can’t lose control.
The doors to the main hall reopen to a room that looks like a fairy tale. Tulle and fairy lights adorn the ceiling and almost every corner of the room. Stunning tall vases with purple and white flowers fill the circular tables that are covered in white lace, along with the chairs. We take a seat at our table. My parents sit on one side of us, and Mata sits on the other.
“Have you met Geraldo?” she asks Evan.
Evan shakes the young man’s hand. I say young because I think he must be at least twenty years younger than Mata.
Kevin rushes up to the table and is disappointed I didn’t save him a seat. I mouth “I’m sorry” because Mata swooped in and grabbed it.
The couple is introduced, and they have their first dance as husband and wife. The night moves on without a hitch. I’m relieved Andrew is sitting on the other side of the room until he walks over and shakes Dad’s hand. Mom also shakes his hand, and my parents seem pleased to see him.
Dad says, “You remember Patty and Kevin, right?”
Andrew looks my way, and his gaze feels like a thousand swords piercing my chest.
“Hi,” I mutter.
Kevin says hi too.
“This is Evan, he’s one of my players,” Dad says.
“Nice,” Andrew replies, and he looks between me and Evan.
Evan doesn’t shake his hand he nods coldly. “Nice to meet you.”
Andrew chats with Daddy, and Evan asks me if I want to dance. I accept immediately because I need to keep a distance from Andrew.
The song is slow and Evan gathers me in his arms. I feel safe here and it messes with my head.
“Are you okay?” Evan asks.
“I appreciate you taking me to dance,” I reply. “Seeing him brings back a lot of hurtful memories. Ones I haven’t thought of in a long time.”
“I’m sorry you had to go through all that,” Evan comforts.
“I was young. It’s a part of who I am.”
“I think you are an amazing woman, Patty.” His thumb slowly caresses the exposed skin on my shoulder, and flames ignite inside me from that small scalding touch.
The hand I have at his shoulder moves and I slowly rub the back of his neck. “That feels really good. Having your hands on me feels too good.”
I blink. “What are we doing?”
“We would be fire together,” Evan whispers in my ear.
“We may even be great,” I reply. “But you know we can’t work, not with both of our careers on the line. You’ve worked too hard to get to where you are. You can’t ruin it because of me.”
