Then, she jumps.
My hands find her hips. I power out of my squat, my arms extending overhead as I press her to the sky. I hold her there, her weight nothing compared to the heat of her body pressing into my palms, and it feels right.
Her arms go out, the overhead light illuminating a halo around her head as I stare up at her. She looks like an angel, and for one second, I let myself feel it: the longing that has been growing since the day I set my eyes on Coach Finley Blake.
And, fuck. I am so screwed.
I know we finish the dance, but I couldn’t tell you a single thing that happened after the lift. Not a single one.
Chapter 13
Finley
“Youcangoin,”Paige says from outside my office.
Sabrina walks through my door, smiling widely, and I try not to be annoyed that the competition is taking up so much of my time.
“I have great news, Finley,” Sabrina announces, taking a seat across the desk from me.
“We’ve had such a great response to the first two challenges that we’re calling it and announcing Kane and me as the winners?”
Sabrina chuckles like I’m joking. “Definitely not. The better the response, the more I want to add an additional challenge! But the internet’s response to the talent show is what I’m here to talk about,” Sabrina explains.
Oh no. That can’t be good.
“What do you mean?”
“Have you been on any social media today?” Sabrina asks.
“You know I haven’t. I let your team handle my professional account for a reason. I don’t need to see what people say about me online. All it does is distract me from what I should be doing: coaching.”
“Yes, yes. I know. Are you at least aware of the fact you’re trending?”
I shake my head. “No—actually wait. Larsen mentioned something about it after the first challenge. Something about L-squared.”
“I think it’s double L. The hashtag is just a two and then the letter L.” Sabrina waves her manicured hand. “But that’s not why I’m here. Though, if you wanted to consider changing your defensive pairs, so Li and Larsen—”
“No,” I interrupt. I draw the fucking line at changing my game plan to play into media attention.
She shrugs. “I just thought I’d ask.”
“Well, the answer is no,” I reply, straightening my back.
“Anyway,” Sabrina continues, her voice just as cheerful as ever. “The real reason I’m here today is to talk aboutyourname. Or, more specifically, your and Kane’s. TeamBlane is viral.”
My chest tightens. Team Blane? Like… a couple name? There’s no way the audience saw anything between us, right? Of course not. Because thereisn’tanything. And I made sure I buried my feelings down deep—even if I did catch myself smiling at Beckett. But it was just a friendly smile.
And shit. That’s what the woman called me in Dallas. It wasn’t a slip-up. Sheknew.
Sabrina continues, “Theyloveyou two. Particularly, the clip where you tell the team they’re going to have to do sprints. Over five million views already on that one. Truly, it’s gold. It’s the most successful community-engagement content we’ve had in years.”
Oh, thank goodness. It’s notusthey like. It’s our team they like. It might be a fine distinction, but it’s a very fucking important one.
“Okay, well, thanks for letting me know,” I say, turning back to my work.
“This isn’t just a heads-up,” Sabrina replies. “We’re going to need to lean into this one. Have the two of you do a few additional videos together, teasing the next challenge, talking about the team, that sort of thing. Maybe even an interview or two for some of the local networks.”
“Sabrina, I’m already spending a lot of time away from my actual job to make this happen. Can’t you get Li and Larsen to do it?”
