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I can’t get Bluebelle to the parking lot fast enough. Although I thought my super nice guy comment would deter Ryan, it didn’t. It’s almost like I’d issued a challenge. Well, maybe that isn’t the challenge I issued, but seeing me again so he can ask me out on a date is.

Opening the back of my SUV, I help Bluebelle inside and close the gate. Then, I jump in, throw my purse into the passenger seat, and start up the engine before putting it into drive.

Not until I make a right onto I-540 do I let out a sigh of relief. Since it’s almost suppertime on a Sunday, traffic isn’t too crazy and that means I can think about my last conversation with Ryan.

Until, that is, I pass a billboard with his image on it—the one week old one that nearly sent me crashing into the median when I realized that puppy-parenting class Ryan Turner is not the identical twin of Raleigh Renegade with the same name. He looks sexy, wearing his Renegades uniform and a panty-melting smile. I can admit that much to myself, but he is also a football player.

I don’t date them.

Anymore.

Okay, so it was one guy, THE ONE, who broke my heart and left me standing in complete shock at the church—five minutes before the ceremony was supposed to start. I spent the first part of our honeymoon—sans the groom—drinking champagne in an mostly empty reception hall, then crying my eyes out on a plane as it flew to a destination couples’ resort. That had been so much fun.

Not.

It happened two years ago, right after my ex was drafted to the Arizona Heat—no, not drafted. He wanted to leave the Renegades and me to play for the Heat.

. For me, the out of sight, out of mind thing helps. Phoenix is a long way from Raleigh—thank God because if I had to look at his image on my way to work every day, I’d probably get arrested for destruction of private property.

Sure, it isn’t fair to paint Ryan with the same brush as my ex, but Dean had really, really hurt me. We’d been together since sophomore year of college and made it through the rest of college, a break up of seven months while he played for the Renegades before crawling back to me on his hands and knees... He’d sent me flowers, chocolates, and took me on trips to Cancun and Jamaica... then he popped the question. Like a love struck fool, I said yes.

I should’ve known he only wanted me because the season was over and I’m a safe choice.  A woman who wasn’t after his money and didn’t care about stealing his spotlight.

No, he didn’t cheat on me, or even put his hands on me in anger. He was honest, and admitted he wasn’t ready to settle down. That he wasn’t ready for a wife and kids.

All he wanted to do was concentrate on his career.

All he wanted to do was leave me behind and tell me how much of a favor he was doing for me.

Funny thing is, I never remember saying or wanting half that stuff. Kids, eventually. A dog, of course. But the other... I’d been ready to follow him anywhere, even if it meant relocating my prosthesis accessory business to move to Phoenix and start over again.

In any case, Dean didn’t give me the choice. He simply walked out of the bridal suite and never looked back.

Bluebelle makes a huffing sound, and I glance into the rearview mirror. “Almost home, sweetie,” I say.

The rescue lab/boxer/indeterminable origin hates to ride, but she put up with the trip. I like to think it’s because she has a crush on Gunner.

If it wasn’t for the fact Ryan is a football player, I’d be all over him. Literally. The abs on display are lickable. His shoulders are broad and he has those indentions... the ones I personally like to spend time paying lots of attention to.

I sigh.

Or I had liked to spend time doing that. The problem with dating an athlete is that all men who aren’t pale in comparison. So, for two years, I’ve been in a drought. A really, really bad drought.

Which has to be the only reason Ryan Turner seems like such good dating material. Well, not the only reason.

My exit appears and I cross two lanes of traffic to take it, then make a right onto Roswell.

Ryan is genuinely nice, loves his dog, and is fun to be around. For five weeks, he’s kept the class in stitches, yet when it was time for them to partner up and train together, he was serious. He listened to our instructor, too. He didn’t ask for special favor, or any favors at all.

In fact, he didn’t tell people who he is, though everyone would have to be blind not to recognize his sexy face. Everyone around here drives on 540 to get to work. So, they have to see the billboard.

However, in my defense, I had no idea who he was until after the billboard when up.

Not that any of those things matter, because I will never see him again. We don’t have the same group of friends, or even frequent the same places. While I am more than comfortable, I’m not a celebrity.

I press the button to open the garage door and drive my SUV inside. Cutting the engine, I get out and let Bluebelle follow me.

“Good job, baby,” I murmur, handing her a treat from my pocket.

Even if I do see him again, which is next to impossible, there is no way I’ll say yes, or that he will even ask me out again. He’s a football player, and his reputation, no matter how nice and genuine he seems at class, is that he loves the ladies and they love him. He runs in fast circles and travels to places I can only dream of going one day.

Ryan Turner lives the life my ex always dreamed of having, and he doesn’t seem inclined to settle down anytime soon. Not that he has to, but I am ready to start seriously dating again. I’m ready to put aside my dream guy for a real one. A steady guy who might not have lickable abs or a v at his waist that will make me lose my mind.

But he will be a guy who stays with me forever.

*

“How are things going with the stud?” Laurie asks, her brown eyes twinkling as we have dinner at Mallory Grille. She has her hair done in intricate braids with beads and gold filigree on the ends. Her dark brown skin glows under the lights as she sips on a whisky sour. I swear she already looks like the bride she’ll be in a week.

“He asked me out,” I confess.

She does a little victory dance in her seat. “When’s the date? Also, you can totally have him to the wedding as your plus one. I hear lots of shenanigans happen at weddings.”

“He plays for the Renegade.”

Her smile drops. “Seriously.” She groans. “Don’t let that stop you, Ashley. You have weeks of getting to know him without that in the way. He sounds like a decent guy.”

“And you know how hard they are to find,” she adds.

“Present groom to be to my bestie excluded,” I say.

“Yup.” Laurie leans in. “Say yes, Ashley. What’s the worst that can happen?”

“We get serious, then he dumps me for his career on our wedding day.”

She blinks at me. “You would go there.”

“That’s the only place I’ve been,” I protest. “ I know it’s not fair, and I know you’re a huge believer in giving people the benefit of the doubt but...”

Laurie covers my hand with hers. “Go out with him. Besides, you were planning on asking him out anyway, which I fully support with all the woman power in the world.”

“I want to, but...”

“Buts are for sitting. You need to take that man and go have some fun.” She lets go of my hand. “Think of him as a trial run to get you back in the dating scene.”

“The dating scene sucks. I hate blind dates.”

“All the more reason to go out with a guy you already know.”

I make a face at her. “Stop being so reasonable and smart.”

“Never.” She lifts her chin. “You love me like this.”

“I do,” I admit. “Maybe, if I happen to run into Ryan, I’ll consider saying yes.”

Her mouth twists. “Sure you will.”

“Enough about me. You need to spill the details on your new house... which by the way, did I tell you that I’m seriously upset you’re moving to Boston.” I really am, but I don’t want to make Laurie feel bad. We met at book club in our neighborhood and clicked over our love of romance novels. Fast forward two and a half years later, and she’s my very best friend.

She shrugs. “Doctor duty calls and all that. You know that silly profession people need in order to get healthy or heal sickness.”

I stick my tongue out at her, then Laurie pulls her iPad from her purse and we go over the new house plans.

“Don’t think you’ve distracted me. We will go back to the subject of Ryan Turner.”

“Fine,” I say, knowing that Laurie will get her way—because I’ll let her.

And because she’s always looked out for me.