Total pages in book: 110
Estimated words: 105679 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 528(@200wpm)___ 423(@250wpm)___ 352(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 105679 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 528(@200wpm)___ 423(@250wpm)___ 352(@300wpm)
Stefan steps forward, stalking closer to Xander, using his size to crowd him to the edge of the duck pond. “And guess what? We’re taking her together to the awards ceremony where I’ll receive the Sportsman of the Year award.”
Xander’s lips part in shock.
I step closer too.
He takes another step back.
“You have no leverage for your Dough and Duds.” Stefan rips the bag of bread out of Xander’s hand and The Dapper Man stumbles. Then, oops.
I, maybe, possibly, body-check him.
Shame.
He falls ass-first into the shallow duck pond. Flat on his back. “Buddy, you’re in the way of the ducks. Can you move a little to the right?” Stefan asks politely, as he removes the loaves from Xander’s bag and puts them in the bag he brought.
The ducks descend on Xander as he flails to stand up. “You ruined my suit,” he cries out, mud dripping over the sky-blue jacket, a piece of weed stuck in his bow tie.
“Too bad. But you can get a new one at Dough and Duds,” Stefan offers helpfully while sorting the bread into his own bag.
Once Xander manages to stand, sopping wet, with ducks squawking at him, Stefan looms above him at the edge of the pond, stripping away the sarcasm. “Here’s the deal we wanted to make you.” Stefan takes a beat to make his point. “Never bother us again. Never go near our girl again.”
He stops to let out a breath, and it’s my turn. “And never try to fuck with our lives again. Because if you do, the suit won’t be the only thing that’s ruined.”
On that parting shot, we leave, Stefan stopping at a nearby bench to set down the bag. “That’s a lot of bread,” I say.
“Yeah, it is. But maybe he has friends,” Stefan says, then claps me on the shoulder.
Friends. Yes. I hope he does. Not sure what I’d do without mine.
46
THE THING IS
Hayes
That’s not the only business I need to wrap up. There’s something else I have to handle on my own.
When I arrive at the Avengers arena later that day, I don’t look for Ivy or Stefan. I put on my blinders and head to Oliver’s office to see if we’re still on for the meeting with the big boss I’d set up by text earlier. I told him I wanted to catch up with Jessie before our game tonight and asked him to join us.
“Ready as ever.” He’s waiting for me at the door. “Is there anything I can do to help in advance?”
I shake my head. “No, but I appreciate you arranging it.”
We head to the executive suite, a place I didn’t think I’d be twice in a month let alone in a two-week period. This time, though, my gut swirls. I’m not here to deliver a gift.
When Oliver escorts me into Jessie’s office, she’s finishing up a phone call. Leaning back in her plush chair, she looks powerful and at ease, a smile framing her warm eyes. “That’s right, Hannah. At the end of this season you’ll be eating crow when my team beats yours. Love you, girl. See you at the next team owners’ meeting.”
Straightening, Jessie stabs the end button on her desk phone and looks up, a professional grin on her face. “I swear that girl has serious ovaries if she thinks her team is going to beat us.”
She gestures to the chairs in front of her. I take one, Oliver the other. “We’re seeing a lot of each other, aren’t we, Hayes?”
Translation: why the fuck are you here again? At least she says it with a smile.
I keep my eye on my task, like when I’m on the ice and in a fight for the puck. The goal today? Honesty. “When I saw you in Las Vegas in the elevator, and you congratulated me on my wedding, I wasn’t straight with you,” I say.
Her brow knits. Beside me, Oliver tenses, vibrating like a Chihuahua who’s heard a smoke detector.
“What do you mean?” Jessie asks.
“When I told you Ivy and I were married and that we’d be happy to go to your golf event.”
“But I saw you there. At the golf event,” she says with shrewd eyes, trying to spot the lie.
It’s not really a lie though. It’s more like a fuck-up.
But…semantics.
“We got married on a dare. And we were on our way to get an annulment that morning. And I said we were staying married to impress you and go to your event.”
Understanding passes over her face as she nods. “I see.”
She steeples her fingers and taps them thoughtfully. I’m about to explain that we’re still together, that it’s complicated but also not, and that I’m sorry I deceived her then even though it’s real now, but her phone rings and she nods to it. “I have to take this. We’ll finish this conversation later.”