Page 18 of Lavender and Linebackers

“How many events are there?”

“Eight. Well, seven now. The photo shoot was the first, but the gym footage was new. It was not scheduled.”

He chuckles. “You have to do them too, don’t you?”

“Unfortunately.” I pull Felix into me and hug him.

“Why did she say yes to this?” He picks up his water to take a sip.

“I’m guessing for the money. She gets paid by appearance. She also has a nonprofit and the Tarpons are sponsoring.”

He stares straight at me. “Golden handcuffs?”

“Pretty much.”

“You’ll have to find a way to make it work, and I don’t need to remind you that there’s no fraternizing with the cheerleaders.”

“That is the last thing you need to worry about.”

I tried that once.

Never again.

Chapter 7

Alice

“Ihate that we have to go to these things,” I tell Kelli as we walk onto the field at the practice facility. Amber, from content marketing, stands next to a photographer and waves us over for a photograph. We pose for her, then make our way toward our other team members standing near the tables.

“No, you don’t. You usually love these things. Your name fits you perfectly, because you are a social butterfly. You just hate that he’s going to be here,” she teases.

“I really do,” I tell her as I scan the large group of people, seeing if I can spot him. For the first time in what feels like ever, I don’t. All the guys here are equally as big as Ryder, so he doesn’t jump out immediately. Good. If I don’t see him, hopefully he doesn’t see me either.

“And correction, we don’t have to go to these things. You do,” she teases. “But that extra money is worth it. No feet pictures in your future.”

She’s trying to get me to loosen up a bit, and it works. I laugh because selling feet pictures for extra income has been our running joke for years.

Every year, the team hosts a preseason barbecue. Different departments of the organization are invited, as it’s attached to the corporate offices, it’s more open than the team picnic, which is held during the bye week later in the season. That one is more of a family event just for the team, which is held in the stadium. There are a few kids here, but not many. I’m also grateful this one is indoors. The feels-like temperature today is one hundred and six.

“Mighty Monarchs. Mighty Monarchs. Mighty Monarchs,” I chant to remind myself why I’m doing this, while breathing in the smell of a pit smoker. It smells so good.

“Any idea what kind of photos they’re looking for today?”

We both slow our steps to look around. There are balloon towers, tables, outdoor activities like corn hole and volleyball, a DJ, and all the food.

“The packet said they were setting up a social media station. They want us to join them at some point for photos and video. The conversation for our video is supposed to focus on our excitement for the beginning of the season.” I look around for this and find it next to the desserts. They were smart to be near the food. Otherwise, less enthusiastic people might have avoided it.

“That doesn’t seem that difficult.”

“No, I agree. Some of the other events are more complicated than this one.”

I’m already dreading the one where we go back to our former high school to be presented at the all-school convocation and interviewed by their student social media team. I’ve worked really hard to put the past behind me, so I already have anxiety over taking that walk down memory lane.

“Oh, wait.” Kelli pulls her phone from the tiny cross-body purse she’s carrying and hands it to me. “Take a full-length picture of me really quick with the team logo in the background. I’m going to link the dress.”

That’s a great idea.

“Only if you’ll do the same for me.”