‘Don’t get changed yet. Head on upstairs. Ms Conway would like to see you in her office.’
The moment he says it, my body goes rigid, and all my teammates are hollering and whistling in my direction. I feel my cheeks flare hot. I still haven’t asked Lemon out on a date, like I was supposed to.
I get a bunch of slaps on the back as I head for the door. Others ruffle my hair. I hate that I feel like the kid in my own workplace. The one who everybody laughs at. Hud Briar gives me a wolfish grin. He’s chewing gum and still hasn’t removed those damn glasses.
‘Got any advice?’ I ask him.
‘Other than take Lemon Conway out on a date and show her a good time? Unless you wanna get benched for the rest of your season? Sorry, man, no. No advice.’
My feet are like lead weights as I climb the stairs to the main offices from the first floor. On route, several people I don’t know wanna shake my hand. I can hear the crowds already. River and my parents are somewhere out there in their seats, but we don’t get free tickets for the game. Some of my teammates have a suite, but I’m nowhere near that level yet.
‘I’ll let Ms Conway know you’re here,’ a woman says to me when I arrive.
My stomach’s a ball of nerves. It’s been almost a week since Sam Conway dropped a colossal hint that I should ask her daughter out, and since that moment, all I’ve thought about is Serenity Harper. Lemon hasn’t even entered my mind, not once.
‘You can go on in,’ the woman says.
I inhale, force my legs to move. I should be getting ready for the game with my teammates and resentment sits squarely in my gut. If I’d have known that my first-round draft pick was all down to a crush, I’d have gone with another team. Except now I’ve signed a contract.
‘Jake,’ Sam Conway says as I enter, and takes off her glasses. ‘Thanks for taking the time to come up here. Have a seat.’
‘Is there something I can help you with, ma’am?’
She produces a smile that I think is meant to put me at ease. I guess ticket sales are what paid for those straight, white teeth. I’ve only met this woman a few times, but I’ve heard the rumours. If she’s nice to you it’s because she wants something.
‘Good luck out there today. We’re so pleased to have you here. I just wanted to ask if you’d thought any more about our conversation at my son’s wedding.’
A lump balloons in my throat and I swallow it down. ‘You mean about Lemon?’
‘It’s just that you gave me the impression that you were gonna talk to her.’
I wanna tell her that I’ve met a girl already, a girl who I intend to make my girlfriend, except that, right now, when out the back of her office I can see the lines of people entering the stadium, I know I can’t argue with her.
‘I’m sorry, ma’am, I hadn’t gotten around to it yet.’
‘So, you will still ask her.’
That’s a statement, not a question. ‘If that’s what you want me to do, ma’am.’
‘Oh no, please, keep me out of it,’ Sam Conway says with a wave of her hand. ‘But I really would appreciate it.’
‘I better go get ready for the game,’ I tell her, getting back to my feet.
‘Of course. Give ’em hell out there, champ. Thank you, Jake.’
I give her a nod and I’m out the door before I know it. I take a left and nearly crash into Lemon herself.
‘Oh!’ she exclaims, and almost drops the folders held in her arms.
‘Sorry, sorry,’ I say, before it hits me that this was the set-up all along. Apparently, this is my cue.
‘It’s Lemon, right?’ I say.
She looks thrilled. Like, beside herself. Her blonde hair is scraped back into a high ponytail, held in place by a giant polka dot bow, her dark roots just visible underneath. ‘You remembered me, Jake Walsh.’ She grins at me, which reminds me simultaneously that she knows exactly who I am.
I’m a dead man if I don’t do this. ‘Sure, why wouldn’t I remember?’
‘Oh, aren’t you sweet,’ she says, elongating the sound of the double ‘e’ before she descends into giggling laughter.
