me.”
Poppie stifled a smile. “Sorry.”
By the time the girls got back in place, Nick had already finished his speech and was handing Moe his autographed jersey. They held it up for a photo opp and smiled for the photographers.
As Paige watched him charm the crowd, she thought him to be a natural, but then again he always had a certain energy about him that held people captive. It shouldn’t have been a surprise that he was so polished.
Nick looked across the room to finally find Paige standing a few feet away. He slyly winked in her direction. She lifted her hand in a half wave, surprised he’d notice her from all the faces in the crowd.
Poppie’s jaw dropped. “Uh, do you know him?”
Paige grinned, not breaking eye contact with Nick, and softly said, “Yeah, we go way back.”
Chapter 9
Five hours later, as she peeled her uniform off and changed back into her street clothes, Paige felt like she could drop into bed for a long nap. They were slammed all night, and if not for Poppie reminding her to stay hydrated she may have felt faint by the end of her shift.
Paige lifted her jersey to her nose before shoving it in her gym bag. It smelled like greasy food and hard work.
Gross, she thought, peering in the bathroom mirror. She quickly wet a paper towel to wipe her face and neck. Thankfully, the only thing she had going on tonight was a hot shower and a good book. She made a note to bring extra powder and deodorant to freshen up if she ever made any plans after a shift.
“Yeah,” Paige laughed to herself. “Like that’s gonna happen.”
Her mind instantly wandered back to Nick. After his presentation, he was whisked off by his manager in a whirlwind. She didn’t even get a chance to say hello, let alone catch up.
She peered at her reflection thinking the fine wrinkles were becoming more frequent around her eyes and scoffed. Who was she kidding? He was a former pro-football player. Why would he want to visit with her anyway?
Paige shook her head of any disillusions and shoved the rest her smelly uniform in her gym bag before pulling her hair back into a ponytail. She left the bathroom and waved goodbye to her co-workers before stepping out in the cold.
The night sky dazzled above her. As she stared up at the bright stars, she realized she was thankful to be home. The change of pace and setting had done wonders for her spirit – and her heart. As she approached her car and dug for her keys, she heard a familiar voice from across the parking lot.
“I liked your other outfit better.” Nick teased, thinking of how cute she previously looked. In her uniform, he could see her full grown curves from every angle, which had his mind going places it shouldn’t have. Sporty Spice had nothing on her.
“Sheesh! You scared me!” Paige jumped back and looked over a few cars to find Nick waiting patiently on the hood of his pickup. As she approached, she looked him over from head to toe, as his boots rested on his front bumper. He always had a boyish charm, but what hit her hard was that she liked the site of him as a man even more, as she took in his athletic form and his crooked smile.
“Sorry.” He slid down to lean against the grill of his truck and crossed his arms. “Didn’t mean to startle you.”
She watched the fog trail from his mouth as he spoke, and wondered how long he’d sat in the cold waiting for her. She slipped her hands into her pockets and drew in her shoulders in to stay warm. She raised an eyebrow in his direction
Poppie stifled a smile. “Sorry.”
By the time the girls got back in place, Nick had already finished his speech and was handing Moe his autographed jersey. They held it up for a photo opp and smiled for the photographers.
As Paige watched him charm the crowd, she thought him to be a natural, but then again he always had a certain energy about him that held people captive. It shouldn’t have been a surprise that he was so polished.
Nick looked across the room to finally find Paige standing a few feet away. He slyly winked in her direction. She lifted her hand in a half wave, surprised he’d notice her from all the faces in the crowd.
Poppie’s jaw dropped. “Uh, do you know him?”
Paige grinned, not breaking eye contact with Nick, and softly said, “Yeah, we go way back.”
Chapter 9
Five hours later, as she peeled her uniform off and changed back into her street clothes, Paige felt like she could drop into bed for a long nap. They were slammed all night, and if not for Poppie reminding her to stay hydrated she may have felt faint by the end of her shift.
Paige lifted her jersey to her nose before shoving it in her gym bag. It smelled like greasy food and hard work.
Gross, she thought, peering in the bathroom mirror. She quickly wet a paper towel to wipe her face and neck. Thankfully, the only thing she had going on tonight was a hot shower and a good book. She made a note to bring extra powder and deodorant to freshen up if she ever made any plans after a shift.
“Yeah,” Paige laughed to herself. “Like that’s gonna happen.”
Her mind instantly wandered back to Nick. After his presentation, he was whisked off by his manager in a whirlwind. She didn’t even get a chance to say hello, let alone catch up.
She peered at her reflection thinking the fine wrinkles were becoming more frequent around her eyes and scoffed. Who was she kidding? He was a former pro-football player. Why would he want to visit with her anyway?
Paige shook her head of any disillusions and shoved the rest her smelly uniform in her gym bag before pulling her hair back into a ponytail. She left the bathroom and waved goodbye to her co-workers before stepping out in the cold.
The night sky dazzled above her. As she stared up at the bright stars, she realized she was thankful to be home. The change of pace and setting had done wonders for her spirit – and her heart. As she approached her car and dug for her keys, she heard a familiar voice from across the parking lot.
“I liked your other outfit better.” Nick teased, thinking of how cute she previously looked. In her uniform, he could see her full grown curves from every angle, which had his mind going places it shouldn’t have. Sporty Spice had nothing on her.
“Sheesh! You scared me!” Paige jumped back and looked over a few cars to find Nick waiting patiently on the hood of his pickup. As she approached, she looked him over from head to toe, as his boots rested on his front bumper. He always had a boyish charm, but what hit her hard was that she liked the site of him as a man even more, as she took in his athletic form and his crooked smile.
“Sorry.” He slid down to lean against the grill of his truck and crossed his arms. “Didn’t mean to startle you.”
She watched the fog trail from his mouth as he spoke, and wondered how long he’d sat in the cold waiting for her. She slipped her hands into her pockets and drew in her shoulders in to stay warm. She raised an eyebrow in his direction
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