Between the dean’s call offering her the coaching job, the utter release of that mind-blowing session, Ryan’s heady charm—not to mention a hit of sugar and caffeine—and the knowledge that she had a million dollars in her bank account, however ill-gotten, she practically danced back through the lobby. Funny how that thought had hit her, that her hardworking blue-collar father would have liked Ryan. Her dad would have respected him, too, for being a self-made man. For being a good man. Really, that was all that mattered, wasn’t it? Everything else they could solve as it came up. Ryan obviously believed in hard work and rewarding it fairly. They could talk about a deal with the girls where they’d be held to chores and other responsibilities. She could pay off the bills, start fresh and maybe...maybe build something real with Ryan. He might not love her, but he listened to her and treated her with affection. They were sexually compatible—putting it mildly.
