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I look up from my phone as I head towards the players and employee’s entrance to the arena and see a guy holding a big floral arrangement standing by the door. He’s wearing a baseball hat and a jacket with a patch on the front with a bouquet of flowers and some script underneath that I can’t quite make out. The name of a flower shop, I assume.
“I can try,” I say as I get closer, sliding my phone into my pocket.
“I got a flower delivery here for a…” he checks the card attached to the vase with a black ribbon, “Hallie McNamara.” His accent is very southern California surfer and I fully expect him to call mebrahany second. It sounds slightly off, though I can’t quite put my finger on why. “But the door is locked and I can’t find a call button or anything.”
“Yeah, this is kind of a private entrance. Deliveries and stuff usually go to the front. And I think you mean Hattie.”
Something flashes in his eyes, so briefly that I think I must have imagined it.
“Oh,” he says, squinting at the card again. “Oh, yeah, you’re right, I think those are Ts – Kris’s handwriting is awful,” he laughs and shakes his head. “Sorry, I didn’t realize there was another way in. This is only my third day and I’m new in town. I know, I know, a delivery guy is a pretty stupid job for someone who doesn’t know his way around.” He looks sheepish. “But my aunt knows the owner and I really needed the job and…well, thank God for GPS, right?”
I huff out a laugh, smiling.
“I feel you. It took me a while to learn my way around too. But, hey, I can’t let you in this way, sorry, man. They’re pretty strict about security and stuff, but I can have someone meet you at the front entrance once I get inside. It shouldn’t take too long.”
He looks towards the front, then down at his watch. “Do you know her? This Hallie—er, Hattie—chick? I mean, could you maybe do me a solid and take them in for me and figure out where they need to go? I know it’s asking a lot, but to be honest, I was supposed to deliver them earlier, but I accidentally left them at the shop and now I’m late and I really need this job. Aunt Jenny or no, the owner already wants to fire me I think, and this might just be the nail in my coffin.”
I grin and wave him off, stepping forward to take the flowers. “Yeah, sure I can take them in, no problem.”
His shoulders sag in relief and he smiles, a slash of pearly whites beneath his thick beard and mustache…and I swear there’s that flash in his eyes again. Something dark and burning, but in a heartbeat, it’s gone, his expression totally casual, showing nothing but gratitude. I give myself an inward shake.I think I need sleep.
“Thanks, dude. You’re completely saving my ass right now. I totally owe you one.”
“It’s no problem, really. I’ll make sure she gets them.”
He nods and jogs off towards a black delivery van parked a few spots down. I head inside and take the elevators up to the offices instead of down and make my way to Hattie’s office. She’s at a meeting with a potential new sponsor, so I leave them on the table in the corner. I wonder who they’re from, but know that it wouldn’t be polite to snoop. Imightglance at the card as I shift the vase back a bit on the table, but all I see is her name scrawled across the front in admittedly messy handwriting.
I shrug, figuring I’ll ask her about it later, and head down to the training room before I have to get ready for the game.
Chapter Eleven
Hattie
“Tell me not to sleep with Rizzo again,” Nat begs from her perch on the table next to my flowers, leaning over to smell one of the blooms. I glance up from my screen and grin at her.
“From what you told me, you didn’t really do much sleepin’ the first time around.”
She throws a notepad at me and I duck, laughing.
“I’m serious! I don’t think I can hold out much longer. I swear me telling him it was a one-and-done somehow made himmoreinterested. He’s hinted at wanting another hook up since it happened, but now he’s being weird—he asked me to dinner. Like a legitdinner date.” I raise my brows. That is very un-Rizzo of him. “Right?! That’s what I thought!” she exclaims, reading my mind. “I know it’s just a means to an end, another night in the sack, but still.”
“Well, what did you say?”
“I told him…I’d think about it.” She groans and puts her head in her hands. “I’m not going to be able to hold out much longer. When I knew it would just be one night of fun and then we’d be adults and just see each other at work like normal, it didn’t seem like that big a deal. I could handle that. But with him actively trying for another round?” She puffs out her cheeks and blows out a long breath. “It’s a completely different ballgame that I am not equipped to play. I mean, you’ve seen him! I do not think with my brain when he’s around, I think with something else entirely and it very,verymuch wants me to accept his invitation. Actually, it just wants me to say fuck dinner all together and tell him to just take me to a hotel.”
I can’t help but laugh at that. “Well, would it really be so bad if it wasn’t a one-and-done? I mean, plenty of people have steady fuck-buddies.”
“Yes! Or, well, no. Maybe? I don’t know! I was ok being a notch in his skyscraper-length bedpost for one really,reallygood night, but continually just being one in a rotation of countless women? I don’t think I could do it.” She pinches the bridge of her nose. “Ugh, let’s change the subject. Who sent you flowers? The parade float guy? He seemedverysmitten with you.”
Brianhadflirted when we were working on the float design and everything—and I’d flirted back a bit, admittedly—but it was harmless and nothing had ever come of it. Would I have accepted if he’d asked me out? I honestly don’t know. He was super cute, funny, and sweet, but when I thought about going out on a date with him, it wasn’thimI pictured sitting across from me at dinner or holding my hand as we walked down the street or leaning in to kiss me good night. No matter how hard I tried, someone else’s face always popped up instead.
“They aren’t from the parade float guy, thank you very much.” I hit send on my last email and head over to the table, shifting the flower arrangement a little. “Well, I guess theycouldbe—I don’t actually know who they’re from—but I doubt it.” Brian had actually ended up gettingBobby’snumber at the end of the float build. He was an equal opportunity flirt and the two had gone out on a few casual dates. Bobby said that it was fun, but they decided that they had friends vibes, nothing more.
I’d initially had the crazy thought that the flowers were from Connor and I’ll even admit to how my heart had stupidly leapt at the thought, but when I’d texted him, thankfully catching him before he had to head out to the ice to start warming up, he’d explained that he’d brought them inside, but they weren’tfromhim. So, the sender is a mystery. Connor joked that I have a secret admirer, and while that sounds potentially romantic or sexy on the surface, as someone who had an unwanted shadow for several months, I can decidedly tell you I want no part of that. If someone wants to tell me they’re into me, they need to just come out and say it.
I don’t actually think it’s that though, I think they must just be from one of the many charitable organizations or sponsors I’ve met with lately. It wouldn’t be the first time I’ve received gifts of flowers after meetings. I decide to try to track down the florist tomorrow and see if they can tell me anything. Until then, I’m just enjoying the pretty addition brightening up my office.
“Hell, maybe I’ll call float guy then. Maybe he’ll get my mind off Rizzo and his giant—”
