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“I’ll get her. Go have fun.” says Jules.
I turn to her, ready to argue but she shoots me that look that says this is an argument I won’t win.
“Fine,” I say, turning back to Nathan. “One drink. With my new coworkers.”
Nathan, me, music, drinks… it’s not like anything bad has ever happened before, right?
CHAPTER 6
Nathan
I follow my teammates to a hole-in-the-wall country bar, a common setting in Dallas, I’ve come to find. My nerves are going because I’m afraid Izzy might just stand me up—not that this is a date. Still, after what happened at the gala, I wouldn’t blame her. God forbid Courtney turns up again. I haven’t heard from her since the gala, but you never know with her. That girl has the word persistent engraved on her brain.
I thought that Izzy not showing up was nerve wracking, but it’s nothing compared to the butterflies that swirl when she actually does walk through the door. I have to get a handle on my damn hormones. I can admit that I’m attracted to Izzy, but there can never be anything between us, and my body needs to get on board with that.
Women can’t handle me. It’s the lifestyle. Fame isn’t for everyone. It’s isolating and lonely. Women go after me because they have some image in their heads of who I’m supposed to be… then, they get to know the real Nathan, and they vanish. That’s the one thing Courtney and I had in common. She also understands the pressures of fame. Problem is, that’s the only thing she and I have in common. Talking to her is like listening to a lecture on the Spanish Inquisition.
I shouldn’t be thinking about Courtney with Izzy and my teammates here at this bar. That is a familiar road that leads to bad tabloid press.
I go and order two beers, the kind I remember she likes from a few high school weekends when Evan’s parents were out of town. I set one in front of Izzy, and scoot into the booth, keeping a respectable distance. Chett and Travis are two of the players who joined us at the bar.
“So, Chett says you all went to the same high school? Small world,” says Travis. He’s sitting across from us with Chett, who is eyeing the female prospects in the bar.
Izzy shrugs. “We went to the same school, but we ran in different crowds.”
I roll my eyes. “We grew up together. Her brother is one of my best friends. Their family practically adopted me.”
“Yeah,” she admits, sipping her beer. “That, too.”
“Didn’t you like– take off after high school?” Chett asks, making Izzy nearly choke on her drink.
“Nice,” I grumble at Chett.
“I did,” she says. “Just up and left. Never looked back.” She tilts back the beer bottle, chugging it impressively fast. Empty, she slams it on the table. “I’m going to need another. Anyone else?” We all blink in surprise as she gets up and walks to the bar.
“What?” Chett asks in response to my death glare. His eyes narrow. “Wait… you and the brother were bros… you practically lived at their house. Did you two ever…?” Chett waggles his brows at Izzy’s backside as she leans on the bar, trying to get the bartender’s attention.
“No,” I say, too quickly. “It wasn’t like that. She was out of my league, even back then, I think.”
“If she’s so out of your league why were you dancing with her last night, and making that actress all kinds of jealous?”
“We were just reminiscing. That’s all it was.” I say, refusing to even address “the actress” bit.
Chett nods, but I can see in his eyes that he isn’t buying it. “Too bad. She’s aged well. I’d never have thought all of those curves were hiding under there, based on what I remember from high school.”
“Yeah, he has no chance with her now.” Travis winks at me and sips his beer.
Izzy returns and the conversation moves to safer topics, like the Jets and what it was like in the Big City. She loosens up after her second beer, and starts asking me slightly more personal questions.
“Did you really send Courtney Warner packing?”
When that question comes up, I stutter and I’m not entirely sure why. For some reason, I don’t want to tell Izzy anything about any past flings. It’s silly. I’m sure she’s had her own relationships since high school. Since me—even though what we had could hardly be termed a relationship… it was something more.
“I don’t want you to worry about her,” Is all I can make myself say.
As Izzy launches into a story about her and Jules signing the lease on their office space, that familiar thing happens where the world falls away. Izzy becomes the only thing that exists.
Her voice is so smooth and calming. I could listen to her talk all night. She’s funny without really meaning to be. It’s nice. Talking to her again. I’d forgotten how smart she is, and what a good listener she can be.
