It’s not a date. It’s work. It’s one dinner. I can survive one dinner.
I dropped my bag, leaned my forehead against the closed door for a beat, then pushed off with a breath that didn’t quite reach its full potential of calming me down.
Letting my bag thump to the floor, I headed for the bathroom. The shower helped as hot water drummed over my shoulders and into my scalp, washing away the sweat, mud, and grass. It didn’t do much for my anxiety, though; that still followed me around like a shadow.
By the time I stepped out and wrapped myself in the fluffiest towel I owned, my phone buzzed.
Micah
Open your door.
I frowned, then heard a knock.
“Of course,” I muttered, padding through the apartment. When I opened the door, Micah was there in leggings and a Valkyries quarter zip, hair scooped into a ponytail, and a garment bag hooked over her shoulder.
“I brought options,” she said, pushing her way inside. Just as my mouth hung open, a sharp retort on the tip of my tongue, two other figures barged inside too. Lola and Evie didn’t look apologetic at all. “And reinforcements. These two were available on short notice. Delany had her kids, and the others were busy.”
Lola gave me an apologetic smile as Evie nudged the door shut with her hip. “You’re extremely incapable of asking for help, so this is a team intervention.”
“Please come in. Make yourself at home,” I murmured.
My stomach swooped with the number of bags they carried. “Hair, makeup, and shoes.” Evie attempted to put me at ease. It wasn’t that I didn’t like getting all dolled up; it was that I didn’t usually have time to do it. Nor was I that talented at it. My hair was always in braids because that’s what Natalie had taught me. I had a strict skincare routine, but makeup was daunting. Like,how many steps did I need to take to apply it? And what needed contouring versus highlighting? I was clueless.
Micah hung the garment bag on the closet door and turned to look at me properly, head tilting. “You still nervous?”
“Why would I be nervous? It’s just dinner. With management. And the people holding our season’s budget between their fingers. And Connor.” I swallowed, and it felt like my throat was lined with rocks.
Lola’s mouth curved. “There it is. He’s the one you’re nervous about.”
“It’s not—” I started, then stopped, because denying anything with that much force was always a tell. “He’s the Knights’ captain. We’re required to go together, part of our jobs.”
Micah sat on the edge of my bed while Evie and Lola emptied their bags onto it. “Well, however you feel about it, we’re here to make sure you feel and look amazing.” She unzipped the garment bag with a little flourish. Inside was a tailored dark green jumpsuit I recognized immediately. She’d sent me a picture of it when she bought it a few months ago.
I also vividly remember Connor telling me that he had a tie that was dark green. What were the chances my assistant coach was conspiring here? High. Very, very high.
“I can’t wear that,” I said, even as I stepped closer. The fabric looked soft and expensive, the color shimmering with emerald velvet.
“You can and you will,” she replied. “It’s not doing anything in my closet tonight, and it’ll look better on you.”
Lola pulled the towel from my head without warning, and I knew I wouldn’t escape their help. Secretly, I was grateful.
Within an hour, Evie had dried and styled my hair, and Lola had been working on putting products on my face while Micah made us all mocktails from the kitchen.
“Okay, tilt your chin for me,” Lola said with her brow drawn in concentration. She tapped something cool on the top of my cheekbones. “You have ridiculously good skin, by the way. It’s been a dream applying this.”
My gut burned with the compliment. “Thanks,” I managed.
Micah handed me a glass, condensation beading down the side. “Grapefruit and lime. No alcohol, because I’ve seen you on tequila, and we’re not doing that before a donor dinner.”
“That was one time,” I protested, taking a sip. It was tart and fizzy and exactly what my stomach needed. “And it was college.”
“And yet the legend lives on,” Micah said as Lola brushed something through my eyebrows.
“Close your eyes for me.”
I obeyed, more from trust than anything. Somewhere between Evie’s steady hands in my hair and Lola’s commentary, the buzzing in my veins had quieted to something less feral. It was still there, but it wasn’t in charge. Usually, I was the one bossing everyone around, herding them on the pitch or through workouts. But I realized how good it felt to hand the reins over, even if it was temporary.
“You know, this actually works out well,” Evie said, sectioning off another piece of hair with quick fingers. “We’ve all been so busy prepping for our first season. We never get to do fun things like this.”
