The Best Mistake - Cookie O'Gorman Page 0,11

gave a mental sigh. Wasn’t the first time I’d heard that.

“Well, I’m supposed to be interviewing someone from your team. Anyone would do really. How about we start with the second string or whatever you call it?” I said, hoping to avoid a certain someone. “I’ll try and be as quick as I can.”

Without looking away from me, he blew a whistle then to my horror yelled, “O’Brien!”

My eyes widened as I watched all action on the field cease. Suddenly, four heads turned to look our way. Rolling his eyes, the man said “Captain! This girl wants to talk to you.”

One of the broad shouldered players broke away from the group.

As he got closer, I could make out the gold “C” on his jersey, the way his uniform fit him just right, tight enough across the chest and thighs to make a girl weak in the knees. I knew it was one of the O’Brien brothers from what Coach Grouch just shouted. But I found myself hoping it wouldn’t be him. My prayers went unanswered. A second later, he stopped in front of us, as gorgeous as last night as he readjusted his cap.

“What’s up, Bear?” he said, eyes moving between me and the older man.

He grunted again. “Got a reporter here. Didn’t think any of the other hooligans could string two coherent words together after last night.”

O’Brien ran a hand across the back of his neck. “It wasn’t as bad as all that. I tried my best to keep them under control.”

“And you did a great job—for the most part.” The man shook his head, hands on hips as he looked over the field. “Bay’s not looking so hot out there.”

I felt my face fall. Bay? Did he mean Baylor? Why would he say that when…

“Now that we’ve got reporters coming around, you want to tell your brother to clean up his act? Nobody’s gonna recruit him if they think he’s trouble.”

“I know.” Those gray eyes were watching me as he responded. “We’ve had that discussion more times than I can count.”

“I get it. Baylor O’Brien is a tough nut to crack,” Grouch said, confusing me further. “Worrying about that boy keeps me up at night—not to mention Dex. He’s on a whole other level. But you keep at it, Archer. If anyone can convince them to straighten up, it’s you.”

Archer? My face paled. As in Archer O’Brien, the oldest brother of the O’Brien family, the guy who, according to Charlie, never breaks any rules, always wears a frown, and wouldn’t know how to have fun if it kicked him in the face. That Archer?

“You just be glad Coach had an appointment and isn’t here to grill you. If she was, all of your asses would be toast.”

“Yeah, I know, Bear. She raised me remember?”

As if just realizing I was still there, Grouch said, “Listen girl, I’m fine with the interview, especially if Coach agreed to it.”

I’d lost the ability to speak a while ago, so instead I nodded.

“Just don’t keep Captain over here too long. This team would fall apart without him.”

And then he left me there.

Not with Baylor, I gulped. But with the guy who’d I’d thought was Baylor. The brother who I’d so brazenly made a pass at, the one I’d straddled and kissed was actually…

“Archer O’Brien,” he said, holding out a hand for me to shake, his eyes shining in the afternoon sun. “Sorry, you had to hear all that.”

“No problem,” I said, voice paper thin as I took his hand. I couldn’t believe it. Only I could’ve made such a terrible mistake. Only I, Honor Tierney, bookworm extraordinaire, writing recluse, and apparent virgin-for-life, could’ve confused one O’Brien brother for another.

But at least he didn’t seem to recognize me. I took a deep breath. That was something, I guess. Part of me was bummed, but the other part was incredibly relieved.

“Do I know you from somewhere?” he said. My relief died a quick death, suddenly replaced with panic. “You look familiar.”

Heart in my throat, I said, “I don’t think so.”

He just kept staring at me, eyes narrowed.

After a moment (that felt like an eternity), he nodded.

“Guess you just have one of those faces,” he said, releasing my hand, lifting his chin toward the bleachers. “Why don’t we go over there, so you can ask your questions?”

“Oh yeah, thanks.” I tried not to think about the fact that he was behind me as we walked, tried not to trip because I knew that might jog his