Finn’s reflection appeared behind him in the mirror. The team captain ran the palm of his hand over the top of Grant’s head, undoing the progress he’d made. “Look at you. Who are you trying to impress?”
Grant felt his cheeks warm. It was tough enough being the new guy on the team—to the league. Having the captain catch him trying to look nice for a girl he’d never met wasn’t something he wanted to admit. He pressed his lips together.
Finn’s teasing smile fell. “I’m sorry, man. You got a girlfriend out there?”
He shook his head. “No girlfriend.” He’d only been in Florida for a couple months, and that time had been jam-packed with learning the area, the game, and attending practices. Even if he wanted to date, there just wasn’t the time.
“Wait.” Finn’s eyes went wide. “Are you trying to look nice for a fan?”
Finn’s voice echoed off the walls of the locker room causing several heads to turn in their direction.
Just great.
Grant ignored the question and smoothed down the pieces of hair that were now sticking up in a million different directions. When he was satisfied, he pushed past Finn to avoid the stares from his teammates.
“Hey, Grant,” Finn called.
Grant stopped and turned.
Finn jogged over and lowered his voice. “Listen, I get it. Having hot girls come out and cheer you on is a nice perk of playing professionally. But be careful. Some of those girls are crazy. If you don’t believe me, ask Silas.”
Grant nodded before he turned and walked out of the locker room toward the field. It’s not like he was looking for something serious. He was busy trying to keep up with the hustle of being a rookie. He had to prove himself to the team, work on his branding, and at some point do something with his degree. That piece of paper saying he graduated magna cum laude wasn’t going to do him any good if it collected dust for the foreseeable future. With so much on his plate, he barely had time to shower, let alone time for a relationship.
And yet, he still wanted to talk to her. There wasn’t any harm in that. A friendly conversation—maybe grabbing a bite at the food truck rally together—wouldn’t derail his vision.
When he made it back out to the arena, the Storm staff had just finished putting long tables at midfield for the autograph session. Now, they were bringing out chairs. Grant grabbed a metal folding chair and walked out onto the field. He sat down toward the middle of the tables, so that he’d be able to see most of the fans as they spilled onto the field in a few minutes. It was his fifth time signing, and it was still his favorite part. Playing was great but interacting with the fans was better than scoring the winning goal.
Finn set a chair next to Grant and flopped down in it. “Look, I’m sorry for calling you out in front of everyone.”
Grant shook his head and reached out to grab the black Sharpie in front of him. “Don’t worry about it.”
“It’s been a few years since I was a rookie, but I remember what a crazy time it was. Getting involved with a fan is bad news.” Finn’s head turned back and forth as he looked around before turning back to Grant. “Trust me.”
“You dated a fan?”
Finn gave him a tight smile in return. “It’s almost never a good idea. Just be careful.”
Was that a yes or a no? Grant hoped that he would elaborate, but Finn spent the next few minutes hollering out at the rest of the guys. They trickled onto the field and found open seats at the autograph table.
Grant looked up at the countdown timer on the wall. Less than two minutes until the fans hanging out on the perimeter of the arena would rush the field with their shirts and trinkets. Not wanting to get another lecture, he tried to act natural. His eyes scanned the office staff as they milled around the field.
Miriam was standing close to Silas. They were laughing about something, when Silas reached out and tucked a strand of Miriam’s blonde hair behind her ear. It was no surprise to see Miriam out here—it was her job, after all—but Grant wanted to see her friend. The girl with the red ponytail and gorgeous eyes.
His gaze went back to the fans, slowly moving over the people waiting just outside the arena where the goal’s net was rolled up. A flash of red hair caught his attention. It was her. She was here. He sat up in his seat and pushed back his hair.
When the buzzer rang out through the arena, he lost the mystery girl in the flurry of action that followed.
A bunch of kids holding soccer balls ran in front of him. “Will you sign these?”
Grant smiled at them. “Of course.” He ran the point of the marker across the smooth surface of the soccer ball to sign his name with the number seven underneath it.
The boys all took turns pushing to the front, practically shoving their balls at Grant when it was their turn. Once they were all signed, they shouted their thanks before moving on to the next player down the line.
Jerseys and cups all became a blur. Grant tried to give everyone the attention they deserved until things slowed down. Lines got much shorter, even non-existent for some players.
Once they got their autographs, most fans left—either to go home or to the after-party at City Bar. The players themselves would only stay out on the field for a couple more minutes then they would do the same.
Grant had given up hope that he would see his mystery girl, when he spotted her in Finn’s line. There were a couple people in front of her, which meant she’d be right next to Finn—and Grant—in just a couple minutes.
There was no one in his line and Grant tried to keep his eyes from wandering to where she stood. He looked down at the marker in his hands and twisted the cap. It wasn’t his usual style to be attracted to someone so quickly. What was it about this girl?
When she made her way to the front of the line, Finn stood up. He leaned over the table to give her a hug—a long, familiar hug.
“Good game,” she said as they pulled apart.
