Welcome to the League
The roar of the stadium hit Sophie Bennett before she even stepped through the tunnel.
It vibrated through the concrete beneath her boots and settled straight into her chest.
Seventy thousand people.
Her palms instantly started sweating.
“First day?” the security guard asked with a grin as he scanned her temporary credential.
“Is it that obvious?”
“You’ve got the terrified look.”
Fantastic.
Sophie forced a laugh and adjusted the strap of her laptop bag. She’d spent an hour getting ready that morning trying to look older, more professional, more NFL-worthy. Instead, she still felt like a college kid pretending to belong.
The giant silver letters stretched across the hallway wall:
DENVER MUSTANGS FOOTBALL
Her stomach flipped.
This was real.
Three weeks ago she’d been finishing finals in Texas.
Now she worked for one of the biggest professional football franchises in the country.
Her mother still cried every time they talked about it.
“Just breathe,” Sophie muttered to herself.
The hallway exploded with movement around her. Players. Coaches. Media staff. Equipment managers rolling carts stacked with helmets.
Everyone walked fast.
Everyone looked busy.
Everyone looked like they knew exactly what they were doing.
“Sophie Bennett?”
She turned quickly.
A woman in black slacks and a headset strode toward her holding an iPad.
“I’m Rachel. Head of digital media. You’re with me.”
Sophie immediately straightened. “Yes, ma’am.”
Rachel raised an eyebrow. “You say ma’am again and I’ll age ten years.”
“Sorry.”
“Relax. You’ll survive.”
Hopefully.
Rachel motioned for her to follow while walking at a pace that felt almost impossible in heels.
“We move fast around here. Content never stops. Players never stop. Fans never stop. If your phone battery dies, you’re dead to me.”
“Got it.”
“Today you’ll shadow. Mostly social clips, behind-the-scenes stuff, player interactions. Stay out of coaches’ way and never interrupt treatment sessions.”
Sophie nodded furiously, mentally trying to memorize everything.
They rounded another hallway corner—
—and Sophie walked directly into a wall of muscle.
Strong hands caught her shoulders before she hit the floor.
“Whoa.”
Deep voice.
Warm hands.
Very warm hands.
Sophie looked up.
Way up.
Oh no.
Every molecule in her body stopped functioning.
Because standing in front of her was Jaxon Reid.
The Jaxon Reid.
Starting quarterback. League superstar. Human internet obsession.
And somehow even more unfair-looking in real life.
Dark hair still damp from practice. Black hoodie sleeves pushed up powerful forearms. Focused hazel eyes currently staring down at her with amusement.
“You alright there?” he asked.
Sophie opened her mouth.
Nothing came out.
Excellent.
Jaxon’s mouth twitched like he was trying not to laugh.
Rachel pinched the bridge of her nose. “Please don’t tell me you just got concussed by our quarterback on your first day.”
“I’m fine,” Sophie managed.
Barely.
Jaxon finally let go of her shoulders slowly.
“You new?”
“S-social media department.”
“Ah.” His expression shifted knowingly. “So you’re one of the people following us around with cameras making us look stupid online.”
Something in Sophie snapped back into place.
“You do a pretty good job of that yourself.”
Rachel inhaled sharply.
Sophie immediately regretted every life choice she’d ever made.
But then—
Jaxon laughed.
Not fake polite laughter.
Real laughter.
Low and surprised.
“Well,” he said, still grinning slightly, “guess this season just got more interesting.”
And for some reason, Sophie suddenly had the terrifying feeling he wasn’t talking about football.
