Loving Him Off the Field(53)

“My dad’s Coach Jordan,” she added, giving Aileen the idea she had no clue who she was talking to. A journalist. “Still feels weird to say that.”

“I, uh, saw your interview a few weeks ago.” Aileen picked up her bag, then set it back down again. This was so wrong. “Just so you know, I didn’t believe any of that sex triangle crap. I’m sure there’s another reason for what happened, and we’re just not privy to it.”

Cassie beamed at her. “Finally, some intelligent life. Thank you. I’m so tired of saying ‘no comment’ every time I go grocery shopping. You know, the last time I was at Target picking up deodorant, someone asked me if I was picking up some for my two lovers?” She huffed out a laugh and shook her head. “It’s funny now, but at the time it freaked me out a little.”

“Sorry,” Aileen said sincerely. No matter how much time she spent with players and their families, she would never quite understand how difficult it was to live life in that spotlight. “That sucks.”

“It does.” She glanced around once more. “Are you waiting on someone?”

“Killian Reeves.”

Cassie’s eyes widened. “Oh, okay. I wasn’t aware he was dating anyone.”

“He’s not.” Or was he? No, no, they were not dating. And she’d have noticed a girlfriend by now, given how they’d practically lived in each other’s back pockets the last few weeks.

Cassie blinked, confused. “Okay then.”

If you use the sneak-attack approach, real sly-like, she won’t even see it coming.

Screw you, Bobby.

“I have to tell you something,” Aileen said quickly. “I’m actually a reporter. Journalist. Whatever. I do the Bobcat beat for a small website called Off Season.” She grimaced. “You’ve never heard of it, I’m sure. But I just had to tell you, in case, you know . . .” She waved her hand toward Cassie, then between them. “I just didn’t want you thinking I was trying to gain something by hiding my identity.”

Cassie sat for a moment, her eyes a little wide, then narrowed them. “You didn’t have to tell me that.”

Aileen shrugged.

“I mean,” Cassie went on, “you could have just let me keep talking. I’m in a chatty mood today. Happens when I’ve been coding for too long. The computer screen is poor company, and suddenly I need to bust out and talk, so I talk to anyone.” She grinned. “I once accidentally held a barista hostage with my ramblings for half an hour. Poor thing, she had no clue how to get rid of me.”

Aileen laughed before she could help it.

Cassie nodded. “I like you,” she declared. “I’ve made it my mission to start making more friends out here, now that I’m officially in Santa Fe on a permanent basis.”

The reporter in her heard a story in the making. Moved out permanently, putting down roots, working in the Bobcat main offices . . . Sounds like a good one. Then the woman slapped the reporter back two steps. “Friends are good.” She wouldn’t be able to speak from experiences, of course, but she knew logically they were a good thing to have around.

Cassie’s phone beeped and she checked it, smiling a little. “It’s my dad,” she explained. “He apologized for taking so long, but apparently he had to, in his own words,” Cassie held up quote fingers, “‘rip a few new ones.’ They’re done now.” She made a face. “Guys say the nastiest things.”

“They do,” Aileen agreed. “But God love ’em.”

Cassie bumped her shoulder and chuckled.

Too bad they couldn’t be friends in real life. Cassie would always be guarded around her, and Aileen would never be able to fully put away the reporter instinct.

She caught movement from the corner of her eye and saw Killian approaching.

He would always be guarded, too. She had to keep remembering that. Even in the soft afterglow, he wasn’t going to fully let her see in. It would never work out.

Man, that sucked.

* * *

For approximately five seconds after seeing Aileen with Cassie Wainwright, Killian had the panicked thought she was grilling Cassie for a story. Just what he needed, the coach’s daughter being pissed at him for bringing around a reporter to pick at her.

Then he shook that idea off. He wasn’t bringing her around. She was following him, just like any other member of the media. Trying to get a story, then backing off when it didn’t work. Then Cassie laughed, and Aileen smiled, and he let out a breath. Not grilling, but gabbing. Doing that mysterious girl-bonding thing that men never seemed to quite understand.