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“Oh, I can’t wait. I’ve been training my whole life to perform a dramatic reading of children’s books.”
“You’re going to fit right in here,” I say.
Her fingers drag across my stomach when she pulls away and heads for the door. My brain short circuits when she looks at me over her shoulder and tosses me a smile. She disappears with the swish of her dress, leaving me to panic.
I’ve made a big fucking mistake.
I lied when I talked to Shawn.
A lot of thingscango wrong.
Staring at Maven’s ass as she walks away is at the top of that list, and I wonder if I should just hurl myself off the balcony now.
SEVEN
MAVEN
“I thinksome celebrations are in order.”
I look up from my computer and find Dallas standing in front of me, a beer extended my way. “It’s late, and I should get going so you can have some time alone. You’ve been going nonstop since this morning.”
“I’d like it if you stayed. June’s asleep, and it would be nice to have some company,” he says.
“And what are we celebrating?”
“Your first week with us. Your first day taking pictures of the team while we’re on the field. Lots of things.”
“When you put it that way, I guess I have to stay.” I accept the drink and smile. “Am I allowed to drink on the job, though?”
“I won’t tell the boss. Cheers, Maven.”
We knock the bottles together. I take a long sip and sigh as I swallow. “Today was such a good day.”
“How was the scrimmage?” Dallas asks. “You looked like you were having fun.”
“Fun doesn’t even begin to describe it. I think I blacked out because I was so freaking excited. I know I wasn’t the one playing, obviously, but it felt like I was right in the middle of the huddles and the drives down the field. You don’t get that kind ofexperience when you’re in the stands, and I feel lucky this is my job.”
He lifts his chin toward my computer. “Can I see the pictures you took?”
“You can, but they’re probably not very good. I’m still getting the hang of things with my new camera.”
“Do you always doubt yourself?” He props his elbow on the edge of the island and stares at me with a serious gaze. “You did it in Shawn’s office, too.”
My mouth pops open, and I blush. I didn’t realize he had been paying attention to me. “No. Yes? I don’t know, to be honest. Photography has always been a hobby of mine, but doing it on an almost professional level is outside my comfort zone. I’m remembering what it’s like to not be good at something right away, and I hate feeling behind.”
Dallas hums. He sets down his beer and reaches for the laptop. His long fingers tap the plastic case as he watches me. “May I?”
I set my beer next to his and wring my hands together. Nervous energy hums through me, and I nod, a little reluctant. “As long as you don’t judge me for any underexposed images or poor composition.”
“I don’t know what any of those words mean, Maven. Regardless of how the photos look to you, I’m going to think they’re masterpieces.”
I huff out a laugh and gesture for him to go ahead. “Fine. Enjoy.”
He’s quiet as he flicks through the snapshots of the team I took earlier this morning. Hundreds of pictures fly across the screen until he stops on one of him and Jett, the starting quarterback.
I captured them doing some affectionate trash talking as they walked to opposite ends of the field during a water break to catchsome relief from the late July sun. Their arms are slung around each other and their foreheads are almost pressed together, some private conversation happening between them.
It’s my favorite picture of the day.
