Total pages in book: 96
Estimated words: 95019 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 475(@200wpm)___ 380(@250wpm)___ 317(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 95019 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 475(@200wpm)___ 380(@250wpm)___ 317(@300wpm)
I hesitate, still unconvinced. “You’re saying you did this with Keegan and Jaxon?”
At his nod, I search around, spotting Angie chatting with Ash and Lance. I think about how many days I’ve spent chatting with her, fumbling my words, pining away, knowing I’d never have the confidence to flirt with her. It gives me the boost I need to surrender to Ryan’s plan.
“Okay. Let’s just get through it.”
“That’s what I like to hear.” He slaps my back, urging me toward Gisele.
“Okay, don’t touch me like you do your football bros,” I say, and he backs off.
“It’s nice to meet you,” Gisele says before turning to Ryan. “Ooh, is that not how we should start? You should probably start, Marty.” She giggles, as though she’s the one who should be embarrassed about what’s happening.
“Uh…”
“Here’s the scenario,” Ryan interjects. “Gisele and I are having a conversation, and you approach and insert yourself into it. Easy enough?”
“Why not?” I step away and approach.
“So then Carmichael was coming down the field for a Hail Mary when—” He acts like he’s just spotted me and says, “Ah, hey, Mart. This is… Sorry, what was it again?”
“Gisele,” she replies, and it’s fucking surreal how much they’re selling this bit. I imagine she does very well in the drama department.
“Hi.” I reach my hand out, and we shake. “Nice to meet you.”
She stares at me, clearly waiting for me to initiate some sort of conversation, but it’s not easy to do all this stuff on the spot.
“So…you enjoying the party?” I ask since that seems like a good opening.
“I am. It’s fun.”
“That’s good. That’s real good.” And as ridiculous as I assumed this would be, it’s apparent I’m as awkward as I would be if I were flirting with any other girl. Tension twists in my gut, my face is hot, my palms sweating, even though it’s a cool night. I cut Ryan a look, and I see the disappointment in his expression. I sigh. “Never mind. This is too humiliating. I really can’t.”
“Hey, hey, hey,” Ryan says. “When Miami was down 24–27 against Duke, did they give up? No, they played the hell out with laterals like you can’t even imagine, scoring a touchdown and winding up beating Duke 30–27.”
“It sounds like some luck might have been involved there.”
“You need to YouTube that play because you’ll see it was smarts, not just luck. Now you need to be Miami and believe there’s a way to win this. Here, I’ll make it easier.”
“Because I’m sure you’ve noticed in the time you’ve known me that I’m an optimist by nature.”
He chuckles, his gaze wandering. “I’ll be the optimist for both of us. I’ve got an idea. I’ll be like the director of the scene, and I’ll tell you what to do, and you just listen, okay?”
“This seems even worse.”
“It’ll be fine,” Gisele assures me.
Despite the ball of tension I’ve become, who am I to be the ass and bail when she’s so willing to help me?
“Sure, why not?”
“What do you think is attractive about her?” Ryan asks. “Say something you think is hot about her—don’t say breasts because that’s inappropriate as fuck.”
“I agree. Don’t say that,” Gisele says, shaking her head.
“To be clear, in no universe would I have said that.”
As hot as my face has been throughout this, I can feel myself getting used to it, so in some way, I know Ryan’s plan is working. But if this is all just to humiliate me, I wish Ryan would get it over with. Since this is still happening, I go along with the plan, studying Gisele.
“She has a nice smile,” I say. “I like the blue in her eyes.”
“They’re not simply blue, though, are they?” Ryan says. “What kind of blue? What do they remind you of?”
“I’m not really sure.”
“Well, tell her she has pretty eyes, and since it’s kind of dark, ask what shade they are.”
I follow his lead, and she replies, “Baby blue-ish, but there’s a bit of sapphire if you look real close.”
“Now move a little closer to get a better look. That was an invitation to move in.”
I follow his instruction, and she sizes me up. She’s really in it to win it—maybe he’s paying her or maybe because she knows she has a better chance of getting laid by going along with this.
“That’s good,” Ryan says. “Now you’ve established interest. In a real-world setting, if she backs away, then you’re a creep, so back off. And now wait for her to move closer to you,” which Gisele does.
Ryan guides us through some basic shit, the sort of conversation we might have if we’d just bumped into each other, then says, “Okay, now we need to ramp things up a little. Keep sort of looking her up and down—your eyes should let her know you think she’s gorgeous—and pay attention to how she responds.”