Out of Play
Love in the Arena: Book Two
Kayla Tirrell
Contents
Also by Kayla Tirrell
Get a Free Short Story
Emmeline
Grant
Grant
Emmeline
Grant
Emmeline
Grant
Emmeline
Grant
Emmeline
Grant
Emmeline
Grant
Emmeline
Grant
Emmeline
Grant
Emmeline
Grant
Emmeline
Grant
Emmeline
Emmeline
Want more sports romance?
Looking for more sweet adult romance?
Acknowledgments
About Kayla
Also by Kayla Tirrell
Copyright © 2020 by Kayla Tirrell
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
Proofreading: EditElle
Also by Kayla Tirrell
Varsity Girlfriends:
Courtside Crush
Game Plan
Wedding Games:
The Bridesmaid & The Jerk
The Bridesmaid & The Ex
The Bridesmaid & Her Surprise Love
Shelfbrooke Academy:
Tessa
Boys of Summer:
Beauty and the Beach
Mountain Creek Drive:
Chasing Love
River Valley Lost & Found:
All The Things We Lost
All The Things We Found
All The Things We Were
Collection of Sweet Shorts:
Home For Christmas
Carnival Wishes
The Art of Taking Chances
Disastrous Dates:
Disastrous Dates: The Complete Series
Children’s Chapter Book:
Help! My Parents Are Zombies!
Get a Free Short Story
Sign up for my newsletter and get this short and sweet YA romance for free.
Emmeline
Emmeline rushed through the arena, pushing the sleeves of her oversized jersey up her forearms. Thanks to a bitter online bidding war, she’d paid way too much for the top with the name O’Brien on the back, but it had been worth every penny to win the captain’s jersey. Not only was it one-of-a-kind—only worn for one game—but all the proceeds went to a local charity. She was happy she got to wear it for the first game she’d been able to attend that season.
Oh, the things you did for your big brother.
Emmeline could hear the crowd going wild as she showed her ticket to the man standing guard at the entrance to the VIP section. She hated being late, and her toe tapped impatiently as she got a wristband that would allow her to go in and out without having to show her ticket every time.
After three years of coming to the games, she’d have thought her brother would have gotten her some special pass rather than dealing with tickets. But no, those were for actual VIPs, and the captain’s sister didn’t make the cut, apparently.
She rushed past the guard to get to her seat. As Emmeline passed behind the rows of VIP boxes and got closer to the box, she spotted Miriam. The team’s community outreach coordinator was cheering loudly from her seat on the floor right next to the Storm’s bench.
Emmeline pushed past a few people who were too busy watching the action in front of them to notice her trying to squeeze by. She got to her place just as Miriam pounded on the board separating their seats from the field.
“Let’s go, Storm!” Miriam’s fierce expression made Emmeline glad she was rooting for the same team.
Despite how scary her friend could be, she always enjoyed watching games with Miriam. They fed off each other’s energy and always ended up cheering so loud that they got looks from surrounding fans for being too enthusiastic.
Emmeline cleared her throat. “Hey.”
Miriam turned to face Emmeline. Her pale blue eyes widened for the briefest moment before her face broke out into a grin. “Where have you been? I’ve missed you.”
Emmeline smirked. “No you haven’t.” She tipped her head toward the field, and her red ponytail swayed to the side. She flung it over her shoulder impatiently. “Finn told me you’ve been pretty occupied with pretty boy out there.”
Miriam’s cheeks turned pink as Silas, one of the team’s forwards, slowed into a jog just long enough to wink at Miriam.
Emmeline swore she heard a growling noise come from Miriam before she smacked the side of the boards. “Keep your eye on the ball, Jenkins!”
Emmeline giggled. “Just like old times,” she said before turning her attention to the game in front of them.
She focused on the guys running back and forth as they battled to get—and keep—possession of the ball. All the while, her brother, Finn, was yelling at them from his place in front of the goal. Bastian, a defender, passed the ball back to Finn. He kicked it down the field. Cardosa, another offensive player, stopped it with a header that went toward the other team’s goal. Silas took the shot.
“Goal!” The announcer’s voice rang through the arena.
Emmeline looked over at Miriam, expecting to see pride on her face, but her eyes stared blankly into the distance. Emmeline knew that lovey-dovey look and elbowed her in the ribs. “You were so busy daydreaming that you missed your boy get that shot.”
Miriam shook her head slightly, and her eyes went to where the players all celebrated in the middle of the field. “It’s okay. I’ll pull it up online and watch it.” She winked at Emmeline. “Just don’t tell Silas.”
Yeah, right. Like Emmeline had anything to say to Silas. It wasn’t that she didn’t like him. The guys on the team were all nice enough, but she avoided talking to athletes other than her brother. It was just too painful, on so many levels.
As if he knew Miriam was talking about him, Silas ran over toward the girls.
“Speak of the devil.” Emmeline rolled her eyes.
She turned her head away, but not before she caught him kiss Miriam’s cheek. It was a gesture Emmeline had seen time and time again. One she hadn’t expected to see again after he broke Miriam’s heart two years ago, but maybe some people were just meant to be together. And some, like Emmeline, were meant to be alone.
Emmeline turned her attention back to the field as Silas ran back out. The guys were done celebrating their goal, and the ball was back in play. A blond guy she didn’t recognize stole the ball from a
