Hard & Deep: A Football Romance

“Yep, that's her,” he said, sitting forward on the edge of the table. “She's my manager, so she wants me back on the field as much as I do.”

“Are you eating the meals that she's prepared for you?” Elsie asked, pausing in her work to look up at him. “Sometimes it can be easy to forget to eat when you're on pain meds.”

Ollie reached into the front pocket of his shorts and pulled out his cell phone, holding it up in front of her. “I have a timer that reminds me when to eat. And I promise that I'm sticking to it. I kind of have to anyway, because the pain meds make me nauseous if I take them on an empty stomach.”

“These meals are healthy, right?” she asked. “Nutrition is an impor

tant part of the healing process, so I want you eating correctly.”

Ollie leaned his head back and let out a laugh. “Yes, Mom. They're healthy. And I'm eating all of my fruits and vegetables too. Would you like to make sure that I'm washing my hands?”

“Yes, and in addition to that, I'm going to need to make sure that you're doing all your homework and making your bed.” She winked as she grinned up at him.

“So, what you're saying is that you want to see my bed?” Ollie asked, with a chuckle. He grinned naughtily at her.

She had walked right into that one. Elsie felt her cheeks burn with embarrassment by his comment, which only made Ollie laugh harder.

“Hey, you said it, not me.” Ollie put his hands in the air with his palms out, an expression of innocence.

She just shook her head and did her best not to make it worse. She needed to stay professional here. Even though it was innocent enough right now, she needed to maintain her position as medical provider. So she focused on the massage and tried to ignore the heat in her cheeks.

“I know that I'm not supposed to ask a ton of questions, per the contract I signed yesterday,” she said, clearing her throat. “But these sessions are going to be very long and tedious if we don't have something to talk about. If I ask something and you don't feel like answering, just tell me to stop and I will.”

“Sure,” he said with a small shrug. “Ask me anything.”

“Favorite food?” she asked, pausing for a moment to look up at him.

“That's an easy one,” he replied. “Pizza. I know it's not the fanciest thing to ever grace the planet, but it's my favorite because I hardly ever get to have it. It's my kryptonite.”

“If you like pizza, there's a place in town called Fo's Pizza,” she said, happy to be making small talk with him. “They have a Thai chili pizza that just might be the best thing in the entire world.”

“A Thai chili pizza?” Ollie asked, stating each word slowly, as though she had just suggested something so amazing he had to savor the words.

“Yes, and it's incredible.” Elsie practically began to drool at just the thought of it. “Fo's does deliver, though I'm not sure if they'll come out this far. I can always bring it to you sometime if you're concerned about privacy stuff.”

“I'd love to try it out, but it's really not on my diet,” he said, with a sigh. “Sounds great, though.”

“Can be you move your knee for me this way?” she said, re-positioning Ollie's leg. “Thanks.”

She continued to massage the other side of his knee. She was pushing hard on the tissue and Ollie didn't even flinch.

“Do you have any family nearby?” she asked, lifting her gaze momentarily to look at him. “Anyone that's going to come visit you?”

Oliver cocked his head for a moment, as if her question was something that he wasn't used to being asked.

“I have a younger brother,” he said slowly. “He's in college right now, though. He's studying a lot and planning on going to medical school. He's the closest, but also the busiest. So I guess the answer to your question is 'no'. No visitors planned.”

“What about Nikki?” Elsie asked, deliberately keeping her tone neutral.

“She's heading back to San Francisco,” Ollie replied. “Which is good. I don't think she'd last long here.”

Elsie raised her eyebrows and looked up at him. “She's not a country girl?”

Ollie barked a laugh. “Not even close. I think this trip might be the first time she's seen a cow in real life. If there isn't a fancy shoe store within three miles, she starts to develop hives.”

Elsie chuckled. She was secretly glad she wasn't going to have to deal with that awful woman on a regular basis.

There was a quiet pause between them for a moment. It was the kind of fleeting pause that made her heart skip a beat. An exciting and tension filled second, which she brushed off and tried to ignore.