Arizona Sunsets - Sam Hubbard

XIII

After the group found a table and everyone had a beer in front of them, they began casual conversation while Sam looked around the club a bit. It really felt like this interior had been stolen from the set of a western movie.

It resembled a barn, the walls and floors were made of wood, and there were even a few hay bales on the large dance floor, where it looked like different decades just collided. While there were plenty of girls in sparkly short dresses and white cowboy boots, half the guys looked like they would challenge you to a shooting duel if you came at them silly.

You could tell right away who the tourists were who were staring at the bar , which had a wall full only of different kinds of whiskey and whose bartender slid glasses across the counters like you knew from good old western movies.

The seating area, which was located in the back of the club and where you could still talk at a normal volume despite the loud music, mostly some country songs, consisted of individual booths, which were furnished with wooden benches and rustic, somewhat run-down tables.

The only thing that didn't make this club look like a trip back in time was the modern DJ set, the colorful lights that roamed the dance floor, and the large screens that hung all over the walls. Still, Sam had to admit that there was a certain charm to the place and he could see why this was one of the trendier clubs around.

"Sam, can I ask you a few questions?" James set his now empty beer bottle on the table and pulled his cell phone out of his pocket. "A few? Have you prepared?" Liz asked, sighing. "Yeah, he wrote a list" Ava, taking a quick glance at James phone, shook her head.

"Ava, flip him" Liz gave her friend permission. "oh, absolutely so. He deserved that" Ava was already raising her hand while James protectively put his hands over his ears when Sam spoke up. "Woho, no. It's okay, he can ask me questions" he reassured the girls.

"You really don't have to do this. I invited you so you could see a different side of Scottsdale. And not so Mr. Sportsaddict over there can interview you" Liz leaned over to Sam and whispered to him. Sam smiled slightly at her. "It's okay. I can understand why it would be exciting for him to meet an NFL player. I really don't mind" he winked at her as he ran his hand over her arm.

"Alright" Liz sighed "But once it gets to be too much you can always tell him to stop" she clarified. Sam nodded with a smile before raising his arm and looking at James. "So, James, what do you want to know?"

"Okay, first question. You grew up in Cincinnati, then went to Ohio State University, then came back to Cincinnati to play for the Bengals, right?" James looked at him. Sam nodded. "right" he confirmed.

"why is a guy who hasn't left Ohio his whole life buying a house for the off season in Arizona?" James asked. Sam laughed. "That's honestly a very good question. But honestly, I thought it might just be good to get out of Ohio. And Arizona has beautiful scenery" Sam shrugged.

"And pretty coffee shop girls" Ava mumbled, yet in return she received a kick from Liz under the table, which immediately made her howl, but no one seemed to have heard her comment, or at least pretended they hadn't.

"Okay, second question. You played with quite a few people during your Ohio State days who are now playing in the NFL. Some are playing with you now in Cincy, like Burrow, Bell, Apple. Do you still keep in touch with others? So you stay friends even if you're the opponent?" James asked further.

"Oh yeah, definitely. I mean, you're with most of them almost every day throughout the college season. You travel together, you train together, you become close, even if you end up playing for different teams. For example, I'm still pretty good with the Bosa brothers, even though they play in LA and San Francisco" Sam explained.

Liz nodded before turning back to James and waiting for his next question, noticing how Ava had her phone in her lap and was googling something. "Yummy, do you think he can introduce me to one of his friends? Check out the brothers!" she murmured to Liz as she zoomed in on a photo that showed the Bosa brothers, at least Liz thought so.

"stop that. You're not using Sam to hook yourself a rich athlete" Liz hissed at her and pulled the phone out of her hand. "Why not? You hook one too, after all" Ava hissed back and snatched her phone back.

"Okay, uhh..." Ben cut in. "what do you say we hit the dance floor before James quotes Sam's entire Wikipedia page?" he suggested. "I'm honestly offended that you actually think I compile my information from Wikipedia pages" James gasped indignantly.

Liz shook her head as she stood up and grinned at Sam. "Ready to dance a little?" she asked him as Sam stood up as well. "I'm definitely going to try" he laughed.

The group was really having fun on the dance floor, even if after a while there were only four of them dancing, as Ben and Mia took leave of the group and stuck to each other completely out of beat and way too slow, close together a bit off to the side.

At some point, the music suddenly stopped and a knock was heard before the DJ's voice rang through the speakers. "Okay, my cowgirls, cowboys and party guests. You know what's coming up, so get on the dance floor and join in our line dancing!" he announced.

Immediately Liz turned to Sam. "You don't happen to know any line dancing choreography to some popular songs do you?" she asked him laughing. Sam burst out laughing. "I guess I'll have to disappoint you on that one. Isn't something you learn in the NFL" he shrugged.

"Should really be introduced" she grinned. "But that's not a problem at all. I think you've played Just Dance before? You know, the dance game?" she asked him. "I'm familiar with it, yes" Sam replied.

"Great, then this will be easy for you" Liz couldn't suppress a grin as she pointed to the screens. "Up there, just like in Just Dance, you'll be shown the steps. You just have to understand and execute fast enough, but I'm sure you'll be able to do it" she winked at him before getting in line next to the others.

Liz had been wrong. It wasn't like Just Dance. It was a thousand times harder and it took Sam at least three songs before he even got how fast he had to do the steps he was being shown.

Liz, who was performing the choreos almost perfectly with her friends, whispered to him every now and then which direction he had to prepare for, but that was all she could do to help him.

After they had just finished shivers by Ed Sheeran, Liz grabbed Sam by the hand and pulled him to the bar. Laughing, she settled down on a barstool and waved to the bartender, who immediately filled two glasses and slid them over to them.

"Sorry, but I think I've overwhelmed you enough with the dancing for today" she grinned at Sam as she handed him one of the glasses, toasted him and finished the whiskey in one go.

"well, let's put it this way. I think after today I'll give up my dream of being a dancer and stick to football" Sam shrugged his shoulders as Liz laughed. "Come on, you weren't that bad" she nudged him with a grin.

"I think the woman next to me who bumped into me three times says otherwise" he smirked and again Liz laughed lightly which made him smile. Her laugh was really cute and before tonight he hadn't noticed it to such an extreme.

"Don't worry about it. Pretty much everyone on this dance floor right now has had weeks to learn this dance. For your first time, it really wasn't bad" Liz winked at him.

Sam laughed. "To hear such a generous compliment from you, wow, that's really something. You were amazing on the dance floor" he grinned at her. "Thanks. I train hard for that" Liz laughed. "Oh, it shows. You don't have to sit out the rest of the songs because of me either. I'm having enough fun watching you too" Sam clarified.

"No way. I'd rather be at the bar with you. I can still dance for the next few weeks" she waved it off.

After a little break im baaack

Unfortunately football season is still sooooo faaaar away and it SUCKS. At least we got some content of the boys, need definitely more till training camp starts again!!!!

WHO DEY 🧡