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“Now I’m even more jealous than I was before.”
I lift a stack of papers from my desk and stand. “Ethan is the last person I want to think about before I’ve had the chance to drink my second cup of coffee. We have a staff meeting. Hurry up and finish your sandwich before we’re late.”
She stuffs the remaining piece of her breakfast bagel into her mouth and mumbles something I can’t make out between bites.
“We’re going to have so much fun teaming up.” A tiny squeal escapes her lips, and I try to hide my disgust about Ethan. He makes me so angry I could spit, especially after the bathroom stunt he pulled this morning.
“I’m not looking forward to the interview with the Flyers,” I admit. “But I’ll do this for you.”
She sticks her tongue out at me and grabs a notepad and pen from my desk before following me out of my cubicle. “You’re no fun… all business and no pleasure. Maybe you should consider hooking up with Ethan. It might be good for you. When was the last time you had sex? For real, girl, you could use a little bit of Ethan Waters in you.”
I laugh at her stupidity, hoping no one heard her as we walk through the crowded office and to the conference room in the back. “I think I can live without him.”
I’ve done it for years.
“I still can’t believe Ethan Waters, of all people, is staying at your apartment.” Clarke shakes her head, laughing. “You’re in trouble, girl. I bet you won’t last a week without jumping into bed with him.”
“Wanna bet?” I quip, wondering if there’s some truth to her words.
She flashes a crooked smile and then winks at me. “Good luck with that.”
After this morning, I’m not so sure I’ll make it through another day with Ethan. This might be a bet I can’t win.
I almost made it through the staff meeting this morning without thinking of Ethan and his cocky smirk. Almost. And I almost made it to the Wells Fargo Center where our pro basketball and hockey teams play, without fantasizing about him naked. I haven’t been able to get Ethan out of my head. Somehow, he manages to annoy me even when we’re apart.
As I walk through the front doors of the event center with Clarke, I spot a woman with blonde hair waiting by the escalators. She seems lost, staring into space and glancing up at the ceiling. I do a double-take and realize she’s Regan Turner, head of communications for the Flyers and daughter of Mike Turner, the general manager.
“Regan,” I say as we approach.
r /> Her face lights up when she sees us and waves.
I wave and walk over to her with Clarke at my side. Regan closes the distance between us, her blonde hair pulled into a ponytail over her shoulder.
She extends her hand to me and studies my face for a second. “Hey, I know you. You’re Will Roman’s younger sister. Mia, right?”
I nod. “And this is Clarke Murphy,” I say, pointing at my co-worker and friend.
“It’s O’Connor now,” Regan says, holding out her hand. The massive diamond ring on her finger could buy me three meals a day for years. Damn.
“You got married,” I say. “Congrats!”
She smiles. “I married a sexy computer programmer if you can believe that. I’m helping him run his start-up company. My replacement starts next month.”
I pat her on the shoulder. “Good for you. I bet you’re dying to get away from all these professional athletes. They can be a real pain in the ass. I would know.”
She laughs. “Yeah, you do. Your brother is an interesting man. Well, we’re happy to have you here today,” she says with a polite smile. “If you follow me, I’ll take you to meet the team.”
Dressed in a black mid-length skirt that fits her petite frame perfectly, Regan makes the casual pants and sweater I have on seem frumpy in comparison. I feel underdressed for the occasion. We exchange pleasantries as we walk down the hall, the nerves creeping up the back of my throat. Most of the time, nothing fazes me.
Why am I so anxious?
Ethan pops into my head again, reminding me of the reason for the sickness brewing inside my stomach. I have to focus and tell myself I’m not here for Ethan. I’m not even here for the other players. This is my job, not an extension of my personal life.
After Ethan left, I searched for him, even though I had no idea where to start. Because of his absence and all of the unanswered questions he left behind, I decided to major in journalism at Strickland University where Ethan was supposed to attend college with my brother. I’m still climbing the ladder at The Philadelphia Inquirer in hopes of one day becoming a real investigative journalist.
All of the good stories are handed to reporters with more seniority. So, I have to wait my turn and bide my time until I make my lucky break. I thought I could make a name for myself with a case like the Old City Records drug ring, a story I’ve been following for months. But every single lead has taken me down a road to nowhere, proving to be a waste of my time.
As we step into the pressroom, my eyes immediately fall to Ethan as if drawn to him. My insides clench from the pang of desire mixed with hatred for my older brother’s best friend. If only he were still the boy I once knew. Then, it would make these unwanted emotions less annoying.
