Sweet Spot Read Free Page B

the last bag in place, then wiped his hands on the apron Phil had found for him.
    “I can’t,” he said, not looking at her.
    “Okay.”
    “I need the money. It’s not that.”
    “Then what? It’s casting season for the new TV shows and your agent is going to want you to fly to L.A.?”
    That earned her a slight smile that faded quickly. He seemed to collect his courage before looking at her. “You won’t want to hire me. Not yet. I’m going to be eighteen in a couple of weeks. When I’m an adult, I can petition to get my juvenile records sealed. Until then, I have a criminal record.”
    She was a little surprised and disappointed. “What did you do?”
    “I stole a car when I was twelve. To impress my friends. It was stupid and I got caught five minutes later. I didn’t do anything else before or since. Except the doughnuts and you know about that. I learned my lesson.” He dropped his gaze to the floor. “There’s no reason for you to believe me.”
    There was one, she thought. Checking out his story would be easy, so he’d be an idiot to lie. And Raoul didn’t strike her as stupid.
    “Starting your criminal life by stealing a car is pretty impressive. Most people just shoplift. You headed right into the big league.”
    That earned her a slight smile. “I was a kid. I didn’t know any better.”
    He was still a kid, she thought. Did he know better now?
    “The job offer still stands. It’s not easy work, but it’s honest. And you’ll get all the leftover baked goods you can stomach.”
    “I can stomach a lot.”
    “Then this is a great deal for you.”
    He looked into her eyes. “Why would you trust me?”
    “Everybody gets to screw up once.” She thought of her baby sister. Jesse had been given four or five hundred chances and still managed to blow every one.
    “Then I’ll take the job,” he said. “I have football practice every afternoon, so maybe I could work in the morning, before school.”
    “Talk to Phil about that. He’ll be your boss. If you’re interested in more hours once the season is over, let him know.”
    Raoul nodded. “Thanks. You didn’t have to do any of this. You could have called the police.”
    She didn’t bother pointing out that she’d tried. Instead of Seattle’s finest, Hawk had shown up.
    “What is it with men and football?” she asked. “Why do you play? For the glory?”
    “I love the game,” Raoul told her. “I want to go to college. I can’t afford it, so I’m hoping for a football scholarship.”
    “Then you’ll turn pro and make millions?”
    “Maybe. The odds are against it. Coach says I have talent.”
    “Is he in a position to judge?”
    Raoul frowned. “He’s my coach.”
    Which didn’t answer the question, Nicole thought. How would a high school coach know if any one player would make it all the way to the pros? How could anyone?
    “You don’t know who he is,” Raoul said, sounding shocked. “You have no idea.”
    Nicole shifted uncomfortably. “He’s your coach.” And totally hot, but that was beside the point.
    “He’s Eric Hawkins. He played pro for eight years and retired at the top of his game. He’s a legend.”
    She found that hard to believe. “Lucky him.”
    “He’s the best. He doesn’t have to work for the money. He’s teaching high school football because he loves the game and he wants to give back.”
    Nicole resisted the urge to yawn. Raoul was reciting what sounded very much like a canned speech. Probably one the kid had heard dozens of times from the legend himself.
    “Good to know,” she said and pulled forty dollars out of her back pocket. “Here.”
    He didn’t take the money. “You can’t pay me.”
    “Sure I can. You won’t be an official employee until you fill out the paperwork. So take this for now. You’ll punch a time clock and get a real paycheck soon enough.”
    He actually tucked his hands behind his back. “I was working to pay off the doughnuts I stole.”
    “Technically