A noise outside caught my attention.
I stiffened, turned around slowly, walked to the window on my tiptoes, and shoved the flimsy curtain aside with a finger.
A tall figure was crossing the space between the cabins with long, determined strides.
I narrowed my eyes at him.
“Look at you,” I murmured under my breath. “Strutting out of your fancy lodging like you own the place.”
Which, technically, he kind of did. He rented the place. Or half of it, at least. The good, fancy half.
Now that I’d had a few minutes to myself, I couldn’t ignore how bothered I was. It irked me that he’d been right and I’d been in the wrong. I wasn’t used to being put in that position and when he’d pointed at Sweet Heaven Cottage, I’d felt… stupid. Dumb. And his quick judgment of my character, even if probably deserved, had made me feel even worse. He had hurt my pride, my intelligence, my sense of direction, and my ability to read. Perhaps, if this had happened at another time, I wouldn’t have cared. But it had happened today, and I wasn’t used to repeatedly embarrassing myself.
I could still see past my pride to know I should have apologized, though. At least for accidentally hitting him with the car. I felt horrible about that. And yet… as he walked the gravel path crisscrossing the property, I couldn’t shake the way he’d looked me up and down, skeptical and knowing, as if he could see how everything about me was inappropriate and unsuitable. Out of place.
I was out of place.
But so was he.
What was Cameron Caldani—two-time winner of IFFHS World’s Best Goalkeeper, former Premier League starter and, as of the last five years, MLS star—doing in Green Oak, North Carolina? The news about his retirement from the L.A. Stars had been sudden and relatively recent. I didn’t keep tabs on every player in the country, especially if they played in the Western Conference, but it was my job to stay informed. I couldn’t recall any particulars about his retirement being said. Just that he’d surprised everyone by announcing he’d hung up the gloves.
Cameron stopped at the curve closest to the edge of trees surrounding the property. I moved a little closer to the glass. The man was tall, which wasn’t uncommon for a goalkeeper, but he seemed larger and wider in person. Our paths had never crossed, which wasn’t strange, considering the L.A. Stars usually made it to the playoffs while the Flames never did. But I knew what he looked like. Cameron Caldani was a man hard to miss or overlook. It was the beard that had thrown me off. Probably the hit to the head. The setting, too.
One simply didn’t expect to find Cameron Caldani in the middle of the woods.
Matthew—who was the biggest soccer nerd I’d ever met—was going to lose his mind when he learned that Cameron Caldani was in Green Oak. He’d probably make a shrine to the bumper of my car because it had grazed Cameron’s body.
Which was exactly why Matthew could never know.
The man on the other side of the window knelt and picked something off the ground with those strong and slightly crooked fingers I’d seen up close and inspected. After a moment, I watched him search the vegetation in front of him.
His baritone voice rang out. Something that sounded like Cruiser or Booster. A pet’s name? I waited with him, expecting something to dash out of the woods. A dog? What kind of pet did someone like Cameron Caldani have? I was so immersed, so intrigued, that when he turned around to face the window I was standing in, it caught me unprepared.
Green eyes landed right on me.
And I… I dove.
Straight onto the not exactly smooth or clean floor of Sweet Heaven Cottage. I didn’t even know why I did that. It wasn’t like I was doing anything wrong. I was being absurd considering I had faced meeting rooms and press conferences more intimidating than that man’s gaze.
With a shake of my head, I counted to three, lifted my chin, got up with as much class as I could possibly muster, and peeked out the window again.
There wasn’t a trace of Cameron Caldani.
He was gone, and in his wake he’d left behind what had to be… feathers.
“Oh God.” I groaned, a new rush of guilt washing over me.
Cameron’s pet. The one he’d been calling for just now. Cruiser or… Booster.
Could it be the chicken I’d hit with my car?
My eyelids fluttered shut. No wonder he’d been enraged.
CHAPTER FIVE
Cameron
Close to a dozen sets of eyes blinked slowly at me, as if I was speaking a language they didn’t understand.
I frowned, wondering how in the bloody hell had I gotten myself into yet another bizarre situation today. Only this time, I knew the answer. I’d agreed to be here. Even if reluctantly.