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I thought he was a god amongst men back then… but now… now, he’s filled out even more. His muscles have muscles. And he’s somehow taller than I remember. I remember now why everyone loved Nathan Sterling, myself included. He has this charisma that is just effortless. People gravitate to him.
People like Courtney Warner. Even if what he says is true, and he isn’t dating her, life with Nathan will always be an endless cycle of tabloid rumors, and I could never live like that.
A whistle blows and they run some new play. I’m not a huge football fanatic so I’m not sure what I’m looking at, really. But it turns out it doesn’t matter because my eyes are magnetically drawn to Nathan, anyway.
He flawlesslythrows the ball, sending it spiraling across the field. Hiding behind a pair of dark sunglasses I allow myself to oggle him, just this once.
I nearly jump out of my skin when Jules, wearing a blindingly pink sundress, plops down beside me. One of the players waves at us and she gives a coy wave back.
I watch the player who just waved at Jules jog over to Nathan and motion to us in the stands. Nathan shields his eyes against the sun, or perhaps the glare of Jules’s dress, then smiles.
I don’t even notice I’m smiling back until Jules says, “Enjoying the view?”
“No!” I tear my eyes away. “What are you doing here?”
“I needed to talk to you, and I mean, where else would you be? I came to see how this is going.” She motions between me and the field where Nathan is running another play.
“There’s nothing going on. We are professionals… and I’m going to make sure it stays that way. Besides, he may or may not be dating an uber-famous actress…”
She nods. I’m sure she’s seen the day’s headlines. “So, I take it you haven’t told him about Rory?”
“Pretty sure I’d have turned up at your house bawling my eyes out if I had.” I turn back to the field. Nathan is still looking at the stands—let’s be real, he’s looking at me. He waves, forcing me to wave back.
Jules laughs and mumbles, “Oh boy,” under her breath.
My head snaps back towards my smirking friend. “What?”
“The way you look at him! It just reminds me how devastatingly single I am.”
Protests spring forth at once. “I do no such thing. I look at him the way I always have. Like an old… friend.“
“I never said it was a bad thing,” she says.
Choosing to ignore that. I refocus on work, the one thing I can control in this circus that is my life. “So, I need to set up some community outreach for Nathan to get some good press. Does that guy you went on a few dates with still volunteer at the animal shelter?”
“One and a half dates… and yes. I can see if they’d mind some press at their next adoption drive,” says Jules.
“What exactly is a half a date?”
“Wouldn’t you like to know?” She winks.
We spend the rest of practice chatting about our other clients, who are being severely neglected now that we’re working with the Cowboys. All in all it’s a productive afternoon on and off the field.
It’s early evening when practice ends and everyone leaves. Nathan spots Jules and me in the parking lot as I’m getting in my jeep. “Iz, wait up.” He jogs over.
“Hi, Nathan Sterling.” He holds out a hand to Jules. He’s obviously forgotten we all went to the same high school.
Julia reminds him of this and he squirms in embarrassment. I wish I could say I don’t grin at that, but I’m only human.
Nathan clears his throat. “Look, Izzy, I just wanted to apologize again about the gala. You said you wanted to keep things professional… I should’ve respected that.”
“Thanks?” I say, honestly surprised he’s apologizing.
“A couple of the guys are going to grab a drink. Why don’t you two come with us?” He looks to Julia, probably because he knows she’s the easier sell. I’ll just run away.
I’m about to do just that, in fact, but Jules answers before I can. “You two go ahead and have fun.”
“I can’t, I have to get–”
