fries. Leah didn’t work with playbooks and offensive installations though. She managed the team’s PR, salvaged the reputation of the players, and worked her ass off to ensure the Rivets had some good publicity again.
After Jude’s fight with my step-brother on national television? We needed all the help we could get.
“I’ve talk with Sports Nation,” she said. “We’re going to do a big story on him. Photographs. An interview. The whole nine yards—ten yards, I guess. We’ll focus on how he made this amazing come-back from his injury, plus we’ll add a headline about how he’s on pace for his best season ever.”
Elle liked the idea. She cradled both her camera and her son. “Good. I have a couple great shots of Jude from last week’s game…when he wasn’t in a headlock. I also have a beautiful photo of him and Rory together.”
I panicked. “You do?”
“Candid.”
“Oh. That’s…” Creepy.
“I’m always looking for personal shots of the guys. I took one of you guys before the game…when he was touching your baby bump? Melts your heart.” Elle scrolled through her camera to find it. “It’ll add a great personal touch to his story.”
“Shouldn’t we keep the focus on Jude?” I asked.
Piper shook her head. “No way. You’re the focus here.”
“I am?”
Leah agreed. “You’re the reason for his amazing season.”
“I don’t think—”
“Just imagine the narrative I could sell,” Leah said. “Jude has his girl rooting for him, a baby on the way, and he’s playing his best game ever after an almost career-ending injury.”
“It’s perfect.” Piper was already on her phone. “I’ll call my father and set this up. He better thank me for this—I should get a cut of his commission…or maybe I’ll steal Jude away and take him on as my own client.”
“This will be a great human interest piece.” Leah grabbed her iPad and took notes. “We’ll start with the injury. Show how you stuck by his side and guided him through the recovery—”
Shoot. “Actually…we weren’t together then. Officially.”
“No problem. I can work with it. We’ll hit the lifelong friends angle instead. You realized your true feelings for him after the play that nearly stole him from your life. Then we’ll add in Jude’s part—when he realizes he’s been a bachelor all these years because he’s been holding out for you. People will love that. It’s a once-upon-a-time and a happily-ever-after all rolled into one.”
Yeah. That’s because it wasn’t true.
“Jude’s so private though,” I said. “And, to be perfectly honest…” Well, as much as I could be. “My family hasn’t supported this relationship. My step-mother won’t even talk to me…and you saw what happened on the field between Jude and my step-brother.”
Piper wasn’t deterred. “They’ll deal with it. Believe me; I’ve had my share of disappointed family members.”
Elle raised a hand. “Ditto.”
Piper stole one of Leah’s fries. “And it doesn’t matter what your family thinks. This baby will be the greatest thing that’s ever happened to you guys. We were all in your shoes once, but you have nothing to worry about. Jude’s there to help you.”
Was he?
For how long? We hadn’t discussed what would happen after the baby came.
Hell, we weren’t talking at all. Not easily, at least. We made a little progress when Genie started kicking, but unless we talked about the baby, we were stuck in awkward silences and uncomfortable memories.
Good memories that spawned embarrassing, revealing, absolutely dangerous feelings.
Jude had given me the greatest pleasure of my life. I gave him a cracked septum.
Fortunately, I could hide from him at practice and at home, but how long could I go without apologizing? Without talking to him?
Without wanting more?
But that desire was selfish. I had a baby, my career, and an entire football team depending on me. I couldn’t complicate my life any more.
No matter how much I wanted him. Needed him. Missed having those moments when I could just turn to him and steal a laugh, a hug, or give a pout that would send him running to the store for more root beer popsicles.
I couldn’t go another fifteen weeks without my friend.
Jude sat with the offense on the other side of the cafeteria. Close enough that I might have walked over and just said hello. Pulled him aside, took him somewhere private, and fixed this. But the only way I could ever explain my behavior?
I’d have to tell him the truth about how I felt.
But that would cause even more problems. I’d already ruined any chance at romance. I couldn’t lose him too.
“I can’t imagine falling