Goldie smiles back at him as if his growling and grumbling don’t faze her in the least. “Do you know that after Fletcher passed out on me, he tracked me down to apologize and offer to take me to dinner? I thought that wasso sweet. First, he tries to save someone’s life by giving blood, then he tries to power through not feeling great so they won’t have to throw away his donation, and then he apologizes tomefor what was clearly not his fault. It says a lot about a person, doesn’t it? Silas, sweetie, let Nina do your cutting. We don’t want you back in the emergency room for stitches.”
Yep.
He pissed her offbad.
But worse?
NowIfeel like a complete and total ass because she’s painting me like a saint when I amnot.
Not even close.
And I know she knows it.
“Oh, look at you,” Goldie exclaims to me. “Rosalia, look at how uniform Fletcher’s peppers are.”
“Good knife grip,” I grunt.
She pats my ass.
She pats.
My ass.
Silas growls.
My dick is at full mast.
Crew, Porter, Tatum, and their dates are all watching us with varying degrees of amusement mixed with horror. They’re all at least eight years younger than me.
Every last one of them.
They’re all still suspicious of the European rugby god in theirlocker room. There’s nooh, he’s good—we’re winning this yearthat came with my entry to their team.
It’s pure suspicion.
Like there aren’t at least three other guys from the highest echelons of international rugby who could’ve retired but came here to Copper Valley to play for the Pounders instead in the past few years.
But they’re not me.
Apparently I have a reputation.
And bloody Rafferty gave an interview live on the telly about my exit from Nottingshire that wasn’t complimentary.
We mix the cheese dips and get them in the oven, then chop more peppers and some onions.
I cry.
Not ashamed.
Fucking onions.
But the kitchen’s starting to smell like cheese, and Rosalia turns her attention to frying fresh tortilla chips while we get a break to sit on our stools and have some wine.
I don’t touch mine.
Goldie sips hers delicately.
Silas slurps his.