Finn didn’t immediately sit back down. Instead, he jerked his chin at the jersey she wore. “Nice shirt.”
She looked down with mock surprise. “Oh, this old thing?”
“This old thing” happened to be a one-of-a-kind game day jersey from last week’s themed night game. They were auctioned off with the proceeds going to a local charity. The guys had all watched the online bidding, joking about who was the most popular by how high the bids had gone. Even though Grant was new to the team, somehow he hadn’t gotten last place.
Not that it really mattered. Finn’s final price had beaten them all in a landslide thanks to a bidding war in the last thirty minutes. There were only a few reasons people paid that much for a jersey.
There was a sly smile on her face. “It cost a fortune, so I figured I might as well get it signed.”
Finn laughed and motioned for her to turn around. When she did, he signed the back with his marker. “You act like you weren’t going to see me unless you came tonight.”
She laughed and spun back around. “But you know I love seeing you play.”
“Funny, because I haven’t seen you at a game all season.”
Neither had Grant. He would have remembered her for sure.
She started into a long explanation about work being busy, and how she promised to do better for the rest of the home games. She started recapping some of her favorite plays from the game when a family appeared in front of Grant. They pulled out their ticket stubs and asked if he would sign them.
Grant barely resisted the urge to shush the little girl who was telling him how he was her favorite player, hating that he was missing the conversation between Finn and the redhead. But when he looked down at the girl’s gap-tooth grin, Grant felt a pang of guilt. He should be thrilled to know that he was someone’s favorite player his first season playing in the MASL. He racked his brain trying to find a way to make this encounter special for the little girl standing in front of him.
He could offer to sign her shirt, but since it wasn’t specifically Storm, that wasn’t exactly fittin
g. He could take a picture with her, but again, that wasn’t above and beyond. That was something he’d already done with three other fans that night.
An idea suddenly came to him. When the girl finished listing all the reasons she loved Grant, he gave her a big grin. “It’s great to know I have such a loyal fan. Are you coming to next week’s game?”
The little girl turned around and looked at her mom. “Are we?”
Her mom gave her a sad smile and looked over at the girl’s father.
He shook his head. “Sorry, sweetie. We can’t go to every game. Coming tonight was a special treat.”
Grant wished he could decipher what “special treat” meant. Was it a money thing? If so, his idea was perfect. He got a certain number of free tickets to give to friends for each game, and since he didn’t really know anyone other than his teammates, they always went to waste.
He stood up and jerked his chin at the girl’s father, hoping he would lean in over the table so he could ask him quietly. Grant had gotten enough lectures from his older sister about giving his nieces treats without first asking their parents first.
The dad’s brows furrowed, but he leaned in.
Grant kept his voice low. “I’ve got free tickets for next week’s game if you’d like them.”
The other man leaned back and shook his head. “No, I couldn’t.”
Grant lifted his brows. “Because you can’t come?”
“Because I don’t want to take advantage.”
“It’s hard to take advantage when I’m offering.” Grant chuckled and pulled out his phone. “Why don’t you give me your last name. I’ll make sure they’re waiting for you guys at the box office next week before the game.”
“That’s really generous of you.”
Grant shrugged. “It’s the least I can do for such an enthusiastic fan.”
The little girl tugged on her dad’s arm. “What are you guys talking about?”
Her dad smiled down at her. “Grant Vaughn just gave us tickets for next week’s game.”
The girl jumped up and down. “Really?”
Grant leaned across the table so his face was on her level. “Yep. But you have to cheer really loud when you come. Deal?”
Her smile widened. “Deal.”
The dad gave him their last name and thanked Grant one more time before the family walked off. Free tickets weren’t much, but Grant was happy that it meant so much to them. The idea of doing something special for them gave him a warm feeling in his chest.
He’d even successfully forgotten about the mystery girl for a couple minutes. That was, until he looked over at Finn. The line in front of him was empty, and the girl was gone.
Finn smiled at him. “That was pretty cool of you, man. Giving them those tickets. I’m sure that family appreciates it.”
Grant rubbed the back of his neck as a small smile touched his lips. “Yeah, well, after hearing that I was that girl’s favorite player, I didn’t really have a choice, did I?”
“You always have a choice.” He slapped Grant’s back. “But focus on those kinds of fans and making them happy, and you’ll be fine.”
Grant’s smile fell. He could read between the lines. Finn was once again telling him not to get involved with fans. Not that the captain was very good at following his own advice.
There was obviously something going on between Finn and the gorgeous redhead. The connection they had with one another was obvious, even in that small exchange. Grant was surprised by the sadness that came with the realization.
He didn’t know that girl, but he had wanted to.
Too bad that his captain was dating her, and she was completely off-limits.
Grant
Grant was less eager to get to City Bar after finding out that the girl he wanted to talk to was dating Finn, but he’d already agreed to go. Plus, a drink to celebrate the Storm’s win might not be so bad right now. He and Vinny swung by the team house to get proper showers before driving to the bar.
