Catching Summer (Second Chances, #6)(17)
The moment the lights on the cameras beamed our way, Evan put his arm around my waist, stopping my retreat. “Stay with me, sunshine,” he murmured in my ear. If he only knew how hard it was for me.
The humidity got ten times worse and I broke out in a massive sweat. I recognized the reporter as Mike Weller, the sports anchor for our local news station. Dressed in a Cougars jersey and jeans, he was showing support for his team. He smiled at me, but I breathed a sigh of relief when he held the microphone out to Evan. “Evan Townsend, how does it feel to bring your team to another victory?”
Evan chuckled and waved around at the other players. “It wasn’t just me who brought the win. The guys have worked really hard and it showed out there today.”
“Do you think you have a shot at the Super Bowl?”
“Hell, yeah. We won it once and I know we can do it again.”
Grinning widely, Mike turned to me and I struggled to smile. In my mind, I screamed for him not to talk to me. He must’ve heard it because he didn’t engage. “I see you have a good luck charm with you,” he said, nodding slightly to me. “Your fans might get a little jealous over that, but if she’s what made you tear up the field today, I say keep her close.”
“I would, but it’s all up to her,” Evan replied, winking down at me then turning back to the cameras. “Thanks for coming to the game.”
Mike waved at the camera guy and he lowered it; the interview was over. Thank God. “My pleasure. I wouldn’t miss it. You guys seriously kicked ass last season. This one looks promising as well.” He held out his hand and Evan shook it. “We’ll see you at the next home game.” As soon as he sauntered off, I breathed a sigh of relief.
“You ready to get out of here?” Evan asked.
I nodded. “Very much so.”
He removed his arm from around my waist and Kate grabbed my elbow, pulling me away. “Summer and I will keep each other company while you and Cooper clean up. We’ll meet you in the locker room in a bit.”
The team started to rush off to the locker room, signing autographs along the way. Evan smiled at me before Cooper dragged him into the fray, getting lost in the crowd of excited players. More cameras flashed as Kate and I disappeared off the field and into the stadium. There was a vacant office by the locker room Kate pulled me into and shut the door. We could hear the guys shouting as they rushed past. Thankfully, it was much easier to breathe in the cool, air-conditioned room.
Kate sat down at the desk while I flopped down in the seat in front of it. “Please tell me I’m not going to be on the news.”
She laughed. “Wish I could, but you were seen with Evan. He’s a hot commodity around here. I wouldn’t be surprised if you show up in the newspapers.”
“If I do, I know my family will see it and so will Austin’s,” I groaned.
Kate narrowed her eyes. “Are you afraid they won’t approve of you seeing someone?”
If only it were that simple. “No, that’s not it. Evan’s a great guy and I enjoy his company. What I’m concerned about is my name. Austin’s family wants to move on and I don’t want what happened brought back up in the media. I’m just afraid the press will hound me again.”
She nodded in understanding. “If it’s going to happen, there’s nothing we can do about it. You just need to be strong. If you and my brother start dating, you’re going to be in the spotlight. Make sure you think long and hard on this. When Evan looks at you, it’s obvious it’s not a simple infatuation. If this isn’t what you want, you need to halt it before it goes too far. I don’t want to see either of you hurt.”
Being in the public eye scared the hell out of me. I was in it with Austin, but it was nothing compared to the level of fame Evan had. “What if I’m scared?” I asked.
A sad smile spread across her lips. “Just because you’re scared doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take chances. I did with Cooper, and I thank God every day for giving me the strength to help him. And now Evan can help you. You just need to let him.”
Chapter 9
Summer
It had been about twenty minutes since Cooper had come for Kate and said Evan was almost ready. The time alone was what I needed. I had no clue what was going to happen in the future, but I knew I didn’t want to miss out on life because I was scared. Opening the office door, I peeked out into the hall and all was quiet. Did Evan leave without me?
The locker room was just a few feet away, so I strolled to the door and peeked inside. It was a little humid from the steam, but off in the far corner I heard a deep groan. I’d heard of the things some of the players liked to do in the locker rooms when no one was around. By the sound of the groaning, I could tell it was Evan. Thoughts of him screwing around with another woman made my gut clench. I could feel the fire in my veins.
His breathing picked up and so did my heart, thumping wildly out of control. I didn’t want to see him with someone else, but I had to know. Clenching my teeth, I tiptoed by the lockers until the showers came into view. All I had to do was turn the corner and Evan would be right there. Taking a deep breath, I glanced around the side of the lockers and saw him on the floor, alone, with a towel wrapped around his waist. His groans weren’t ones of pleasure, but pain. His hands were wrapped around his calf, his face scrunched in agony.