Page 46 of Tough Score

"He did? To talk to you about me?" he asks.

"No, he's the captain of a soccer city league and told me I should consider joining."

Reeve's eyes light up at the idea. "You should. I think that's a great idea."

"I just haven't played in a while. What if I'm not any good anymore?"

"Come on, Keely," Reeve encourages, nudging my shoulder. "You won't know unless you try. Just go down and check it out next week. What's the harm in that?"

I consider his words, a small smile tugging at my lips. "Maybe you're right. It could be fun to get back into it."

Reeve grins. "See, you're fitting in around here already."

As I head down the hall from Reeve's apartment to mine, I'm already warming to the idea of playing again. Maybe it is time to step out of my comfort zone a little and do something for myself for once.

Chapter Fifteen

Reeve

"That's it, nice and slow," she encourages. "Remember, we're just focusing on flexibility right now. No weight-bearing exercises for that lower body yet."

I nod, gritting my teeth slightly to the pain and discomfort, but no one said that recovery would be easy. "What about my upper body? I feel like I'm losing muscle mass by the day."

Keely considers this. "Actually, that's not a bad idea. We should keep your upper body strength up while we work on your knee."

"The gym at Hawkeyes stadium is always open," I suggest. "We could use that if you want."

Her eyes light up. "That's perfect."

As we finish the stretch, I clear my throat. "There's a home game next week. Sam's clearing me to attend, and the press will probably want to see me there. Would you be interested in coming with me?"

Keely raises an eyebrow. "In your seats?" she asks, a hint of playfulness in her voice.

I chuckle. "Well, I was thinking we'd sit with the fans this time. But next home game, I'll take you up to the owner's box. You can meet Phil Carlton and 'the girls.'"

"The girls?" Keely asks, curiosity piqued.

"The women who run the back office," Reeve explains. "They also happen to be dating most of our starting lineup."

Keely laughs. "Sounds like quite a group. I'd love to meet them."

"Thanks for the ride, man," I tell Brent as he parks in the Hawkeyes parking lot after picking me up.

We're barely through the main entrance when I hear a familiar voice. "Reeve! Hold up a second."

I turn to see Sam jogging towards me, a woman I now know as Rowan Summers trailing behind him.

"I'll meet you in there," Brent says, and I wave as Brent heads for the gym.

"Hey, Sam," I greet him, suddenly feeling a bit self-conscious. "I know you said I could be here now, but if it's a problem—"

Sam chuckles, cutting me off. "No, no, I remember. I'm glad to see you looking better, kid."

I relax a bit, offering a small smile. "Thanks, I'm feeling better too."

That's when I notice Rowan more closely. She's attractive, in a polished sort of way, with a press badge hanging around her neck. Sam catches my curious glance and gestures to her.

"Reeve, this is Rowan Summers. She's a reporter who'll be doing a piece on the Hawkeyes."