Once Upon a Power Play (7 page)

Chapter Eight

C
hloe scanned the always-crowded Starbucks, spotting Olivia at a small table wedged in the back corner. As usual, Liv was hard at work, head down and typing on her iPad. And Chloe was late. The upside of being late? Olivia had already grabbed her a calorie-heavy Pumpkin Spice Latte it would take an hour on the treadmill to burn off. If she could find the time. The work with Garden of Dreams was keeping her busy and just finding time for coffee had been a struggle.

Shimmying between tables, she made her way toward the back of the restaurant and dropped unceremoniously into the seat opposite her friend.

“You’re late,” Olivia said, tapping her screen a few more times before sliding the tablet into its case and looking up.

“And you’re wearing the Crown-
freaking
-Jewels!” Chloe blurted out, unable to tear her eyes away from the obscenely large diamond on Olivia’s left hand. “Sweetie, that thing’s going to blind someone. And
oh-my-God!
You’re engaged! Why didn’t you tell me?”

She jumped up from the table and threw her arms around her best friend, giving her a tight squeeze. No one deserved happily-ever-after more than Liv, and she was thrilled her workaholic friend had found her Prince Charming.

“I wanted to tell you in person.” Olivia scrunched up her nose. “Besides, last week you said you were too busy at work for coffee, remember? What is up with that anyway?”

Chloe winked. “That man of your is a slave driver. But if I’d known you had such big news, I’d have found the time. Let me get a good look.” Grabbing Olivia’s hand, she brought the ring up for closer inspection. “It’s beautiful. Seriously, Liv. I am so excited for you. Tell me everything.”

The glazed eyes and blissful smile on Olivia’s face as she relayed Cole’s proposal at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade spoke volumes about their relationship. In all her life Chloe couldn’t remember ever seeing a woman so in love.

“It’s so unfair.” She gave her friend a playful smile. “You guys haven’t even been together a year. I’ve spent the last four years relentlessly searching for Mr. Right and I’m still stone-cold single.”

“Really?” Olivia tilted her head and pressed her lips into a flat line. “Not according to Page Six.”

The groan was off her lips before she could stop it. “Not you, too.”

“What’s the deal with you and Ryan Douglas anyway?” Liv asked. The look of hope on her face was soul crushing. “Have you been keeping secrets from me?”

“Hardly. Things with Ryan are just…” She wrinkled her brow searching for the right word. Fuck-buddies seemed a little crass, especially for broad daylight at Starbucks. “Fun.”

In the blink of any eye, Olivia’s hope shifted to concern. “You? Just for fun?”

“We are not dating. We just hooked up a couple of times. It’s no big deal. It just sort of happened.” Chloe shrugged, a smile pulling at the corners of her mouth. “Once in the kitchen. Once in the owner’s suite at MSG. Once—”

“I don’t need details,” Olivia said, raising her hand and cutting her off mid-sentence. “I just don’t want to see you get hurt. A pro hockey player? Seems like the kind of guy who checks all of your ‘no-go’ boxes. Cocky. Narcissistic. Entitled,” she finished, ticking them off on her fingers.

“I’m fine. Really,” Chloe insisted, waving off any further discussion of the potential for future heartbreak. She didn’t need a reminder that Ryan was a walking deal breaker or that nothing could ever happen between them. She was acutely aware of the situation. “Actually, I’m better than ever. Things at work are going well and for the first time in forever, my life is free of boy drama. Being single has never felt better. If I could keep my face off Page Six and the Blueshirt hockey blogs, I’d be a freaking rock star.”

Olivia shook her head, her eyes dancing with laughter. “I never thought I’d see the day when Chloe Jacobs wanted less attention, not more.”

“Tell me about it. Seriously, though?” she said, happy to have someone she could trust and confide in. It felt like ages since she and Liv had sat down for girl time. “I used to love reading the gossip magazines, but I swear I’m canceling all my subscriptions. I mean, surely people have better things to worry about than who I’m screwing? Or rather, who Ryan’s screwing.” Reaching into her bag, she pulled out a wrinkled copy of
The Post
. “And they can’t even take a decent picture. Look how big and frizzy my hair is! Does it really look like that from the back?”

Olivia chuckled. “Your hair is fine.”

Lady Gaga’s
Telephone
blasted from Chloe’s purse. She rolled her eyes. “Not again.” Fishing the phone out of the bag, she confirmed what she already knew. Dave. Or, as she’d come think of him, Dave the Douche. He’d been blowing up her phone for days, and she was getting tired of dodging him. “Hang on,” she told Olivia, holding up a finger. “Let me just see what he wants.”

