Total pages in book: 40
Estimated words: 40420 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 202(@200wpm)___ 162(@250wpm)___ 135(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 40420 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 202(@200wpm)___ 162(@250wpm)___ 135(@300wpm)
I grin back at him and scan the room. I spot Atlas standing over in a corner, watching the raucous display with a little smile on his face.
I head in his direction. I know Cole’s in here somewhere, or maybe he’s doing a press conference. I don’t look around for him. I don’t want to lose my nerve.
Atlas looks at me as I approach. “I was wondering when I’d see you,” he says to me.
“Hi, Atlas. Can we talk?”
He nods. “We sure can.” He cocks his head as if I’m about to start talking right here.
“Uh, somewhere private?”
“Ah, right. Okay. Sure. Lead the way.”
I take him back through the group and toward the training room. We stop in the hallway once we’re away from the group enough that it’s quiet for us to talk.
Nobody’s around as I turn toward him. Atlas smiles at me, looking totally nonthreatening, but I still feel off. I’m worried about him, worried how he’ll take this.
He’s a rich guy, and rich guys don’t take rejection very well. They’re used to getting their way.
But I’m not interested. Maybe in some other circumstance, or in another life. But right now, with Cole lingering in my mind and in my body every time I get anywhere near him…
“What did you want to talk about?” Atlas asks me.
I take a deep breath. “Atlas, I need to be honest with you.”
“Okay,” he says. “What’s up?”
“I don’t think we should go out together.”
He hesitates, but only for a second, and his face doesn’t betray anything. “Okay,” he says.
I stand there for a second in silence. He stares at me, a little smile on his face.
“That’s it?” I ask.
“That’s it. What did you expect?”
“I don’t know,” I admit.
“Honestly, I am curious why you said yes at first, but you don’t owe me an explanation.”
“I’ll tell you if you promise not to get mad.”
“Go ahead,” he says.
“I was afraid of you.”
He laughs softly and nods. “I figured.”
“Really?”
“I’m the owner. You didn’t think you could say no to me.”
“Yeah,” I admit. “I didn’t. I’m really sorry.”
“No, it’s my fault. I should know better than to ask people out that work for me. It’s just a strange power imbalance and there’s not much I can do about it.”
“You’ll always have a power imbalance, though, won’t you?”
He smiles sadly. “Pretty much. It’s sometimes hard…” He trails off, shaking his head.
“You can tell me. I’m curious, actually.”
“Well, I’m rich. Everyone knows, it’s not some secret. But because I’m rich, people have certain… expectations. They want things from me. It’s hard to separate the people that genuinely care for me as a person and the people that care about my money.”
I bite my lip. I hadn’t thought about that part. “I’m sorry you have to deal with that.”
He waves my comment away. “Please. I’m a rich boy complaining about all the money I have. Not exactly sympathetic.”
“You’re still a person, you know.”
“I’m aware.” He grins at me. “Anyway, thanks for speaking up. I bet that took some courage.”
“It really did.”
“Figured I’d be in a good mood so now’s the time, right?”
“Right.”
“Not a bad thought.”
“Anyway, I’m sorry I didn’t say anything from the start.”
“Forget about it. Honestly. I’m already over it.” He grins at me. “I’m going to head back in there. You should try and celebrate too, you know.”
“I’ll try.”
He nods, smiles, and walks away. I watch him go, and for a second, I think I can see a slump to his shoulders.
But I shake my head and look away. Down the hall, something moves, and I realize it’s a person standing outside of his office.
Cole nods at me slowly. I nod back at him, eyes wide. I take a step in his direction, wanting to explain what I just did, but Tessa comes jogging down the hall.
“There you are!” she says, grabbing my arm. “Girl, you gotta come hang out. It’s crazy in there.”
“I know,” I say, looking back to Cole, but he’s already gone. I frown then turn to Tessa. “It’s like they won the lottery.”
“They basically did.”
“Genetic lottery, at least.”
“And now they beat the Patriots. What else can you want?”
I laugh. “Okay. Lead the way. Let’s have some fun.”
She grins and we head back to the locker room celebration. Together. I try and put Atlas out of my mind, I try not to obsess over what Cole’s thinking. I just try to relax, at least a little bit.
14
Cole
Monday morning, bright and early. I squint at the sun as I step out onto the field.
Robby follows me out, rubbing his temples. We’ve been watching tape from yesterday’s game for two hours already. A coffee steams in his hand.
“What do you think?” I ask him.
He shrugs. “Looks good. Could be better.”
“Yeah. I think so too.”
“We’re lucky the Patriots are dealing with injuries right now. If their starting defense had been on the field…” He trails off.