I felt like shit for cutting my date with Hailey short. I would have much rather stayed with her and allowed Ryan to find his own way home, but he’d had way too much to drink, and he didn’t have many people he could phone. The last thing I wanted was for him to be locked up when proving ourselves to the team was so important. And I knew if the roles were reversed, he would have done the same for me. Maybe. I tried to picture Ryan in the middle of the act, having some woman pinned beneath him and still answering the phone. It sounded like something he would do, and I chuckled.

Either way, I had helped Ryan out when he’d needed me, and even though Hailey had been distant and switched off by the time I had dropped her at home, she’d reassured me that she understood.

Still, I wanted to make it up to her. I had promised her I would, but it wasn’t only because I was trying to make good on my promise that I wanted to take her out again. I enjoyed her company. I enjoyed it a lot more than I’d expected to.

When I dialed her number, she answered almost immediately.

“That was fast,” I said.

“I was on my phone already,” she said.

“Or you were just so eager to speak to me.”

Hailey laughed at my joke, and I liked it. I liked being the one to make her smile. I imagined what she would look like.

“So, I want to take you out again to make up for last night,” I said. It was only a day later, and I half expected her to say no this time. She had seemed quite down toward the end of the night.

“What do you have in mind?” she asked.

“It’s a surprise.”

“Or you haven’t decided yet,” she said, but I could hear she was smiling. She was joking with me. A lot of women were intimidated by my looks or that I was headed for a professional career in football. They didn’t joke with me, or when they tried, it ended up being ridiculous. But Hailey was sharp and smart, and she wasn’t afraid of me at all. Her independence was wildly attractive.

“Trust me,” I said. “I’ll make it worth your while.”

Hailey giggled before she agreed, and I was surprised at how comfortable she sounded and how happy I was that she wanted to go out on a date with me again. I hadn’t expected to feel this strongly about her in such a short time. But Hailey was different than any of the other woman I’d been with. She kept me on my toes, and because I couldn’t figure her out completely, I wanted to keep trying. It was interesting and exciting, and she had a degree of mystery to her that made me want to know more.

“I’ll pick you up at seven tonight,” I said.

We flirted and bantered a little more before I ended the call. I was surprised at my feelings and how comfortable I was around her. Being with her made me forget about everything that hounded me, the pressure that was on me lately, and somehow, she filled the void that I had become aware of.

I thought about what she’d told me on our date last night, that she was also from Fort Collins. What were the chances? Fort Collins was a small town, but to meet someone from my backyard, practically, while we were out here in Miami seemed like a hell of a coincidence. It made me wonder if I knew her. The chances were slim, but it was possible. I had known a lot of girls in my time back home.

And there had been the few who had desperately wanted to know me that I hadn’t had the time of day for. I had been an asshole at school. I would admit to that. I’d had so many girls after me, I could afford to be choosy, to reject those I hadn’t wanted solely based on looks.

Even though they’d had major crushes on me. Like that chick who’d tutored me. Being a jock at school had meant I hadn’t exactly kept up with math and science in school, and my grades had been bad enough that they wouldn’t let me keep playing football. So the nerd in the class had offered to help me out, and I hadn’t been in a position to say no.

Even though I’d known she’d had a huge crush on me. She hadn’t been much to look at, with braces and pimples. But it had gotten me through.

Come to think of it, her name had been Hailey, too, hadn’t it? Or maybe it was Hannah or Heather. Fucked if I knew. There were so many of them that she’d been inconsequential. Besides, I was more than happy with the Hailey I had now.

And I was glad I hadn’t known her as a teenager. Or that she hadn’t known me. I had been a real ass, and it would have been horrible if Hailey knew who I used to be. No, I was a much better person now. And I was going on another date with her.

Or rather, I was bringing her here. I wanted to cook for her, to woo her in the full sense of the word, and there was nothing better than candlelight and a home-cooked meal.

I made a shopping list for lasagna and grilled vegetables. I hadn’t cooked lasagna before, but I loved it. How hard could it be? I also wanted to make her a dessert, something decadent and special. Just like her.

God, I was a hopeless romantic when it came to her. But maybe that was exactly what we both needed.

Before I left to pick Hailey up, I showered and changed into my Levi jeans and a black collared shirt. I’d had comments before that black made my blue eyes look stormy, and I liked the idea of that. I finger combed my hair to keep it out of my face, and when I looked in the mirror, I looked hot. I wanted to look good for Hailey.

