Jett (Arizona Vengeance 10)

In addition to the second line guys, also standing in the vicinity are Bishop and his wife, Brooke. She happens to not only be Coach Perron’s daughter, but she got promoted to the Director of Team Services last year, so she and I see each other frequently during the workday. I get the chance to meet Wylde’s girlfriend, Clarke, and Tacker is there with his wife, Nora. Once all the introductions are made, the women congregate with each other, but Jenna and I don’t know them all that well. However, Jett doesn’t give us a chance to break off.

He’s the one who invited me—and I invited Jenna who he was more than happy I was bringing tonight—and he plasters himself to us, intermittently buying us drinks and making more introductions to other players’ wives and girlfriends.

Jenna and I took an Uber here and she’ll take one home. I’ll leave with Jett and he’ll bring me home in the morning. With our rides safely in hand, Jenna and I decide to let our hair down and not worry about our alcohol intake. By the time we’re ordering our third beers, we’re both laughing along with Jett and crew and having a good time. I’m sure it’s the alcohol but Jenna doesn’t seem as self-conscious and has stopped tugging her hair to hide her scars. Not one person has taken any overt notice of them, although they are readily apparent. Everyone here is polite and not making a big deal out of it, and she’s definitely not getting the looks of pity that she had dreaded. In fact, most everyone is outgoing and inclusive and I’m really starting to understand the family vibe that runs heavy within this team.

Jett stays by my side, but he makes no effort to slip in some PDA. While I appreciate this, I also have to admit I like him by my side, because his attention is mostly on me and mine is mostly on him.

As Jenna is talking to Nora who has sidled over our way, Jett leans down and whispers, “Any thoughts as to when we should leave?”

I don’t turn to look at him but manage to reply out of the side of my mouth. “I wouldn’t be averse to that being soon. Our time together is limited.”

Because I have to go home in the morning and we’re nearing midnight as it is.

“After this beer,” he says, the waitress having just handed out the last round. “We’ll make sure Jenna gets in her Uber and head out.”

I turn slightly to look at him, smiling my agreement but not putting anything extra into it lest someone be watching our interaction closely. Instead, I hold my pint glass out to his and we tap them together in silent agreement of this plan.

Jenna moves over to join us, and Jett asks her, “Having fun?”

“I am,” she answers easily, and the sparkle in her eye is from the beer, but that’s fine by me. Fun is fun. “Thanks for inviting us.”

“Open invitation to both of you,” he assures her. “And maybe the next weekend afternoon game we have, you can bring Felicity here too. It’s a lot more family-friendly during day games. A lot of kids here.”

Jenna’s eyes cut to me and I get a knowing smirk. It says, He’s interested in more. Why aren’t you?

I change the subject, and since Jenna and I are new to the area, we ask Jett for other restaurant recommendations. I know Jett to be a not-so-good cook from personal experience, so it’s no surprise when he launches into a long list of places to eat, from fast food to fancy.

“There’s a deli in Vengeance Town called Golby’s and they have the best sandwiches you can imagine. They even sell hiking baskets you can take on a hiking day trip complete with sandwiches, chips, and drinks in a cute little drawstring thermal pack.”

“That sounds like fun,” Jenna says, and then moves her eyes to me. “We should all do that sometime. Me, you, Jett, and Felicity go on a hike.”

“I’m in,” Jett replies with a good-natured smile, his tone friendly should anyone be paying too close attention. He has no clue that Jenna is trying her best to push us toward something more than meaningless sex.

I’m wise to her ways and I don’t jump on the idea.

Jenna apparently is not forgetting my promise to try to open up to him in exchange for her coming out with us tonight. She stares at me pointedly until I’m forced to say, “Yeah… that sounds like fun.”

We lapse into a discussion of some of the hiking Jett has done in the area, which is interesting because Jenna and I liked to hike when we lived in California. It’s something all of us have in common but we’ll have to choose some easy paths for Felicity.