Silas got off the neighboring elliptical and did the same. “I was thinking a little more than that.”
Miriam lifted her brows and waited for him to continue.
“You know how Bastian coaches the youth league, and all the players come to the games? They love him.”
Miriam nodded.
“I was thinking we could do some kind of outreach with the kids at local schools. Read to them, hang out and play soccer with them in aftercare, things like that. I want to build relationships with them.”
Miriam snorted.
Her first thought was that Silas was the last person who needed to be talking about building relationships with people, even superficial ones with kids. But as she considered it another moment, she also had to acknowledge that his idea wasn’t half bad. Kids would love getting a chance to talk and play with professional athletes.
Silas’ idea just might put more butts in seats for games.
“What do you think?” Silas smiled at Miriam, but she could see it cracking with uncertainty.
Good. She wanted to watch him squirm. She wanted to let him know what it was like to be rejected. She wanted him to suffer like she’d suffered. But it was a good idea. It not only benefited the team, it would also be good for the children the players interacted with.
She refused to meet his eager gaze. “Fine, I’ll look into it.”
Silas let out a joyous laugh.
Miriam hated the way her lips tugged into a smile. “I said I’ll look into it, not that you just got signed to the Premier League, so calm down.”
Silas’ smile fell. “That’s not my dream anymore.”
That was hard to believe. It was all Silas used to talk about. I’ve got to work on this so that I can play for the Premier League. I’ve got to focus on that so I can play for the Premier League. You and I will move to Europe together when I play for the Premier League.
He hadn’t even wanted to stay together when he signed for a team on the same continent. In the same freaking country.
“It’s not,” he said.
Miriam lifted a brow. “And what’s your dream now?”
He shook his head. “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”
“Is it to play for the Storm until you retire from professional soccer?”
“That’s only part of it.” He took a step toward her.
Miriam’s breath caught in her chest, and she was having a hard time thinking straight. It sounded like Silas was implying that Miriam was part of his dream. There was something deep down that wanted to hear him say it. That was insane.
Even if he did say that, what would she do? Go running back into his arms? Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. It would be a colossal mistake to trust Silas again.
Miriam closed her eyes and shook her head to steer her thoughts in a different direction. “I think reading in schools is a great idea. I’ll run it by Greg this week. If he’s on board, I’ll start reaching out to schools.”
“Are you going let me know if he approves the idea? Or will I hear about it from other players after they’ve already gone?”
She opened her eyes and looked at him. “You’ll be the first person I ask if it works out.”
“Thank you.” He lifted his hand toward her cheek, but stopped at the last second, and dropped it. “Well, I guess I’d better get going.”
“Me too.”
Silas jerked his head at the front of the gym. “Walk you out?”
Miriam’s heart stuttered at the simple request that was so comfortable and yet so awkward at the same time. It felt like old times but also like the first time. Miriam didn’t like it, but she gave him a small smile anyway. “Sure.”
Silas
Silas loved game days.
There was so much energy that filled the locker room when all the players gathered. Barros was playing samba over the speakers, and the guys were dancing around the room still wearing their warmup kits. Bastian was running around and whacking people with the Thera Gun, a massage device the physical therapists used on the players’ sore and tight muscles. Now, it was a weapon that brought raucous laughter with every attack.
Even though Silas still felt like he was on the outside of the team looking in, the excitement was contagious. There was a perma-smile on his face at the sound of excited chatter competing with the loud music. The only thing that would make it better was if he’d made a little more progress with Miriam.
Talking at the gym was a start, though Miriam might have been in a better mood if she hadn’t seen him with his personal trainer. Miriam had never believed him when he told her how beautiful she was, and he’d almost blurted it out at the gym. With her hair up off her face he’d had a clear view of those eyes and freckles that drove him crazy. The tiny shorts she’d been wearing had made it almost impossible to talk to her normally about his school outreach idea.
Not that he could focus on that right now. He needed to get his head in the game.
No sooner had the thought entered his mind when their coach walked in. He went to the giant white board off to the side of the locker room and started drawing out plays. Though excitement still hummed throughout the room, Barros turned the music off and everyone stopped talking.
“Okay, guys. The last game went great.” Coach continued to draw on the board. “We won our season opener. The fans loved it. Harris said the sales for today’s game are already higher than last time, so we want to keep the momentum going.”
A chorus of yeahs went through the room.
“Maryland is a good defensive team, so
