Catching Summer

Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Evan

“Evan, thank you. I’m so sorry. Clumsiness runs in my family.”

Chuckling, I handed her the phone, thankful I’d been able to catch it before it shattered on the concrete. “No worries. I wasn’t paying attention, either. You doing okay?”

Clearing her throat, she pocketed her phone and looked down at the ground. Her bright blond hair covered her face, but she tucked one side of it behind her ear, exposing her neck. She was so damn beautiful. It didn’t help that she was wearing a pair of tight jeans and a pink top that hugged her curves. The crazy thing was that she was oblivious to the effects she had on the men around her. The first time I saw her two years ago, I’d wanted to ask her out. That was before I found out what had happened to her. Lara warned me away and said it wasn’t the right time. It made me wonder if there would ever be one. I never saw her with anyone except the therapist she spent every Tuesday with. She never volunteered information about those sessions so I made it a point not to ask her about them. I could tell it made her uncomfortable with everyone knowing she was seeing a shrink. I didn’t care what she did as long as she got the help she needed.

“I’m doing pretty well, just on my way back to the restaurant. Are you and the guys excited about the game this weekend?”

“We’re always excited about them, especially the home games. It’s the first one for the season so it’ll be a little tense. Makes for a great game though.”

“I can imagine.” She paused for a second but then her eyes went wide. “Oh, hey, how’s your sister? I was trying to call her before I ran into you.”

“Other than being bitchy and seven months pregnant, she’s good. I think she’s excited about having you around the team. Her tolerance has gotten pretty low now that she’s about to explode.” The guys made sure to give her a wide berth when she was around. That was how scary a pregnant woman could be.

“Great. That’s what I needed to talk to her about. I’m assuming I’ve been approved to help out with the team?”

Summer was so reserved, I was shocked that she even wanted to help out with the guys. A lot of them were wild—untamed—and most of them didn’t know her life story like I and a few others did. One thing was for sure, they wouldn’t be gentle around her. When Kate had told me she was going to be working with us, I knew I’d have my work cut out for me.

“As of right now you are. Not unless you get arrested in the next couple of days.”

She laughed, and it was one of the most beautiful sounds I’d heard in a long time. She didn’t do it often, but when she did it was amazing. I knew everyone wished she’d do it more, especially me.

“Are you sure you can handle the guys? They can get a little rowdy.”

Pursing her lips, she crossed her arms over her chest, amusement in her blue gaze. “I think you’re forgetting I own the restaurant you guys frequent on occasion. I’ve seen you all drunk. I think I can handle it. Thanks for your concern, though.”

“Yes, but not all of them are respectful like me.”

She snorted. “Evan, I spent years around MMA fighters, going to matches and watching them train with Austin. They’re a different breed, but I’m sure they’re about the same as you football players. I may be a little out of practice, but I have a mouth on me when I need it. Where do you think Lara learned it all from?”

“I have to say I’m intrigued,” I said.

“Yo, Townsend, hurry up, dude. We don’t got all day.” The door to the gym opened and I looked over Summer’s shoulder at Derek McLaughlin, a sly grin appearing on his face when he noticed me talking to her. He was one of the fiercest linebackers on our team, the Carolina Cougars.

When she turned to look at him, I flipped him off and glared. He got the picture and smiled at Summer before ducking back into the gym. She laughed and faced me again. “All right, I guess you need to go. I didn’t know you worked out at that gym. I figured you all would have your own equipment in your homes or at the stadium.”

“Most of us do, but I like the motivation of being around others for a change. The team helps each other out, though. You’ll see what I mean when you work with us.” I stepped around her and started for the door. “Take care, Summer.”

“Same to you,” she replied softly. When I opened the door to the gym, I watched her walk down the sidewalk and disappear around the corner.

Derek bumped me in the shoulder. “Really, Townsend? You know you’re not going to land a touchdown with that. You won’t even be able to gain one yard.”

“That’s not what I’m doing, shitdick,” I snapped, slapping him upside the head. “We’re just friends.”

Derek raised a red brow and shook his head. “Didn’t look like that to me. I haven’t ever seen her smile at me like that.”

“Maybe it’s because she knows you’re too far up Brianna’s ass.”

“And other places, too,” he chided with a wink. I rolled my eyes and went straight to the weight bench. Brianna was one of our team’s cheerleaders and a good friend of my sister’s. She and Derek had been dating for a year. Out of all the cheerleaders, Brianna was the only trustworthy one. She wasn’t like Lindsey, who I had dated for a few months, at the time thinking that if anyone f****d up it would be me. I was wrong. She cheated on me while we were at an away game with a player from the opposing team and then f****d around with Jax, a guy who was supposed to be my teammate. I wasn’t one to talk s**t about women, but she was a worthless b***h.

“I’m going to need your help to make sure the guys stay away from her,” I said. “She’s going to be with Kate a lot in the next couple of weeks helping out the team. The last thing she needs is one of the guys trying to f**k with her.”

Lying back on the bench, I wrapped my fingers around the bar and was about to lift when Derek’s face loomed over mine, his smile wide. “You just want them out of the way so you can make your move. You can’t fool me, Townsend. You’re hard up over her, admit it. You always have been.”

I snorted and shook my head. I did want her. “It doesn’t matter anyway. She doesn’t want a guy like me.” I didn’t know what she wanted, but I was sure as hell going to find out.