standing and tugging my ponytail out and messing up my hair. My head ached from stress, not the tight ponytail, but my heart and my suddenly nauseated stomach were having none of it.
“Sure!” she chirped, jumping to her feet and slamming the laptop closed. Her loose hair fell in waves around her bronze shoulders and a shot of envy ran through my body at how easy she always seemed to make things . . . as if the world was at her feet. When for the last few years, it had deemed me unworthy and decided to sit on my face instead.
My eyes flickered to the sliding glass door that overlooked the gorgeous view of the Sound. The water looked so peaceful I actually felt better; then again, if I had a multimillion-dollar view to look at every day, I imagined I’d feel a lot less anxiety. With a smile tugging at my lips, I realized that it had been forever since I’d taken the time to focus on and appreciate the beauty around me. I’d been so hell-bent on hiding that it never occurred to me to stop and take a deep breath. Lately everything had felt like an uphill battle, like the world was against me—until now.
I opened the door and walked out, leaning my forearms on the wood railing just as I heard the sound of cursing followed by a door opening.
I jumped back when Matt stomped out of his office a floor just above and to the right, its balcony overlooking the same spot just a few feet away. I could probably make the jump if I tried. I was about to say hi when he started yelling again.
“No shit.” He ran a hand through his perfectly mussed hair and then looked up at the sky, squinting his eyes. “I know, I know, that’s just not what I wanted to hear, Darius.”
He adjusted his Bluetooth headset.
Mouth dry, I watched him stretch his arms over his head, giving me a perfect view up his shirt of his lower abs. Damn, the man was cut.
I shook the thought from my head.
Sexy bodies didn’t always equal good hearts. I found that out the hard way. Just because the package is wrapped up in tight muscles that make your mouth go dry does not mean that there isn’t ugly beneath the surface.
Or something terrifying.
In fact, it almost made me more nauseated to think about it. To think about how easy it was to fall for someone’s camera-ready looks, white teeth, bronzed skin, and perfect smile.
So damn easy to fall in love with a public persona not realizing that behind closed doors they were a different person entirely. Plus . . . guys his age—not that he was ready to sign up for the early-bird special—typically wanted more than a girl who was all about sports, all about focus and drive.
They wanted a wife.
Not a co-captain.
A girlfriend who could take care of them.
Not an athlete who would rather wear cleats to dinner and hated the idea of anything pink.
“Darius.” Matt’s tone changed. “All I’m saying is you owe me a favor, and because nobody else will even touch this girl—” He sighed. “Look, I’m desperate. I have to get her another interview and tryout with at least one club.” Matt leaned against the railing. “She’s not that bad.” His face said I was actually that bad, and for some reason it hurt more than it should.
I felt myself start to become smaller, the way some people do when they don’t want to be noticed, and I hated it. I hated it so much. That was part of what made me angry and always ready to lash out.
Because I had never been that girl before last year.
I once believed I was born to be brave and free.
I once believed I was born of fire.
And all it took was one person to steal that fire and leave me with nothing but ash.
I drew in a deep breath and decided to let him have his privacy. I knew I couldn’t take it personally. To a lot of people I was that emotionally unhinged girl who attacked her coach on national TV, not exactly what you want on your team.
I wasn’t sure what I was thinking in coming here.
That he’d be able to perform a miracle?
Defeat slammed down so hard that my shoulders ached.
“The stats prove it. Let me just work on the rest of the package.” Matt’s voice hit me just as I touched