4,798 TIMES. That is how many times the offensive tweet had been retweeted. Who was Hockey Gurl and why did she dislike me so much? I tossed my phone on my desk. It wasn’t public knowledge I worked for the Wolves, so I suspected that this tweet was from someone who worked in our club.
Nepotism is the worst, and I blamed no one for resenting my position, but I wasn’t strutting around, acting like a queen bee and making nefarious demands of people. I only wanted to get through this year unscathed.
I packed up my office. Dad stepped in.
“Hey, Dad.”
“Hey,” he was vibrating with energy. I did not understand where he got it. This place drained me.
He looked thoughtful. “Your mom is waiting in the car. She’s bound and determined to have one last weekend getaway before the regular season gets underway. You want to come? We’ve booked a house on the water outside Seattle.”
“Thanks, but I have plans with Ola tonight.”
He winked at me. “Well, make sure you enjoy your last weekend of freedom. Once the regular season starts, you will not have a life.”
Wow. That sounded like so much fun. Not.
“I guess the same advice goes to you. Enjoy your freedom.”
He put his hands in his pockets. “We’re taking the car this weekend. Are you going to be okay without a ride?”
I found it ridiculous that my dad insisted we get driven everywhere. In New York, I had only used the subway. “I can take a cab.”
“Okay,” he nodded. “Have a good weekend.”
“You too.”
He turned to go.
“Max.”
My head whipped up. Max was passing by my office, and at the sound of my father saying his name, he stopped in the doorway.
“Mr. Ashford.”
Icy blue eyes glanced at me for a nanosecond before focusing back at my dad.
“You have homework.”
My dad had his polite tone. The one he saved for people he was about to crush. I got anxious.
Max considered the package in his hand. “Coach wants me to watch some videos from last season.”
My dad rocked on his heels, but didn’t speak.
To Max’s credit, he didn’t react. He lifted his eyes up to Dad with a benign expression on his face.
“Do you feel you’re learning a lot?” My father’s tone patronized.
I felt myself go still. Like a deer standing between two wary wolves.
“Yes, sir,” Max used the word sir, but there wasn’t an ounce of respect in his voice. How he sounded insolent and amused with only two words was beyond me.
“That’s great,” I interjected, trying to defuse.
Max’s eyes moved to my face.
Dad made a noise in his throat. I recognized that noise. He wanted to pick a fight.
What was going on? What was Max triggering in him?
I needed to break up this conversation before it escalated. “Well, I hope you enjoy watching those videos.”
Max held onto my father’s gaze for a moment too long. There was a challenge in his gaze. Two alphas, sizing each other up. Together they would make an incredible team. Pitted against each other, they had the potential to destroy each other.
Max broke his gaze with my dad and he glanced at me. His eyes dropped to my mouth.
I widened my eyes at him, telling him to obey.
Dad’s voice patronized. “Our regular season game is Monday. Make sure you’re rested.”
Translation. Don’t party this weekend. Which was insane because this was notoriously the biggest party weekend for all the hockey teams. The last hurrah before the season started.
“I’ll be rested.” Annoyance replaced the calm expression on Max’s face.
Before my father could say anything, I stepped closer and worked to calm down Dad. “I can’t wait until the regular season starts.”
Liar, liar, pants on fire.
My comment distracted Dad. He turned towards me with a smile on his face. “Really?”
“Really. We have such a strong team this year. I think we can go all the way.”
I could see Dad relax. He loved talking about winning. “Yeah, I think you’re right.”
I flashed my gaze at Max, needing to get him out of here. “I hope you have a nice weekend, Max.”
You’re dismissed.
His blue eyes looked between my father and me. Seeing far too much. “Have a nice weekend.”
Without letting either of us reply, he stepped back and disappeared.
A long moment passed before I had the nerve to speak.
“Dad, what was that about?”
“What?”
I blinked at him in disbelief. “Why were you goading one of our players?”
My dad flushed. “I wasn’t.”
“Yes. You were goading Max Logan and trying to get a reaction out of him. I want to know why?”
“Why do you care?” he threw back. My dad had a hairline trigger.
“Because you gave him to me as a project. I don’t appreciate you taking shots at him and setting him up to fail.”
My dad stared at me for a long moment and then a smile broke over his face. “God, you remind me of your mother some days.”
Thinking about Baxter, I replied, “He’s got enough coming against him.”
Dad’s eyes narrowed. “What do you mean?”
But a call from Mom interrupted us. He kissed me on the cheek and then I was alone.
