Chapter 12

I can't blame anyone for thinking that Layla and I are a thing. Every cell phone shot from people in the restaurant paints that picture. Layla and I walking in with my hand on her back, her leaning into me. The way I'm smiling at her when Zane leans down to kiss her cheek. Someone even caught the moment she leaned into me to assure me that everything was okay with her and Astrid.

It"s that one that makes my chest burn. We look like there's definitely an "us." And I want that us so badly, this picture is making it ten thousand times worse than if I just had a memory of her hand on my knee. Now I'm staring at the small smile on her lips as she leans closer to me, the smitten answering smile as I look back at her, my arm possessively resting on the back of her chair.

Uuuuugh.

This date was the total opposite of what Eli and Landon told me to do—it's not taking it slow. Layla seemed like she was having fun, so at least there's that. She's been promising me that the speculation on social media doesn't bother her, and maybe it's because she's not some nameless woman they caught me out with. Every single time this gets posted, they name her as "Actress Layla Delaford." If I can do anything for her, maybe it's this. Maybe it's making people talk about her.

Getting to the facility early on Friday morning is a welcome distraction. Doing my weightlifting session requires me to focus on the game. Today we'll be going over our red-zone offense, among a lot of other things, and making sure we're perfect on the field. We streamline one of our trick plays, where Eli looks over at the sideline like we don't have the play in and the center direct-snaps it to me. It will be a great one to get a few extra yards when we need it.

But we're heading home early since it's Friday. We'll have meetings in the morning and a walk-through of the game plan. I see Dalton as we head home, which isn't exactly a distraction since it reminds me of the date, but I want to report to Layla what he said about his date with Astrid. They looked like they were having a great time, and bringing up my inside source with Layla is an excuse to talk to her.

"Hey," I say when I fall into step beside him as we walk out of the facility. "Looked like my matchmaking was a success." I grin at him, ready for the details of where he and Astrid went after the date.

Except he shrugs. "It was good."

I turn to him. "Just good?" This wasn't the news I was expecting.

He shrugs again. "I think she might be dating someone else. I don't want to get in the middle of that."

My eyebrows come down. "I don't think Layla would set her up if she was in a relationship."

"Maybe it's not exactly a relationship. But this guy texted her a bunch while we were at dinner and called a few times. She didn't answer, but I couldn't help seeing his name on her phone."

Hmmm. "It could be her brother or something," I suggest. "I can ask Layla about it if you want."

He shakes his head. "Astrid was nice, but too quiet to be my type. I want a woman who'll hold her own with me, you know? I don't want to fall into something where I'm railroading her all the time, and I think Astrid is just the type that would let me, even if she is sweet. I need someone feisty."

I get that. It makes me think of Layla. And if I wasn't trying to date her myself, I might suggest that Dalton think about asking her out.

We part ways at the parking lot. Unfortunately, this means I don't have an excuse to text or even call Layla tonight. I don't want to be the one to break the bad news to her that Dalton isn't interested. If there is another guy, maybe Astrid isn't interested in Dalton either and we can just let this slide.

When I get home, I head straight to the shower. Nick let me know about another party at his house tonight. He warned me in his text that Layla's ex was going to be there. I'm not surprised he knows that I might have a problem being in the same room as him. I've had my social media manager be on the lookout for anything said about Layla and to report it back to me so I can make sure our "no comment" strategy to keep Layla's name out there isn't backfiring. Ella, my social media manager, suggested that if we allow people to keep talking about us, it will make the director of the LA Lights spinoff more likely to consider her.

What Ella has let me know is the handful of gossip accounts that have mentioned Layla's connection with Jack Williams, but mostly just things like mentions that they dated briefly, and she's assured me that no one has mentioned Layla's daughter or that Jack is the father.

Tonight though, I do want to be in the same room as Jack. I have a few things to say to him.