Free ROMANCE: SPORTS ROMANCE: Bad Boys of Sports: A Complete Collection (Alpha Male, Football, Hockey Secret Baby Romance) (Contemporary Sports Romance) by Mallory Hart

believed she could be more and even deserved more. She had worked so hard, aced every class, attended every lecture. Yet here she was, teaching kids that weren’t hers, living in a rent-free situation like a teenager, and single again at twenty-seven years old.
    Janie was tired of it–tired of the rules, of all the boundaries she couldn’t cross. Where had being “good” gotten her anyway? Apparently, being bad was the way to go, if Alyssa’s life was any indication. She was beautiful, enjoyed a successful decade of modeling, and was on the fast track to Hollywood. She had everything, and she’d broken every rule along the way.
    A knock on the classroom door disrupted Janie’s thoughts. Standing, she crossed the room to the door, half expecting to find a student on the other side. Instead, the principle was there, holding a bouquet of red roses.
    “Principle Sanders?” she asked, confused.
    “Don’t worry, my dear,” the older man said, chuckling to himself. “They’re not from me. But they are from a very happy parent, one who has expressed thanks in the attached card.” He handed it off to her, and she caught the mass of roses in her arms. “He sent them to the office, but I wanted to bring them by myself, tell you to keep up the good work. Besides these lovely roses, he also sent quite the nice donation,” he winked. With a pat on the arm, Sanders turned around and marched back down the hallway. Janie watched him go, still confused, and reluctantly closed the door.
    Flowers? For her? Andrew had never done anything so thoughtful. And these were sent to the office? The other teachers would be buzzing about it soon, there was no doubt about it. Janie put them on the desk, moving a few roses this way and that before she found the card. It was gold, with an elegant “Thank You” scrawled across the cover. She opened it up, and the inside read: “Thank you for your bravery at the last parent-teacher conference. Maddie has so few people to stand up for her, and I’m glad you’re on her side. From, Maddie’s dad.”
    Huh . She’d expected a lot of backlash for that meeting, but none had ever come. And now she’s getting flowers?
    Janie wondered if being good didn’t have its perks, too.

CHAPTER THREE
     
     
     
     
     
    “Bravo! That was beautiful!”
    Alyssa bowed to the claps from the casting director. She performed the scene perfectly if she did say so herself. “My dear,” the director implored. “If you wouldn’t mind coming closer?” he waved to the seat next to him.
    She watched as he sent his assistant away and tried to hide her grin. She’d done it; she’d landed the role. Now they’d talk details and celebrate with champagne. She took the seat next to his with a barely-controlled calm.
    “Tell me, my dear,” he began, leaning in toward her. Alyssa moved closer too, but stopped when he got a little too close–his hand lingered on her arm, and his breath in her ear. “Your experience is in modeling, but I do believe you have quite a natural talent in film. Have you ever done anything like this before?”
    “Well, I’ve done a few commercials,” she tried, inching backward as he moved forward.
    “Commercials?” he asked, falling back into his seat as if nothing had happened. “My goodness, this is a film, not a five-minute ad. I knew it, you are a natural.” The hand he hadn’t moved was rubbing circles on her arm. “I would love to get together and learn about your life in the modeling industry…” Alyssa’s eyes widened murderously as she felt him pull on her shirtsleeve, revealing a shoulder. “And find just where this raw talent has blossomed.”
    “Director Fisher, I—”
    “I know, I know,” he chuckled, patting her shoulder before withdrawing his hand. “You just finished a big scene and need a minute to relax. Here,” he pulled a business card from inside his coat pocket. “That has my personal number on it. Call me when you’re ready to chat, my dear.”