OLA, one of my best friends from grade school, met me for dinner in Gastown. After dinner, we walked down the street to a high end bar that promoted subtle glam and yet had the same buzz as a New York bar. The decor was black with muted lighting, low couches, and secretive booths and beautiful waitresses. We found seats in a curved booth that overlooked the entire bar and ordered over-priced cocktails.
We caught up on life and although I didn’t tell her about Max, I shared how tough it was to work for my dad. I even elaborated on some of my less fortunate run-ins with Katrina.
“She sounds awful.”
“From the moment I met her, she seemed to dislike me.”
I pulled out my phone and showed her the hockey gurl tweet.
“Who would write that?” Anger flashed in her eyes. “Do you think it’s this Katrina chick?”
“I don’t know, but if it is, how do I prove it? If I can make it through this season, I can move on. I won’t be anyone’s daughter. I’ll just be a person making it on my own.”
Ola’s phone rang. “Sorry. This is my boss. I’ll answer outside.”
Waiting, I sipped my drink and almost choked as I watched a group of huge men walk into the bar.
It was the Vancouver Wolves.
Holy shit.
My eyes sought out Max. He walked between two of his teammates and laughed at something they said. He looked beyond sexy, with his black button shirt and a pair of dark jeans. He reminded me of the Max I had noticed in the airport bar. Expensive and confident.
The group sprawled out in a reserved section of low couches and glass coffee tables. They attracted a lot of interest from the rest of the bar patrons and no less than four waitresses appeared in front of the team to take their drink orders. I leaned back, so the shadows obscured me. The last thing I wanted was for them to notice me.
Max smiled up at one waitress. All heat and sexy male. Did he know how gorgeous his smile was? It was lethal. The waitress touched her neck and flushed.
“Sorry that took so long,” Ola slid into the seat beside me.
“That’s okay.”
“What did I miss?”
“The Wolves just came in.”
“Ooh, where?” she twisted around, craning her neck.
I ducked my head. “Be subtle. I’d prefer if they didn’t notice me.”
Her eyes went wide. “So, we’re spying?”
“Let’s just say we’re doing an anthropological study of a group of red blooded, testosterone-filled males.”
“I love it.”
We ordered more drinks and talked about old friends. Ola was a connector. She knew everyone and their business. She was also the vault and could keep a secret better than anyone I knew, but anything that was public knowledge, she was happy to share.
Max laughed at something someone said.
I worked to listen to Ola, but I didn’t hear a word she said.
Two women approached the group of men. Max took a sip of his beer and glanced up at them. Both of the women had killer bodies, clad in skin tight dresses and stiletto heels. Puck bunnies, whose main goal was to secure themselves a hockey player.
I gritted my teeth. And smiled back at Ola.
She was still talking. I worked to concentrate on her words.
Geez. Max now held one of the women’s hand and stared up at her.
Jealousy licked my soul. I forced myself to nod at Ola.
The puck bunny sat down next to Max and stared up at him.
I could feel sadness settle over me.
I blinked unseeing at Ola, while I tried to cool my reaction, but my stomach was so hard it hurt.
Ola, unaware that I wasn’t listening, continued with her story.
My eyes averted to Max. He smiled at the floor, listening while Blondie whispered something in his ear.
This was my future. I needed to accept this. Max didn’t want me. He wanted his player lifestyle.
“You’d think they’d be kicking his ass to the curb but they’re still fighting over him,” Ola finished with a flourish.
I stared at Ola as I worked to get all my erratic emotions under control.
“Are you okay?” she asked, amused. “You have that same look on your face that you did when Ruby stole your science project idea in grade 7.”
“Sorry.” I tried to focus. I needed a moment alone to think, so I didn’t blurt out my secret about Max. “I need to use the washroom. Do you know where they are?”
She pointed to the corner. To get there, I would have to walk past the Wolves.
No! I could not walk past him.
I debated suggesting to Ola that we leave, but pride wouldn’t let me. I stood up and took a deep breath. I knew I looked good with my mile-high heels and wrap around navy dress. Yet, I felt petrified.
I survived a plane crash. I can walk to the washroom.
With my head held high, and confidence in my stride I started the long, lonely walk past the three couches filled with the Wolves.
I focused on my phone, pretending not to see any of them. I could sense the moment they all noticed me. One by one, I could feel the group still and watch as I walked past. Nerves strummed my body but I couldn’t acknowledge them. If I did, it would force me to stop and chat, and that was not an option.
I could feel him staring at me.
I tried to resist, but I failed. I lifted my gaze and looked at him. Only him.
The cute blonde was curled up next to him, talking in his ear, but he tracked me as I walked past him.
I felt myself flush hot. I ducked my head and disappeared into the washroom.
