the air and disappeared out the door as quickly as he’d come.
I would have gone after him, but he’d left me with the check. I knew how much money he had because my firm was responsible for investing it. Yes, I was rich. But he was a hell of a lot wealthier than me. Cheap asshole.
Chapter 5
Friday
I should have been watching the team warm up, but my eyes kept wandering toward the stands. The last time I’d been this nervous for a game was way back when I was playing. Specifically homecoming game sophomore year. I remembered that day perfectly. When I was more focused on winning Brooklyn back than winning the game. I’d won both. Although, Coach Carter had almost made me sit out the second half after my stunt in the homecoming parade. It was all worth it though. To see Brooklyn smile.
Just thinking about her made my chest hurt. But for the first time in ages, my eyes weren’t scanning the crowd for a ghost. I was searching for Penny. So far though, Tanner was the only person I recognized in the crowd. He waved at me and walked over, stopping on the track that circled the field.
“Ready to impress Penny?” he asked, but then frowned. “Whatever are you wearing, dear boy?”
I looked down at my gray sweatpants and Empire High t-shirt. My whistle dangled around my neck and I had a clipboard tucked under my arm. “I wear this to every game.” It was pretty much my coach uniform.
“Exactly. Every game. But this one is important.” He shook his head like I was ridiculous. “The coach over there is wearing a fitted suit.” He pointed at the douchey coach for Calver Academy.
“It doesn’t matter what I’m wearing.”
“I thought you were trying to woo Penny? Speaking of which, is she here yet? I want to sit with her and her friends.”
“You are definitely not sitting with them.”
“Why?”
“Because you’ll talk too much.” I’d sworn Penny to secrecy about the whole dating app thing. And I’d gone and blabbed to Tanner about it. I was seriously regretting both things right now. Because if she found out that I’d broken our code of secrecy, who knew who she would tell? Actually, I knew exactly who she would tell. She’d tell James. And his brother, Rob.
Tanner laughed. “Exactly. I’ll find out everything you need to know about her.”
“I know everything about her.” Except what her lips tasted like. And how her body felt beneath mine.
“There’s plenty you don’t know about her,” Tanner said. “Like all of the important things.”
“What important things don’t you know about who?” Penny asked.
Tanner and I both froze. We hadn’t seen her walk up. Bee and Daphne weren’t with her. But she was balancing Scarlett on her hip.
“The blonde over there,” Tanner said, hitching his thumb over his shoulder. “Matt has the hots for her.”
What the fuck? I was pretty sure he was pointing at a high school student.
Penny just laughed. “Hi, Tanner, it’s good to see you again.”
Tanner smiled at her in a way that had me frowning.
“Hi, Mr. Tanner,” Scarlett said very politely. But then she turned to me with a huge smile on her face. “Uncle Matt!”
“Hey, kiddo.” I ruffled her hair. “Have you ever been to a football game before?”
“No.” She shook her head. “But Mommy said I could have a hotdog if I came with her.”
I laughed. “She’s correct.” I pointed over to the concession stand. “There’s hotdogs and even soft pretzels.” I knew how much she loved soft pretzels.
“Pretzels! Mommy, I need one of those too.” Scarlett turned back to me. “Mommy said I could have whatever I wanted so she wouldn’t have to sit alone.”
Penny shook her head, but she looked a little embarrassed. “Bee and Daphne were both busy.”
I tried not to stare at the blush crossing her cheeks. God she was beautiful.
“No problem,” Tanner said. “I’ll sit with you ladies. This is going to be so much fun.”
Fuck me.
“Oh, that’ll be great!” Penny said. “Let me go get Scarlett the hotdog and soft pretzel I promised her and then we’ll meet you in the stands?”
“Perfect.”
“Good luck,” Penny said to me. “I hope you guys win.”
“We’ll definitely win,” I said.
Penny whispered something in Scarlett’s ear.
“Oh yeah. Go Eagles!” Scarlett yelled. “Did I do it right?” She looked up at Penny.
“Exactly right.” Penny kissed the top of her head, gave me a thumbs up, and headed over toward the concession stand.
“What the hell was that?” I asked Tanner when Penny