Brooklyn looked over at the football players’ practice and saw Dustin sitting on the bench. She was ecstatic. What she’d done must’ve worked. He was in trouble, and finally, he was going to pay for what he’d done. She only wished her ladies were happier about it.

Claire and Annabelle hadn’t been in the best condition since the whole thing happened, and now that the truth was out there, Holly had broken up with Hayden, so she was upset, too. Lucy had had a date with Alex that she cancelled, and she seemed just a little snippy about it. Brooklyn hadn’t asked Holly or Lucy to do what they did, but it seemed like they were taking it out on her. When she showed the squad the poster she’d made and hung all over the training facility, some of her ladies were horrified.

“How could you do that?” Annabelle asked.

Well, she’d expected that from Annabelle, but even Rachel had said, “Brook, this isn’t right.” And Eve had joined in with, “Let’s take them down before anyone else can see.”

Brooklyn’s blood had boiled at this. “He’s done awful things, and people need to know. He’s been getting away with this stuff for years because no one made him accountable. I don’t want to see anyone else get hurt like Claire and Annabelle were.”

She’d given a good speech, but she hadn’t convinced them all. Practice had been tense after that. Being in the locker room had been tenser. It would all blow over, she was sure, and for now, she would enjoy the little things—like seeing Dustin sitting on the bench for the whole practice.

And when she’d gotten his voicemail? She rolled her eyes and chuckled as she deleted it. Right. Like anything had changed. As if someone like him was even capable of recognizing that change needed to happen, let alone actually doing it. This was just one more of his ploys to win her over so she would fall for whatever trap he was setting now.

When she got to practice the next day, she checked in with Claire and Annabelle. “Either of you get a message from Dustin last night?” she asked.

“I did,” Claire said.

“Me too,” Annabelle said.

“I thought it was pretty nice of him,” Claire said.

“I would just be careful.” Brooklyn looked them both in the eye. “I doubt he’s sincere. Guys like him don’t change.”

“And neither do women like you,” Annabelle mumbled.

Brooklyn narrowed her eyes but chose to let it go.

“It made me feel better,” Claire said. “Even if he didn’t really mean it as much as I want him to, at least he said it.”

“Exactly,” Annabelle said. “He didn’t have to do that. It was over. Maybe you’re finally getting through to him.”

Brooklyn forced a smile, but she heard the sarcasm in Annabelle’s voice. “I’m glad you’re feeling better about the whole thing. I’d just be careful.”

Dustin was again on the bench, she was glad to see, and by the end of the day, she was feeling good overall, like she’d actually made a difference in the world. That was until she left the training facility for the day.

She walked out to her car and heard footsteps behind her. At first, she put on her scowl, sure it was Dustin, back to try to apologize again or continue to convince her how he’d changed or some other line of crap. She turned and saw Alex. Her face softened as he smiled.

“Heya,” he said.

“Hey.” She was on guard, and she remembered him being part of the contest. What was he up to now?

“Nice job on Dustin.” He chuckled.

She wasn’t sure if he was being honest or sarcastic. “I wish it hadn’t come to that, but you can only warn someone so many times before you have to do something.”

He nodded. “And what was this warning?”

“To stop being a jerk, basically. Stop mistreating women and seeing us as objects to be won.”

“Ahh, the contest.”

“You were a part of that, weren’t you?” she asked.

He lifted a shoulder. “I guess. I didn’t really try, though. I asked Lucy out, but she ended up cancelling. That was about as far as I got, and I wasn’t in it for the same reasons.”

Brooklyn reached her car and stopped. “What were your reasons?”

“I was just being part of something with the guys. Bonding, I guess. I’m over the whole sleeping around thing. It was fun in high school and college, but there comes a time when you have to grow up and move on.”

“And you’ve grown up, have you?”

He pulled his mouth into a half smile. “Still working on it.”

“Good luck with that.” She unlocked her car door and turned from him, signaling that she was done talking.

“Hey, I just wanted to say, I think you’re brave for what you did.”

She turned back and raised an eyebrow. “Oh yeah?”

“You took a stand, and you refused to let someone walk all over you. It’s admirable.”

“Thanks.”

“I always thought that there was nothing more beautiful than a strong woman who can stand on her own.”

She took in a breath and folded her arms. This was starting to sound like a pick up. “Why is that?”

“My mom was that way. Single mom who didn’t take any crap from anyone. I guess I always wanted to find someone like her.”

“I hope you do.” She turned back to her car.

“Wait a second.” He stepped closer to her and waited for her to turn her head back. “I think I did.”

“You didn’t. And I don’t date football players.”

“Really? You wouldn’t even want to give me a chance? Let me prove that football players can be gentlemen, too?”

“I really can’t.” She got into her car and closed the door. She gave him a little smile and waved as she drove off.

Maybe he really was a nice guy and everything he said was true, but she couldn’t take any chances. If she was going to get into a relationship, or even date someone, it needed to be someone outside of this life who really understood her, not some jock trying to prove something. Maybe there was a guy out there for her. Maybe not. She wasn’t much concerned with finding him if he was out there.