I left my place and drove to Brad and Carly’s to pick Hailey up. When I rang the doorbell, Carly opened the door. She looked me up and down.

“You look good,” she said. “A third date. I’m impressed.”

I rolled my eyes, but it was a good sign if the best friend was impressed. It meant whatever was said about me behind my back was good. I was pretty damn sure they would have discussed me at length.

“Hailey’s almost ready,” Carly said. “You can wait with Brad if you want.”

She gestured to the family room, and I walked in. Brad was splayed out on the couch with a bowl of berries and nuts. Football players didn’t do beer and chips. When he saw me, he sat up.

“Oh, hey. Waiting out the beautification process?”

I laughed and nodded, sitting down next to Brad. He was watching the game between the Stallions and the Turbos.

“That’s a good score,” I said. The Turbos were ahead fifty to nil.

“I know. They’re going to be a challenge this season. It’ll be good to step out of our comfort zone for a change.”

We sat together watching football when Hailey came in. She distracted me from the game, and that was saying something. She wore jeans so tight, they looked painted on with a cream blouse that complimented her porcelain skin. Her hair was piled on her head in a messy bun that so many girls wore and not many of them could pull off.

“You look great,” I said and stood up, giving her a chaste kiss on the mouth. She blushed. I would never get over how cute she was when her cheeks were rosy like that. “Are you ready?”

She nodded, and I took her hand, interlacing my fingers with hers. I walked her to my car and opened her door for her like a perfect gentleman because she deserved a Prince Charming.

I drove to my place, and when I unlocked the door for her, I tried to see my place through the eyes of a stranger. When I had brought her here last, we had been intoxicated by lust, and we’d hurried out the door the next morning. She would see my place properly for the first time.

It wasn’t a very large apartment, but it was adequate, with high ceilings and a lot of windows. I hadn’t taken a lot of time to decorate the place. I was a bachelor, and I was barely home. But my furniture matched, and the place was clean, and I had a beautiful view of the ocean. It was what had pushed the place’s price up so much. I could have bought a bigger place with a boring view for the same price.

“This is beautiful,” Hailey said, walking through the house to the large windows in the living room that looked out over the ocean. “I didn’t notice it the last time I was here. I was a little distracted.” She smiled at me. “You must love living here.”

I nodded. “It’s one of the first things I treated myself to when I decided to stay in Miami.”

Hailey looked at me, smiling. I stood next to her, but I couldn’t see any of the view. I was blinded by her beauty. I pulled her closer to me and kissed her, and she melted against me.

Whatever had upset her last night to make her so distant was gone now. I assumed it was because I’d had to fetch Ryan. She was in a good mood tonight, and when she was positive and confident like this, she was radiant.

“That smells delicious,” she said when we broke the kiss.

“It’s lasagna. I have to start the veggies,” I said. “Come with me to the kitchen.”

She walked with me and seated herself on a stool at the counter, leaning forward. She watched me as I moved around the kitchen, preparing everything. When I pulled the lasagna out of the oven, she raised her eyebrows.

“That’s not from the store,” she said. I looked down at my over dish.

“No,” I said.

“Did you make it yourself?”

I nodded, proud that she could see me cooking. She looked impressed, and impressing a lady of her caliber was something to be proud of.

We chatted about her studies while we were in the kitchen. She was talking about going back to Colorado soon, only two weeks from now, and I realized I didn’t want her to go. Of course, I was in no position to ask her to stay, but I didn’t want her to leave.

“How did you end up playing ball here in Miami?” she asked. “Wasn’t Denver a better option?”

I nodded. “It was easier, but I’ve always wanted to come here and play for the Sharks. So I applied to study here. At first, I was rejected, but I transferred in my second year and finished my degree here. Someone saw me on the football field and pulled me up, and the rest is history.”

“That’s such a success story,” Hailey said.

I shook my head. “Not yet. As soon as I’m on the team, then it will be. That’s my aim.”

She smiled, and the conversation changed to other things. When the food was ready, we moved to the dining table, a set I had never really used. We carried on talking, and no matter what we spoke about, it was like Hailey and I had known each other for a long time and were old friends getting together. I had never been comfortable around anyone, and I couldn’t believe how amazing it was to be around her. Even when we weren’t flirting or bantering, when we weren’t fucking, being with Hailey was better than it had ever been with any other woman. It was better than it had been with all the other women combined.