Total pages in book: 141
Estimated words: 135831 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 679(@200wpm)___ 543(@250wpm)___ 453(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 135831 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 679(@200wpm)___ 543(@250wpm)___ 453(@300wpm)
Elias freezes. Aww, poor baby didn’t expect to get caught. “Um…”
That’s all he says. Um.
“But good for you,” I add, then clap him on the shoulder before I turn toward Coach, since I need to deliver this message to someone internal to the organization—someone with power. “Finding workarounds and whatnot. Right, Coach?” I turn back to Elias. “That’s the kind of sportsmanlike conduct the Sea Dogs really embraces, and you are an enterprising young man, selling signed gear from players instead of giving it away. And well, the other side hustle you tried to launch this morning.” Then I whisper, low and menacing in his ear, for him only, “Do not ever fuck with Everly again or I won’t be so nice. That clear?”
Elias gulps and nods.
I back off right as Coach sighs heavily, then peers at me like I do not have time for this shit. “This is what you called me out for?”
But I have faith in Coach. He runs a squeaky-clean ship. He doesn’t like weasels, and he doesn’t like distractions, and he really doesn’t like people who fuck with his team.
The man with more power than me grabs his phone from his pocket. “I’ll call Clementine and let her handle this.”
My mind throws a ticker-tape parade. Yes! Fucking yes! I pulled off the play.
“Good call, sir,” I say, like he needs me to approve of his decision. “I should have thought of that. But that’s why you’re the man.”
He waves a dismissive hand. All is forgiven with these athlete shenanigans. “Clementine, I need you to deal with something,” he says into the phone, and I flash a very, very satisfied grin at Elias.
Wesley lifts a finger the weasel’s way. “Actually, I’ll give this stick to Donna,” he says, then takes the bait back.
I hit the ice for warm-ups and a few minutes later, my future wife walks to the gate, like she owns the world.
56
GET A ROOM
Everly
My pulse is thundering. My blood is rushing fast. And I feel on top of the world even though I don’t have an answer to my work fate.
But that’s okay. I have other answers. Ones that will carry me through. I have friends I love, a man who’s my soulmate, and a life well worth living.
On the ice, the Sea Dogs are warming up as I walk through the tunnel, heading straight for the players’ bench. Some players are stretching on the ice. Others are taking easy shots on the net.
When I reach the bench, I shout at the goalie. “Hey, handsome! Get over here and kiss me!”
Max flies over, ripping off his helmet and meeting me right by the boards. He drops his gloves, holds my face, and kisses me in front of the early crowd, just like he wanted to do.
It’s a soft, slow kiss that melts me. It’s a kiss that says I love you, I need you, I care so much about you. It’s a kiss that says I’m going home with you every night.
When he lets go, his teammates are whistling. Wesley shouts, “Get a room.”
Asher barks out, “Finally! It’s about damn time.”
Miles catcalls with, “Will you stop being a dickhead now?”
I laugh, and Max hauls me in for a hug. “So what happened? How did it go?”
I shrug, but I’m strangely happy. Because I didn’t back down. Because I stood my ground. Because I took care of myself. “I told them everything about how I’m good at my job, told them to watch the piece, then walked out.”
“You walked out?”
“Yes, they can come and get me if they want to keep me. If not, I’ll get another job. And until then, I have a pole studio to keep me busy.”
He smiles and kisses me one more time. “You do,” he says, but then breaks our embrace and nods. “But I think there’s someone here for you.”
I let go and turn around. Zaire’s heading from the tunnel to the players’ bench too. When she reaches me, she says, “You got the promotion.” She points from Max to me. “And you two better keep this up. I want to know you meant every word of what you said.” Then to me, she adds, “And we’ll take care of your suggestion—about that rule.”
“Great,” I say. “Then I accept.”
“I’ll put the paperwork together.” She turns around and walks up through the stands.
I snap my gaze back to Max. “I got it,” I whisper, awed I’ve pulled it off.
“Of course you did. You are badass and beautiful,” he says, then he scoops me up and lifts me over the gate and onto the ice where he dips me and kisses me good and long, making my breath catch and my heart race with happiness.
When he lets go, he looks down at the ice and the lines marking it. “I guess this is the romance line now.”