I sat in the locker room staring into the mirror. I had wiped the blush from my cheeks and pulled the fake lashes from my eyelids until I recognized my reflection.

I didn’t know why I stayed as long as I did. Most days I was the first girl out of here, but I kept thinking about Sam. Who he was. What he almost cost me. Did it even matter to me?

Heather sat next to me. “Pres told me you two talked.”

She caught me off guard. “Just a little.”

“You and Sam Hickson?”

“No,” I corrected her. “There is no Sam and me. It wasn’t what you thought. He tried to get my number and walked me to my car. Nothing happened.”

Heather smiled. “I know I made you go last night, but maybe I wasn’t clear about some things.”

“And what things are those?”

“Goddesses have responsibilities. We have a legacy to uphold. And sleeping with a Wrangler isn’t on that list.”

“But—”

She held up her hand to stop me. “I know your car, Natalia. It was there when I left the bar. You didn’t leave when you said you did.”

Shit. I felt the color drain from my face. “Are you going to tell anyone?”

“No, but you aren’t either.”

“No, no one. It never happened.”

She pulled me into an unexpected hug. “It certainly didn’t.”

I didn’t know whether to feel relieved or disgusted. Was this blackmail, or girl bonding? I was confused. She smelled like hairspray and sweet perfume. Unlike me, she was in full makeup.

“Thanks, Heather. I mean it. I appreciate you keeping this between us.”

“Sure thing. It was a mistake. We all get one pass. You’re new to football and to the Goddesses, so I can see how it would happen.”

“Heather, I have a question.”

“Hmm? What’s that?” She sat back.

“If you knew who he was, why did you let me leave with him?” It had been eating away at me since Presley told me about the Wranglers in the bar last night. Every single one of them had known who was buying the drinks except me.

I was the only Goddess who didn’t know we were in a room full of the opposition. I was swept up in Sam. I was mesmerized by his eyes and arms. Was it that obvious to Heather? I waited for an answer.

She squeezed my arm. “You were having fun.”

My eyebrows rose. “You let me jeopardize my job for fun?”

“How did I know if he told you he played for the Wranglers? You’re a big girl, Natalia. I didn’t know you were going to leave with him. I might be the captain, but I’m not going to interrogate every guy one of my girls talks to and ask him what his intentions are. That’s breaking an entirely different code.”

I tried to avoid rolling my eyes. There were so many damn codes I couldn’t keep them straight.

“Did the other guys mention it? Did they tell you they played for the Wranglers?” I asked.

She giggled. “First thing out of their mouths.”

“He didn’t say a thing,” I said softly.

“He probably didn’t want you to think of him as a football player. I’m guessing you didn’t tell him you’re a Goddess.”

I shook my head. I wasn’t going to tell her I didn’t want him to know. I did everything to avoid the topic of careers when we met. I was ashamed to put on this uniform, but to Heather, it was everything. She had Goddess pride I couldn’t comprehend. Presley had already called me out on it once tonight. I needed to think about what she said.

“So then neither of you knew what you were doing. Like I said, you get a freebie. Don’t worry about it. Just don’t do it again. Wranglers are off limits, girl.”

“I can’t lose this job, Heather. It’s all I have. I’m committed. I swear.”

“Aww, honey, don’t talk like that. It’s going to be fine.”

I didn’t want to cry in front of her. But my eyes stung from too much makeup and the trap I was now in. If the Warriors fired me, I didn’t have a safety net. My father had cut my mother and me off when she moved us to Dallas. Once that happened, I never felt like I could take a penny from him.

My mom made sure I attended dance school in Dallas and paid for all the lessons and instructors I wanted. I couldn’t go to her now and ask for more. I was determined to live doing what I loved, and with the sudden realization I could lose this job, I discovered how lucky I had been all along to land on this dance squad.

I dabbed a tissue to the corner of my eye. I smiled weakly. “It’s not like we’d see each other anyway, right?”

She laughed and picked up her travel bag with the gold Goddess logo on the side. “We play them next month in San Antonio.”

“Oh.”

“Are you going to be okay?”

I folded the tissue and tossed it in the trashcan. “I’m good. Really. Thank you again, and I think I really understand what you need from me on this team.”

“It’s between us. Don’t lose any more sleep over Sam Hickson, okay?”

I lied again. “Okay.”

“Good night.”

“Good night.”

Heather had reminded me again I was out of my league. I hadn’t looked at the schedule or realized we played the rival team twice a season. We would be in Sam’s city in a month. I’d have to see him again.

That was the problem. I wanted to. I wanted a glimpse of those eyes, and his hands. I wanted to remember his lips searing into my skin. I didn’t want to forget Sam, but I had to. As long as I was a Goddess, I had to stay far away.

Besides, now that I knew he was a famous tight end, things seemed different. He wouldn’t want me. I had been around the Warrior players enough to know the drill. They were multi-millionaires. They kept their distance from the squad, and I knew the Wranglers wouldn’t be any different. If I remembered, they had their own dance squad, the Fillies, who probably filled the same role we did.

I pressed my forehead on the vanity table, taking deep breaths until the stadium was silent and the only thing I could hear was the sound of my breath. I had a month to forget about last night and get my shit together.