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)
“Fantastic,” I say, selling it to the jury. “What a surprise to see you here. My sister and I were just grabbing a drink.”
I can feel my sister roll her eyes rather than see it. I turn to my nemesis. “Max Lambert. With the Sea Dogs. Nice to meet you,” I say, then stick out a hand toward the guy with the woman who I think about far too much.
He stands and shakes. “Good to meet you, Max. Lucas Evans…with Golden Gate Health Center and Services.”
I flinch, but only for a second. The dude’s in health care. I didn’t see that coming. Also, he’s not easily intimidated. But that doesn’t mean she should date him. That doesn’t mean a thing. I shove those thoughts aside and check out the table. He’s got a beer, and she has…an Arnold Palmer?
“Your drink looks good. What have you got there, Ev?”
She squares her shoulders. “It’s called an iced tea. It has…tea and ice in it,” she deadpans, with faux pleasantry. She’s more pissed than I’d thought.
But I’m not easily deterred. “I’ll have to try one then,” I say, then glance around. “This is such a nice place. I’ve never been here before.”
“How did you hear about it then?” she asks, the clever genius trying to nail me.
I shrug, then scratch my beard. “Googled places nearby.”
“How convenient,” she says, sarcastic. Then she turns to my sister, her tone genuine as she says, “It’s good to see you, Sophie.”
“You too,” my sister says.
I turn to the golden guy who’s dating Everly. Maybe he’s a doctor. Instantly, I loathe him more. That means she likes brainy guys, rather than guys who work with their bodies. “So, you’re in health care?”
He furrows his brow, perhaps taken aback. Maybe it’s a pushy question, but whatever. The dude quickly shifts to a smile though, answering easily, “Yes, I’m a physical therapist and help patients recover from injury or surgery.”
Fuuuuck. Is he the guy who helped her with…her car accident? I bet he is. And it’s official. No need to ask Reddit. I am the asshole. I swallow, then hitch my thumb behind me. “I’ll let you—”
“Did you want to join us?” Lucas asks, tilting his head. “Sounds like you two know each other well.”
Everly was right. He is a nice guy. But the fact that he said that—want to join us—means he’s also not right for her. Whether I’m the asshole or not, I jump on the chance faster than I’d slap a puck away from the net. “Yes,” I say before Everly can say no.
We join Everly on her date. Date-crashing achieved.
Across the table, the blonde beauty with the big brown eyes stares at me like she wants to kill me. Well, she already hates me, so what else is new? But I know this—I did the right thing joining her.
“Why don’t I call the server over? So you two can order?” Lucas offers.
“Great idea,” I say.
Lucas flags the woman down, and I order a pale ale while Sophie opts for a soda. When the server leaves, Sophie smiles apologetically and says to the table, “I have to pick up my son in a little bit. He has a playdate.”
“How is Kade doing?” Everly asks, focusing all her energy on my sister.
“He’s great. They’re making homemade playdough so I suspect that means I’ll be making homemade playdough with him this weekend,” she says.
“I would count on that for sure,” Lucas says, chiming in, then turning to me. “So, how’s your team doing so far this season? I have to admit I don’t follow hockey that closely. I’m more of a football fan myself.”
“I love football,” Everly coos. “It’s so much more strategic than hockey, don’t you think, Lucas?”
He blinks, maybe surprised that a publicist for a hockey team would say such a thing. I’m not confounded though. That comment was a dig at me, and I fucking love that because it says I’m under her skin. Good, because she’s burrowed so deep under mine.
“Football has definitely got some great plays to it,” Lucas says, diplomatic.
“But hockey’s more of a thrill,” I say, locking eyes with Everly. “The adrenaline rush. The faster pace. The breakneck speed.”
“Speed isn’t everything,” Everly retorts, those brown eyes saying she is going to lay into me later.
Bring it on, sunshine.
“Truer words,” Sophie says, cutting in and playing the peacemaker. “But I do like both. Equally.”
I ignore my sister. I’ve got a game to win with the woman who drives me wild. I keep my gaze locked entirely on Everly. “I read an article that said the average football play lasts four seconds. But the average amount of continuous play in hockey is forty seconds. Which means…hockey lasts longer,” I say, full of innuendo.
“But on the other hand,” Everly counters, “football players can’t be drafted till they’re three years removed from high school. Which means they’re more…grown up than hockey players,” she says with a sweet smile as she delivers a beautiful dig.