All I knew was one thing—no, wait, two things.
One: I’d made use of my ridged dildo at least twice a night since that not-a-kiss moment in my apartment.
Two: I was, for some reason, skating better than I had in years. Better than I have since I gave up professional competition in order to go to work for my father. It was like…with this exhibition, I’d found my love for the sport again.
Which is why I was so blindsided when Maddie stuck her head out the door as I was hurrying on my way to pop in on my father. “You got a minute, Lila?”
I probably should have said no, but what came out was, “Sure! Is it about the exhibition?”
The teal-haired woman was beaming when she gestured me into her office. “Ticket sales are already moving. Likereally well. You’ve got a line on some more comfortable seating?”
Right. This was standard charity gala stuff. I’d handled conversations like this a dozen times, and I didn’t have to mention lips or hands or calloused fingers on my skin.
Right.
Maddie and I had worked together enough that we didn’t need a formal meeting. I had all the details we needed between my phone and my notebook, and the two of us shot numbers back and forth.
She was right; if ticket sales continued this well, not only would we be able to put on an incredible gala, but the donations to the youth league would be substantial.
“You’ve talked the team into attending?” I asked, checking things off my list.
“They’ll all be back in town by then—training camp begins the week before the exhibition. There’s a few I haven’t heard back from, but I’m confident coach will convince them.” Her expressive mouth twisted. “Dakvaar told me he didn’t need a penguin suit.”
I didn’t bother hiding my giggle snort but raised a brow as I jotted his name with a question mark. “Tell him if he doesn’t want to wear a tuxedo, his team uniform would be good enough. And tell him that attendance is completely voluntary?—”
“But it’scompulsoryvoluntary?”
I smiled again because Maddie expected it.
“I don’t know him personally, but if the rest of the team will be there?—”
“Oh, he’ll be there.” The older woman glanced down at her phone, as if she needed to check notes. “Especially if it means getting the chance to see Kardok figure skate. How’s that going, by the way?”
My, “Good,” came out two octaves higher than necessary, so I swallowed and tried again. “Good. He’s doing…great. His strength is impressive.”
“Right, hisstrength.” Maddie didn’t look up from her phone, and her tone was carefully neutral, so maybe it was my imagination that she was leering. “You think he’ll be ready in time?”
“Oh, definitely.” Now shedidlook at me, a hint of skepticism in her eyes, so I hurried to reassure her. “We could go out there right now and do a three-minute show with what we know so far.” Granted, it would be all skating while holding hands, plus those three lifts we’d been practicing on and off the ice, but still. “Given the weeks between now and the exhibition, I’m confident Kardok will be able towowany doubters.”
Maddie watched me without speaking for a few beats longer than necessary. As if she was trying to decide what to say and how to say it.
Then: “And how aboutyou? Will you be ready?”
I blinked. “Of course. That’s my job.”
“It’s your job to make this charity event happen,” she said gently. “No one expected you to skate again—that’s you just helping us out.”
“No.” I closed my notebook with a snap. “It’s my job to make Fairbanks Enterprises”—Make Daddy—“look good, and that’s what this will do. I know many people are just showing up to see if Kardok can learn the control he needs, but I promise, this is going to look epic.”
The head of the team’s Public Relations studied me, then finally nodded. “I think you’ve oversimplified your role, Lila. Your father?—”
“Expects epic things,” I said firmly. “And I will deliver.”
Except…
After I’d left her office, I stopped in the hallway, thinking about something Kardok had said that night at dinner.
That’s a lot of I’m sorry.
