Page 60 of Snowflakes and Ice Skates

I ignored her and went back to my task. Sure, I could have divided up the team between me and Taylor this morning, but I already got three of the players’ responses. That was progress that wouldn’t have happened if I procrastinated.

“I don’t get why you won’t give him a chance.”

“Dani, you told me he tried to hit on you in Mexico.” How did she not see why I wasn’t interested?

“But nothing happened.”

“Jake has warned me Lance is a player. So has half the team and most of the front office. I worked there for a year, and I heard the stories, okay? He was with a new girl each week and didn’t take anything seriously. He’s just another playboy.”

Dani put down her box of glass globes that would hold floating candles. “I don’t think you should judge him based on what you’ve heard.”

I stopped and faced her. “Why? That’s the complete opposite of what you’ve said before.”

She shrugged one shoulder. “It’s just that I’ve heard stories about plenty of the guys on the team that were once notorious womanizers and partiers, but they changed. They met their wives and settled down.”

I narrowed my eyes. “And you think that’s going to happen with Lance? He’s only twenty-eight. I doubt he’s ready to give up his lifestyle yet.”

“I just don’t want to contribute to the narrative that he’s a bad guy. I’ve gotten to know him a lot better over the past few months. He’s one of Jake’s best friends, and I don’t think he’s as bad as people say.”

Her change of attitude was throwing me. Why was she suddenly Pro-Lance?

“I’m pretty sure he’s only interested because I’ve turned him down. He’s just in it for the chase.”

She picked up the box and got back to sorting. “Just don’t write him off. Consider giving him a chance.”

“Has he dated anyone recently?” If anyone knew, it was her. As she said, Jake and Lance were best friends. They bonded in Mexico and became bros—their words not mine.

“Not that I know of,” she answered with a small smile.

“And by dating, I include random hookups,” I added.

She nodded. “I know. From what I’ve seen and heard, he’s slowed down.”

But why?

“I think he’s really interested in you.” She spoke as if she read my mind.

That couldn’t be it. He didn’t actually know me. Sure, he stopped by the office with Jake a lot. If they brought lunch or dinner, we ate together, but it was never romantic. We were acquaintances. Only brought together by mutual friends. I doubted he thought of me when I wasn’t in the same room with him. Men like him didn’t waste their time on a woman that constantly rejected them. It had to be a game for him. He wanted what he couldn’t have. The second I agreed to dinner or a date, he would move on.

Maybe that was what I should do. Get it over and done with so he could find a new target. Then Dani would leave me alone as well. I’d get to say I told her so, that was a plus.

“But I also don’t want to force you to do something you don’t want to,” she said, interrupting my planning.

“It’s not that.” I meant to be dismissive, but her brows shot up.

“What do you mean?” Her smile morphed into a curious grin that had me rethinking opening my mouth.

“I just mean that you wouldn’t be forcing me to do anything.”

She eyed me up and down. “It’s not anything more?”

“Like what?” I turned and picked up a box of fake greenery to sort into the totes.

“You wouldn’t be interested in him by chance?”

I shook my head. “No, he’s not my type.”

“Oh, you’re not into attractive, accomplished, talented, charitable, kind men?”