Total pages in book: 128
Estimated words: 124494 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 622(@200wpm)___ 498(@250wpm)___ 415(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 124494 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 622(@200wpm)___ 498(@250wpm)___ 415(@300wpm)
“Hammer?”
“As in Peggy Aurora Hammerstein. The team calls her Hammer. She works with me in PR.”
“Right. Yes.” That’s another thing I didn’t consider. Working with Roman is one thing, but his daughter, too…The layers of complication keep multiplying.
“She was in the meeting this morning, but you were probably overwhelmed with all the people. She’s out at a promo op with her dad, but she’ll be in tomorrow. I’ll introduce you.”
“I would love that.” That my words don’t come out laced with anxiety is a miracle.
“I know you probably have a lot to do, but some of us are heading to the pub after work, if you want to join. We’re all very excited to have you on board. It’s nice to have another woman on staff. The other coaches don’t usually join us—they have young kids and a lot going on—but we’d love to have you. If you can make it, you’ll meet Hammer and Shilpa, plus a few players. It’s a nice way to get to know them in a more relaxed environment.”
While I’d love to make friends in the office, if Hammer is there, the potential for awkwardness is real. And if Roman shows up… A conversation is imperative, but not with all our colleagues and his teammates around. “Thanks so much for thinking of me. Can I take a rain check? I still have some unpacking to do.” I motion to the boxes.
“Absolutely.” She nods. “Maybe next week would be better.”
“That would be great.”
I’ve dodged that bullet for now, but I can’t avoid my office colleagues indefinitely. I’m pretty sure this will all get harder before it gets easier. Who knew having your dreams come true could feel like a nightmare?
CHAPTER 4
ROMAN
“You okay, man? You seem…really tense.” Hollis Hendrix glances pointedly at my fingers tapping on his center console.
I grab my coffee to keep my hands occupied. “Yeah. I’m just up in my head.” Not a lie.
I slept like crap last night. I kept waking up from X-rated dreams featuring our new assistant coach. In one, I was on the ice, dressed in full goalie gear, and she was spread out on top of the net, naked and beautiful and begging for a tongue fuck. My brain is an asshole.
“The reality of this final season setting in?” he asks, tone shifting to empathy.
My stomach twists as I lie to my best friend. “Pretty much.”
Before yesterday, that’s exactly what I would have been worried about. But this new development is taking all my bandwidth. How the hell am I supposed to concentrate with Lexi around—excuse me, that’s Alexandria, or Coach Forrester? It’s my last damn season, and I don’t need distractions.
I can’t get her shocked expression out of my head when I let her know I remembered her. Did she think I would forget that weekend we spent together? Never.
“I know there’s a lot of change now with the team and management, but let’s go out on top, right?”
I must be in a fucking mood if Hollis is being all Positive Pete with me.
“Yeah, you’re absolutely right,” I say. “And Ryker will be a great goalie. I’m just worried about Grace and Madden on the ice together.” Especially since Grace will be mine to deal with because he’s defense. “Plus a new assistant coach.” Whose body I explored every inch of for an entire weekend. “It makes for a bumpy start to the season.”
“Forrester has a solid background, though,” Hollis replies.
“She does.”
I looked her up last night.
She’s been a few hours away all these years. And she knew who I was when we met in New York. That’s what’s messing me up the most. Yet I never felt like Roman Hammerstein the goalie. I was just a regular guy who liked baseball and wanted to travel for reasons other than work. The fact that she knew changes how I view that weekend.
“Might not be the worst that things are shaking up, you know?” Hollis says, maybe interpreting my silence as skepticism.
“I’m sure management has a plan in place.” I’m more concerned with how I’ll deal with watching Lexi in action. She’s a lethal combination of gorgeous and competent. Some of the younger guys on the team are all hormones. I cannot handle one of those horny little shits eyeing her like the fucking treat she is.
Our phones light up with an influx of new messages in our group chat. Hollis and I are tight with several of the guys on the team.
“I’ll check that,” I offer. The first message feels like a bad fucking omen.
Dallas
Anyone else curious about the impact of estrogen on practice?
Tristan
I’m more concerned about Flip and Connor knocking each other out.
Ash
This ^^^
Flip
Fuck you guys.
The chat devolves into hockey fight gifs.
“What are the guys saying?” Hollis asks as he pulls into the parking lot.
“They’re pushing Flip’s buttons over Connor.”