Friend Zone to End Zone - Judy Corry Page 0,25

obsession with this show.” Arianna put a dollop of ranch veggie dip on her plate. “She believes in it so much that she actually sent in an application to be on a future season.”

“She wants to go on reality TV?” I raised my eyebrows. “Does that mean she actually believes the romance is real?”

“Oh yeah.” Arianna grabbed a glass of rosé and took a small sip. “Though I think she’s really hoping to go on the summer spin-off version since it takes place on a private island and there are equal guys and girls looking for love.”

“It’s more fun to fight for the hearts of twelve guys than one?” I glanced over to where Hannah, the tall blonde-haired, blue-eyed owner of the Dolled-Up Salon was currently chatting with a group of women.

“There are better chances at least.” Arianna shrugged.

I was just about to suggest that we eat our refreshments at the kitchen table where Jada and Ethan were already sitting when Hannah seemed to notice us and walked over.

“Hey,” Hannah said, wrapping an arm around Arianna to give her a side hug. “I love your dress. Is it from one of the companies you’re an ambassador for?”

Arianna looked down at her dress, which fit her like a glove, then back to Hannah. “It is. Do you like it?” she asked. “I was thinking about taking some photos here tonight with all the girls to post to my Insta with my promo code.”

“That’s a great idea,” Hannah said. “Make sure to tag me in it so if the show’s producers happen to see it, they’ll see how supportive I am of the show and they might look at my application a little more seriously.”

Arianna laughed. “I doubt I’m famous enough for the people at Finding Your Soulmate to notice my post, but sure, I’ll tag you. Maybe I’ll even add a note about how you’re single and looking for love while I’m at it.” Arianna winked.

Hanna laughed, too. “Do it.” Then glancing at me with a sly smile, she said, “Speaking of looking for love, Arianna tells me you two have a little scheme going.”

I narrowed my eyes. “A scheme?”

“Oh, yes.” A half-smile lifted Hannah’s burgundy-stained lips. “She told me all about how she’s going to find you a girlfriend so you won’t want to leave Denver for San Francisco.”

I took a sip from my rosé. “I didn’t realize that she was doing it to keep me here.”

Arianna met my gaze, and in a quiet voice, she said, “I figured I have to try something.”

I studied her face for a moment, searching for any hidden meaning behind her words. And there was a vulnerability in her dark brown eyes that hadn’t been there a moment before.

But I couldn’t know if it was because of the reasons I wanted, or if it was just because she didn’t want to find a new best friend.

“See anyone you might be interested in?” Hannah gestured at the women chatting on the couches, breaking Arianna’s gaze from mine.

I swallowed, uncomfortable about being put on the spot. “I don’t know.”

I knew most of the women sitting in the living room, since I’d been to parties with them in the past, but there were a couple of unfamiliar faces.

A woman in a sparkly blue dress caught my eye, and when she noticed me looking in her direction, she sent me a tentative smile.

“She’s pretty,” Arianna said in a low voice beside my ear. “Maybe you should practice your flirting skills on her.”

“That’s Mallory, the girl I was telling you about earlier,” Hannah said to Arianna, her voice oozing with enthusiasm.

“The model?” Arianna asked.

Hannah nodded. “Yeah, she’s like the sweetest thing, though. Gorgeous, but so down to earth.”

I watched Mallory—she was speaking to her friend, glancing over in my direction every so often like they were talking about me.

That was one of the things I didn’t enjoy about meeting new people since becoming one of the starting players for the Dragons. Everyone always seemed to be whispering about me when I walked into a room.

But Mallory was pretty. Her hair was almost as dark as mine, slightly wavy, and from the color of her skin and shape of her eyes, she could have some Polynesian blood in her like I do.

Grandma Kekoa would probably tell me to talk to her, since she was always telling me to marry a girl from Hawaii so I could move back home and settle down there after I retired from the NFL.

Grandma, of