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“Evan,” I say. I don’t elaborate because I don’t think Evan would appreciate me telling his coach he drank too much last night and feels like shit during playoff season.
“His arm acting up?” he asks.
“A little,” I nod.
Dad nods too. “Okay. I know I told you this before, but the guys were used to having male therapists. You’re a beautiful young lady. I’m going to send the message home that they be on their best behavior, but you keep your guard up too. I don’t want one of my players falling for my daughter.”
“You don’t need to worry, Daddy. You know I’m not interested in a relationship,” I assure him.
“Yes, well I think I can speak for both your mom and me that we would like you to find the right man. I just don’t think this is the right setting.” It makes me laugh inside that daddy talks this way because he’s a former hockey player and my twin Kevin plays in the NHL.
“I know, Daddy. Don’t worry. I’m here to do my job.”
“Glad to have you aboard,” he says.
I smile. “Thank you.”
We end our talk with another hug, and I head back to my office. Evan enters my mind, but I give my head a shake. I’m not barking up that tree. Evan Hayworth seems complicated.
CHAPTER ONE
Evan
After hitting the gym at the arena, I head into the media room to meet with Coach and the team. Some of the guys are already sitting and waiting for Coach to arrive. I take a seat on the couch next to Kaleb and Brett which is lined against the wall. Liam sits on the far end of the next couch leaving an open space. I nod to the guys and sit. My body feels much better than it did when I walked in here this morning but how could it not? Patty has magic fingers. When she touched me I felt like a zap of electricity entered my body. I do feel bad for whistling at her because I know her. Met her many times before. It’s not like I didn’t notice her beauty. You’d have to be blind not to. But there was always a red line. She’s our coach’s daughter. There was a large figurative do not trespass sign across her body. Yet, when I walked into the therapy rooms this morning, I didn’t know it was her. My eyes saw beauty and my body reacted. It was instinctual. She is hot AF. I squeeze my eyes shut briefly. My head is still foggy from my drinking last night even if my muscles aren’t as ache as before. The way Patty worked my entire body made me buzz which is saying something because my head was all kinds of fucked up this morning.
“You good?” Kaleb leans forward and is staring directly at me. That causes Brett to look my way too.
“I don’t want to talk about it,” I mutter since I don’t appreciate how intently they are both staring.
“What’s going on?” Liam asks from my other side.
Great I’m surrounded. I like my friends. Don’t get me wrong and I appreciate their concern, but I don’t exactly want to disclose what happened to me yesterday.
“Look I appreciate you guys, I just don’t want to talk about it,” I say.
I think they are going to lay off when Kaleb says, “Does this have to do with Evelyn? You were in a perfectly good mood when you got off the bus yesterday and you said you were going to see her.”
I swear under my breath and watch Kaleb who returns my glare with raised brows.
“Fuck,” I hiss. “Yes, it has to do with Evie.”
My bros like to call her Evelyn because they all think she is a witch. But they didn’t know her the way I did. She had a soft side to her.
“What happened?” Liam asks dryly. I know he wants to end that sentence with whatever happened I told you so. I met Evie over a year ago at a steakhouse when I was out for dinner with the guys. We had gone out to enjoy a celebratory dinner after we had a winning streak. I was on my way to the gentleman’s room when I bumped into Evie. She was hotter than hell in a tight black mini skirt and blazer jacket. Her red hair ran down her back in waves and she had legs that went on for days. We exchanged numbers. She was at the restaurant entertaining a client with some other colleagues from her marketing firm. We hit it off and were together for a full year. Well, it would have been a full year yesterday since it was our one-year anniversary. I thought she was good with my busy travelling schedule. We were going to take things to the next level and I was going to ask her to move in. Now I feel like a complete idiot.
“Bro what happened? Coach will be in here any minute,” Brett complains.
I dig the heels of my palms into my eyes trying to wipe the visual that my mind conjures up by his question.
When my vision clears, I look straight ahead because I don’t need to see the sympathy in any of their gazes. I may have been a ladies’ man in college but I’ve been craving more for a while now. When I met Evie, I thought she could be the one.
“I got off the bus and went straight to Evie’s office to surprise her,” I begin.
Liam mutters something beside me.
“When I got there, I told her secretary not to announce me because I wanted to surprise her.” I look from side to side. My friend’s gazes look transfixed. It almost makes me want to laugh. I would if I didn’t feel like such a complete and utter idiot.
“Fuck don’t leave us hanging,” Brett complains leaning forward with his elbows on his knees.
