Page 75 of Her Player

I didn’t stop moving until I unlocked my office. Despite Rhett telling me that he, Coach, and Brynn had helped out with my responsibilities, my office didn’t look touched. I turned on the light and hung my purse up on the coat rack next to the door. I shrugged out of my professional blazer, the same tone of black as my skirt and heels. My blouse ruffled softly with the air conditioning that kicked on, and I raised my hands above my head, just to feel the relaxing pop of my back.

Then I slipped over to my desk and fell heavily into my chair.

The first thing that I did was log into my desktop. I saw my shifted schedule with a hell of a lot of rescheduled meetings coming up. I pulled up my work email and typed away at personal emails to everyone I had to reschedule. It was a quick, simple message, stating that if they needed access to me sooner than my schedule provided that I’d be working over the weekend now that I felt better. And after getting dozens of those things sent off, I leaned back in the leather chair.

I didn’t even get a deep breath in through my nose, however, before my office door slammed open.

Revealing my daughter.

Carrying two cups of coffee.

“Morning, Mom,” she said with a bright smile as she kicked my office door closed.

I smiled and motioned for her to sit in front of my desk. “I figured you’d already be on this end of town.”

She set one of the coffees down in front of me before taking a seat. “It’s good to see you up and about.”

“I have a lot of thanking to do, starting with you.”

“Psssh,” she said, waving her hand through the air, “no, you don’t. We only had to touch your work once this week. Just long enough to get people rescheduled.”

“No one put up a fuss?”

She sipped her coffee. “Not even a little bit.”

“Good.”

“Maybe they’re as sick of you as you are of them.”

I shot her a look, but I couldn’t help but join her in her giggle. “You’re a mess.”

“I get it from somewhere.”

That made me laugh as I reached for my coffee. I took a long pull of the black cold brew, relishing the crisp taste.

Today was going to be a good fucking day.

I was determined to make it as such.

“Have you seen the news at all?” my daughter asked.

I leaned back in my chair, crossing my leg over my knee. “I haven’t turned on the television yet, no. Did Coach have to give that press conference this week?”

She nodded. “He gave it. But he didn’t have to use it for what its intended purpose was.”

I paused. “You mean…”

She smiled over the rim of her to-go coffee cup. “We haven’t been in the news since the game, Mom.”

I smiled. “Good. I’m glad.”

I felt her studying me as I took another swig of my coffee. I’m not sure where the hell my next set of words came, but they flew out of my mouth before I could catch them.

“He’s a good guy, Brynn. I hope you know that.”

She grinned. “Colton or Rhett?”

I clicked my tongue and tried to push off her question with a snicker and a long pull from my coffee. But if she inherited anything from me, it was that steely gaze. Her brown eyes that she inherited from Ryan pinned me to my chair, and I watched as she drew in another breath.