Page 37 of Love Unwritten
I shrug. “I’ve been okay.”
She frowns. “I’m sorry I never reached out. I wanted to after I heard about Rafa firing you, but he prohibited us from asking you about it.”
Grass crunches beneath my sneakers as I rock back on my heels. “Oh.”
She makes a face. “I know he can be…”
“A grumpy, insufferable, paranoid asshole?”
Her eyes widen at something over my shoulder. My neck prickles before I turn my head and look back at the man staring me down like I’m the bane of his existence.
“Don’t stop on my account,” Rafael says. “I feel like you were just getting started.”
All the blood in my body rises to my face.
“You know what? I just realized I need to use the bathroom before the game begins. See you out on the field!” Lily gives my arm a quick squeeze before she rushes toward the other team’s dugout, where the players are all wearing identical Lopez Luxury shirts.
“Eleanor.” Rafael’s jaw ticks.
“Rafael.” I take a step in the opposite direction.
He matches my stride with one of his own. “I didn’t expect to see you here.”
I bristle at his tone. “Why not?”
“You hate sports.”
“How do you know that?”
“You and Nico bonded over it once.”
My brows shoot up. “And you remembered that?”
“Hard to forget someone telling a story of how they once celebrated scoring a goal in their own team’s net.”
Okay, seriously though, does he remember every single thing I say, and if so, why?
I take another step backward. “Well, I’m here for charity.”
His gaze drops to my shirt, where the Vittori logo is plastered across the front. “You’re on Lorenzo’s team?”
“Yup.”
“I wasn’t aware that you two knew each other.” A muscle in his cheek twitches.
“Vaguely, but my best friend, Willow, is the one who planned the event.”
“And you decided to participate?”
“Coerced is a more fitting term.”
He doesn’t look the least bit amused, which only adds to the tightness building beneath my sternum.
“Well, this reunion has been fun and all, but I should head to the dugout to get ready. Build up the team morale and all that fun sports stuff.” I turn on my heels only to freeze as Rafael’s fingers wrap around my upper arm.
He spins me around to face him again. “Can we talk for a second? Please.”
I yank my arm free of his hold, hoping he didn’t notice the goose bumps spreading across my skin. “I’m a bit busy.”