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“Okay. Let me drop your stuff in the house.” He grabs my bag and purse and then carries them inside. He steps back onto the landing with sneakers in his hand. Dropping them, he pushes his feet into them, grinning at me. “I love these things.”
For a professional athlete, he’s surprisingly down to earth. And it’s not just because he wears slip-on sneakers. I’ve never witnessed him being the least bit pretentious. His home is beautiful but it’s not extravagant. Even the breakfast place he took me to was a hole-in-the-wall diner I’d never heard of before.
He joins me in the driveway and we start down the street side by side, our strides naturally syncing. The sun’s descent has begun, giving the quaint neighborhood of charming beach cottages a golden glow.
“See, look at all the flowers.” I wave my hand, gesturing to the lush gardens overflowing with vibrant flowers. “And those big blooms right there”—I point to my right—“are hydrangeas.”
“Those are kind of cool. I like the blue color,” he says.
The sound of our sneakers against the pavement punctuates the quiet night. I hear the distant murmur of the tide rolling in and out, and it has the same relaxing effect on me it always does. One of the best decisions I ever made was to buy a home near the beach.
“What did Scarlett say when you told her you were sleeping over?” he asks, his eyes crinkling at the corners as he smiles.
“She was all for it until I told her it’s a friendly sleepover, not a sexy one.”
“You have my permission to change it to the latter.”
I scoff. “I’m sure.”
He catches hold of my hand, and there’s something effortlessly charming about the way he raises it to his lips. “I’m just teasing you. I’m glad you’re here and that you’re staying over. We’re going to have a great time. And when I say that, I mean a great time for real. Not agreat timeas in code for sex.”
“Thanks for clearing that up for me.”
We walk in silence for a few minutes. “Look at that house.” I point to a cozy cottage with a picket fence and a porch swing. “It’s so little and cute. It makes me want to curl up with a good book and an iced tea.”
“I don’t know who lives there. But if I get the starting position and the contract to go along with it, I’ll buy it for you.”
I aim a look at him that screamsreally? “Like I’d accept a house from you. Don’t you know me at all?”
“I didn’t mean it would happen tomorrow.”
“Well, I don’t ever want you to do that. No matter what our relationship is like. I work and have a home of my own.”
He gives my hand a quick squeeze. “I know you do.”
As we continue our walk, the sky morphs into a canvas of pink, orange, and purple. It’s so breathtaking, I make Rogan stop moving so we can fully appreciate it. I hear the occasional sounds of children laughing and dogs barking as we stand there taking in the sunset. The soft breeze stirs the hairs on the nape of my neck. Closing my eyes, I pull in a long, deep breath through my nose, and take in the scent of the sea. After I exhale, I pop my eyelids open and find Rogan watching me. “God, I love that smell.”
He nods. “Me too. When the temperatures cool down some, my windows will be open round the clock. I love how convenient air conditioning is, but there’s nothing better than fresh air.”
“That’s one of the few things Scarlett and I argue about. She’s obsessed with air conditioning and wants it on if it’s above seventy degrees.”
“What else do you fight about?” he asks.
I hesitate for a second or two. “Brett.”
He lets out an ironic laugh. “I should’ve guessed that.”
“Yeah, she didn’t make it a secret how she feels about him. You might be her new favorite person, and she might be your biggest fan now.”
“Why’s that?”
“Because you’re about to take Brett’s job from him.”
“I like to think I’m going to. But ultimately the decision is up to the coach. I can play better than ever but my fate isn’t in my hands.”
“I can’t imagine they’re not going to do what’s best for the team.”
“Yeah, but Brett’s been with the team longer than me. And he was a first-round pick. It’s hard to demote someone when they have that behind them.”
