Play Maker (Bitsberg Knights Duet)

As I dug into my late dinner, I watched Shelby, wondering where she’d go once the diner was closed for the night. Did she live nearby? Did she have a roommate? She didn’t have a ring on her finger, but maybe she had a boyfriend. For some reason, the thought didn’t sit well with me. A tiny surge of jealousy came to me, and I scoffed at myself. I knew nothing about her. I had no right to get worked up over a possible make-believe boyfriend. What the hell was wrong with me?

I returned to my playbook, shoveling in mouthwatering bites every few pages. I only glanced up when the cash register rang out or the bell at the front doors jingled. One by one, the customers filtered out. Shelby kept busy ringing up tabs and clearing tables. She looped back to my table when I was just picking up my last bite.

She leaned against the opposite booth and smiled down at me. “Well, Mr. Football player, I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but it’s dumped down another four inches of snow while you’ve been lost in your book there.”

I shot a sidelong glance out the window. Sure enough, the hood of my truck had a nice thick layer of fresh snow. I had four-wheel drive and snow tires, so I wasn’t too worried. The other car left in the lot was almost completely buried under the snow, as though it had been parked there all day. “That your ride?” I asked, jerking my chin in the direction of the car-shaped igloo.

Shelby shook her head. “No. That’s the line cooks. He’s headed out now, so if you were hoping for a second helping, you’re kinda out of luck.”

I chuckled and pushed my plate away. “I think one more cup of coffee and I’ll be good to go.” I cast a glance around the diner. We were the only two people in the dining room. “Any chance you want to join me?”

Shelby straightened and shot a nervous look around the room. I could almost see her reaching the same conclusion I just did. We were alone.

Before she could answer, the kitchen door swung open and two people crossed through the dining room, a tall, gangly man and a petite blonde with a skinny ass and way too much makeup. They both waved in our direction. “See you tomorrow, Shelb?” the blonde asked, her thick eyebrows shooting up her smooth forehead.

Shelby shook her head. “Not until next week. Tuesday.”

The blonde pouted. “All right. Drive safe!”

“You too,” Shelby replied. “Good night.”

The man raised a hand and then pulled the door open for the petite blonde. She didn’t seem fazed by the stack of snow on the walk out front, even though she was wearing dangerously high heels. The doorbell jingled as the door shut behind them, and Shelby and I watched as the man pried open the passenger door and let the blonde get inside as he went to work scraping snow and ice off the car.

“It’s hell out there. You have a ride lined up tonight?” I asked, returning to my previous theory that she had a boyfriend who’d be coming to get her.

Shelby shook her head. “No. Aunt Maggie picked me up, so I’ll probably have to call my dad to come and get me. My car is DOA.”

“Shit.”

“Yeah. Perfect timing.” She frowned out the window, seemingly lost in her own thoughts for a minute.

“I could give you a ride home.”

She snapped to attention. “Oh, no. You don’t have to do that.”

I leaned back in my seat and spread my arm out along the top of the booth. “It’s not a problem. I drive that monster out there. She can handle this snow without flinching.”

Shelby glanced out at the truck. Her sexiness shot up a thousand degrees when she nibbled on her lower lip—obviously thinking about my offer.

“Listen, why don’t you get yourself a cup of coffee and think about it?”

She glanced back at me and thought for a minute before she went to retrieve the coffeepot from the warming plate behind the counter. She brought it and a new mug over to the table and refilled my cup before filling her own. She slid into the seat opposite me, one hand wrapped around her coffee mug and the other went to the pendant on her necklace, a delicate S, and fiddled with it absently.

I picked up my own cup. “I’ve been coming here for a few months now, and I don’t remember seeing you before.”

Shelby smiled and released the necklace. “Well, up until a few weeks ago, I was barely doing anything but freaking out about my bar exam.”

My eyebrow hitched up. “Bar? Impressive.”

She shrugged a single shoulder. “I haven’t passed yet. Or at least if I have, I don’t know yet. I’m still waiting for the results. They should be here any day now.”