“C’mon, Jamar.” Alec shot him a sly smile. “There’s been speculation for months that you’re looking to return to the League. It would make sense that you’ve hired a personal trainer to help you get back in playing form.”

Dread raced through his veins. The one thing he’d feared the most was happening, and he had no idea how to stop it.

“I don’t…” he started, but the words caught in his throat.

“Actually, we’re dating,” Taylor said. She grabbed his hand and entwined her fingers with his. A radiant smile stretched across her lips, but when she glanced at him, her eyes were wide with a Holy shit, what did I just say? look.

“It was one of the few positive things to come out of that disastrous viral video,” she continued with a shaky laugh. “I caught Jamar’s eye and he was bold enough to ask me out.”

“I guess there’s a silver lining to every situation,” Alec said. He nodded at Jamar. “If you ever do decide to make a comeback, I’d appreciate a heads-up. You have an open invitation to break the news on Central Texas Sports Talk.”

“You’ll be the first to know.” Jamar managed to smile as he answered the reporter. The moment Mooney was out of earshot, he turned to Taylor. “What was that?”

“I don’t know!” She lifted her hands in hapless frustration. “I panicked! I just said the first thing that came to my mind.” She pressed her palms to her cheeks. “Shit! Shit, shit, shit.”

Jamar sucked in a deliberate breath. It felt as if his ribs were squeezing his chest.

How had things gone so wrong, so fast? Keeping his desire to return to the League a secret should have been an easy task, yet they’d failed it in spectacular fashion. Fucking Mooney. How had he jumped to the right conclusion? How could Alec take one look at Taylor Powell and not assume that hooking up with her would be the first thing on Jamar’s mind?

A knot the size of Texas twisted in his gut, but he knew what he needed to do.

“I’ll catch up with Mooney and tell him the truth,” he said. He started after Alec, but Taylor caught his hand.

“No. Don’t do that. Not yet.” She exhaled an impatient breath. “Look, we’ll figure it out. For now, just…go with it.”

“Taylor—”

“We’ll figure it out,” she repeated. “We just have to think this through.”

Jamar stared at her for several moments, trying to figure out what was going on inside her head.

“Okay,” he said. “Let’s figure it out.”

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER TEN