Total pages in book: 118
Estimated words: 113072 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 565(@200wpm)___ 452(@250wpm)___ 377(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 113072 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 565(@200wpm)___ 452(@250wpm)___ 377(@300wpm)
“I suppose,” the ringleader says, sliding out of the booth. “Be easy on him. He plays Washington in two days, and we need that win.”
They make themselves scarce, and Harp clears away the empties. Then I slide into the same side of the booth as Chase and take him in. He looks like a runway model at the end of fashion week, all half-lidded eyes and beautiful exhaustion. “You okay?”
He nods. “Those guys aren’t so bad. They like me now that I remembered how to score. They bought me beers and told me not to panic.”
“I’m sorry I screwed up,” I say. Then I reach for his hand, terrified that he’ll pull it away.
But he doesn’t. His fingers close around mine. “What were you thinking? How can we outwit Sharp if we don’t work together? Are we a team or not?”
“Yes, we are.”
“Then how could you hide this?” His blue eyes get sad. “That’s just not fair. Haven’t we had enough of letting other people manipulate us?”
“I didn’t know what to do, Chase! I want you to have all the choices you deserve. I didn’t want you to make a sacrifice based on the manipulations of the slimiest man in sports.”
He lifts my hand and kisses my palm. “Zoe, that should be my choice. I thought we were in our honesty era.”
“I want that,” I say, feeling my throat closing up. “But it’s hard, Chase. I’m not used to having a confidante. And you’re not, either. Tell me this—” I reach over and tug his shirt a little, making the collar stretch. “How’d you really get that scar? Bearing in mind that there aren’t many sharks in Minnesota.”
His eyes flip up to mine. “Shit.” He looks away. “My father. He attacked me with a broken beer bottle when I was thirteen.”
I can’t hold back my wince. “Oh God.”
“He was…” Chase seems to grasp for words. “Awful. Abusive. I’m glad you never met him.”
Something clicks. “He died recently? And left you a few thousand dollars?”
“Uh, yeah.” Chase gives me a sheepish look. “It’s been a terrible year. I hadn’t spoken to him in years, but it still hurt me a little. I can’t even say why.”
“It’s almost like there’s a reason you have trust issues.”
He gives me a slow smile. “We’re quite a pair.”
“Both a little broken around the edges,” I agree. “You hid it really well from me, Chase. When I met you, I thought you had the whole world figured out.”
He drapes an arm around my shoulders. “Sometimes I thought I did. I was wrong.”
I lean my head against his sturdy body. “I love you. And next year I want to be wherever you are. I just don’t know how to get there.”
“We want the same things.” He tugs me closer. “Then let’s make this easy. Sharp is a bastard. But I still want to play for that asshole next season.”
“Even if Montreal offers you a fortune?”
He kisses my temple. “Yeah, maybe even then. Money is not my problem, Zoe. It hasn’t been for years. And if you can’t find a job that uses all your skills in Montreal, what good is an extra couple of million?”
I make a noise of disbelief. An extra couple of million.
“Besides—I like it here. I don’t want to start over, unless it’s with you. Was the job offer decent?”
“It was better than decent,” I grumble. “That’s why it’s so hard to discuss with you. I want it.”
“Badly,” he guesses.
“Yes.”
He strokes my hair. “Then let’s make that happen. I have an idea.”
Chapter 45
First, we go back to his place and have a lot of sex.
And by a lot I mean thirty-six hours’ worth. The Legends have the following day off, and we barely get out of his bed, except to order breakfast from the deli. And we only get dressed when it’s time for Marnie to show up with her weekly delivery.
Meanwhile, we break in every corner of his giant bed, plus that giant sofa in the living room, followed by the luxury shower.
“We haven’t hit the terrace yet,” Chase says as we lie in towels on his bed, still recovering.
“It’s March. And Tremaine can see the terrace from his apartment.”
“Those are very good points,” he says. “Plus, I might never move again. Until tomorrow morning, that is.”
When morning comes, we drink coffee and sample Marnie’s fresh bread. Then Chase has to go to practice, and I have to go home and change into my most presentable outfit.
I meet Chase back at headquarters a couple of hours later, where he’s waiting in the lobby for me. “Ready?” he asks.
“Yeah.”
He holds his hand out, palm up.
I take it.
We ride the escalator together, all the way up to four.
Darcy is seated behind her desk. She breaks into a bright grin when she sees us. “What’s up? I’ve been texting you all weekend.”