Grant was thankful for the house that the owners of the team provided for players who lived out of town. Living there meant he didn’t have to pay double rent for the months he spent in Florida—for his apartment back home and here—though he didn’t always love the lack of privacy that came with living with three other guys in the four-bedroom place. Sure, he got his own bedroom, but it felt like the other guys were always there.
Sometimes it was so unbearable he had to go out to a local park or coffee shop just to breathe.
Getting dressed only took minutes—a Storm tee, jeans, and Chucks seemed like the perfect thing to wear to a bar—and they drove over in record time. His hair was still wet when he and Vinny walked inside. Some fans cheered when they saw them.
Grant smiled and waved. Fans lifted their drinks to toast them, but quickly returned to their conversations with the people sitting at their tables.
“Shall we?” Grant jerked his head at the bar.
Vinny nodded. “You know it.”
The hot-headed defender ordered two shots, both for himself, while Grant just got a beer. Most of the players took it easy when it came to drinking—especially during the season. They relied on their bodies being in peak shape so that they were able to play their best.
Vinny...well, he happened to be the anomaly. He would drink heavily all night, wake up bright and early without even the slightest headache, and be ready to give it his all for the group workout—assuming someone didn’t piss him off about whatever random thing made him feel explosive that day.
The defender kicked back both shots, slammed the small glasses on the table, and walked over to a table filled with fans.
Grant grabbed his pint and faced the rest of the bar. Though not everyone was there for the after party, a large number of the people mingling were wearing green and black—the Storm’s colors. He wished he had the confidence to walk over to a table full of strangers and talk like Vinny, but Grant still felt so new. He worried about what to say. He didn’t know the team history and stats like the die-hard fans here did.
Hell, he’d been completely oblivious to the Silas drama at the beginning of the season. Grant didn’t realize that Silas used to play for the Storm until he’d overheard it in the locker room after one of their first practices. Now at the bar with fans, he was worried he would say—or do—the wrong thing and look like an idiot.
Grant’s gaze moved around the room until they landed on a small booth off in a corner. On one side were Miriam and Silas. On the other were Finn and the gorgeous redhead. They were talking excitedly and laughing like they were all the best of friends.
“It’s weird to see Finn and Silas acting like they didn’t have a grudge for the first part of the season, isn’t it?”
Grant turned his head to find Bastian standing beside him. The veteran player lifted his glass of water at Grant.
Grant lifted his beer before turning back to the double date in the booth. Finn was laughing at something his date was saying. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen Finn look so happy.”
Bastian shrugged. “Yeah, Emmeline has a way of bringing out that part of him.”
Emmeline.
It was nice to finally have a name to go along with the face, not that it would do Grant any good now. Just seeing the two interact made it obvious that they loved each other. When Emmeline leaned her head on Finn’s shoulder, Grant turned his entire body so that it faced Bastian. “How long have they been dating?”
Bastian, who had taken a sip of his water, started to choke. The choke soon became a hearty laugh. “Dating? They’re not dating.”
“But…” Grant lowered his brows as he glanced in their direction once more. They looked awfully comfortable together.
“Emmeline is Finn’s sister.”
Grant’s cheeks flushed. Oh course she was. Now that he looked at them, he could see the resemblance. While Finn’s hair was more auburn and Emmeline’s a brighter red, they both had similar complexions, and their noses were the sam
e.
“But Finn is going to die when he hears that you thought they were dating. Florida can be pretty messed up, but we draw the line at first cousins.”
Grant laughed to cover his embarrassment at his mistake. “And how much is it going to take for you to keep your mouth shut?”
“Oh, no.” Bastian shook his head and smiled with pure glee. “This is way too good not to share.”
He groaned. “Seriously?”
“Come on, it’s funny.”
“And embarrassing. I hate that I keep making all these rookie mistakes.”
“Alright. It’ll be our little secret.” He slapped Grant’s back. “I’m going to go talk to some fans for a bit. Enjoy your beer, but make sure you do the same. Fans come out to these events because they want to interact with us, not watch us talk to each other.”
Grant looked down at his drink and nodded. “Yeah, okay.”
With an encouraging smile, Bastian walked off and started talking to some people on the other end of the bar. Once Grant was alone, he allowed the wave of embarrassment to wash over him. The number of mistakes he’d made was piling up by the minute.
At least it wasn’t all bad. He’d not only found out Emmeline’s name but also that she wasn’t off-limits because she was dating Finn. This was good.
But not nearly as good as when Emmeline walked up to the bar a couple feet from where he stood. She leaned up against the wood countertop and waited for the bartender to notice her. It didn’t take long—shocker—and once she finished ordering a margarita, Grant closed the distance between them. “Hey.”
She looked up and gave him a small smile. “Hey.”
“I’m Grant.”
She turned her gaze back toward the bar. “I know.”
“Oh yeah?” Feeling bold by her admission, he leaned against the counter next to her.
Out of Play: A Sports Romance (Love in the Arena Book 2) Page 2