“Hello?”

“Hey, Chloe. How’ve you been?” he asked, doing his best to sound casual, although they hadn’t spoken since their broken date. Too bad the tremor in his voice gave him away. Talk about fifty shades of awkward.

“Never been better.” Which was actually the truth, she realized, a smile curving her lips. “What do you want, Dave?”

“Listen, I’m sorry for canceling our date last week. Something came up.” He paused. Ha! It didn’t take a genius to figure out what had come up: a better prospect. “Anyway, so I was thinking maybe we could give it another try this weekend?”

Was he for real? No one could be that self-involved and arrogant. But apparently he was. Her temper started to build, hot and angry, churning in her belly. Stupid asshole. He’d had the balls to dump her with a text message and now that he’d seen her face on Page Six, he wanted to give it another go? Did he really think she was that desperate and pathetic? She’d eat glass before she’d date him again. Or any guy like him—including Ryan. With herculean self-control, she swallowed the angry rhetoric nanoseconds before it exploded from her mouth, earning her a lifetime ban from Starbucks. No way in hell was she giving up her Pumpkin Spice Lattes for Dave the Douche. The man needed a hefty dose of karma. And she was happy to oblige.

“Actually, I’m free Saturday night if you are.”

“Really?” The man must’ve been smarter than he looked because he actually sounded surprised.

“Sure. Why don’t we meet at Zero Sum at eight o’ clock? We can grab a few drinks and see where the night takes us.”

“Great. I’m really looking forward to it.”

“Me, too,” Chloe lied with only a twinge of guilt. “Gotta run, but I’ll see you Saturday.”

Olivia eyed her as she tucked the phone back in her bag. “Did you really just make a date with another man when you are banging that sexy hockey player?”

“Not one I plan on keeping.” She snorted and sipped her latte. Sadly, Dave wasn’t even the first ex to come crawling out of the woodwork. Just the most recent. Her phone had been ringing off the hook since the article in
The Post
, which was why she’d started moving all her exes onto the same ringtone. One that reminded her they weren’t worth her time. The past was the past for a reason and she had no desire to look back. “Trust me, Dave is an enormous ass. I guarantee the only reason he called is because he saw Page Six. Last week I wasn’t even worth a phone call.” She rolled her eyes and tucked her hair behind her ear. “How ironic is it the guy I’m screwing for fun is the one making other guys take notice?”

R
yan watched his teammates as he strapped on his shin guards. He was so fucking tense he wanted to hurl. A scan of the circular locker room revealed he wasn’t the only one battling elevated emotions. It was his first game back, and while it was a regular season game, this wouldn’t be just any faceoff. They were playing the Flyers, one of their top rivals and the team that had put him on IR. Tensions were high and The Garden was sold out. The crowd was expecting a hard-hitting game and they were going to get it tonight. There was no love lost between the teams, especially after the nasty injury to his calf. The fans would also be riding high and extra security had been brought it to manage the unruly crowd.

Hell, he couldn’t wait to get back on the ice. The rush of the game, the lights, the crowd—he hadn’t realized how much he had missed it. Hockey was a part of him. It was who he was. And he relished the opportunity to get back out there and show all the haters he could face the adversity and come back stronger than ever. He wasn’t a quitter, could never be one. Despite Kelsey’s parting shot as she walked out the door.

Ryan sucked in a deep breath and stretched his calf, rubbing the scar that stretched from the back of his knee down toward his ankle. The past was the past. It was time to bury the pain and focus on the game. As a captain, the weight of expectation fell heavy on his shoulders. His team was counting on him. Despite all the press, all the doubt, he knew they had his back. They always did. He felt confident and prepared, but that didn’t mean things would go their way tonight.

They needed the win. Not just for the standings, but to confirm they were one team again, strong as ever. That was the whole reason he’d stayed upstate at the training center for the last week. To rebuild the team. Not that he didn’t need the extra time with the coaches and trainers. He sure as hell did. And every bit of it was paying off. Maybe he wasn’t quite one hundred percent, but he was damn close. Tonight that would have to be good enough.

The only downside to bunking at the training center was the fact that it was a testosterone fest. Which had done nothing to temper his thoughts of Chloe’s lush little body. The sex was un-fucking-believable, and he’d jerked off more times than he cared to admit just thinking of her. The way she came alive when he touched her was a real turn-on. Unlike some of his teammates, he hadn’t been with many women, but he’d definitely never been with one as responsive as Chloe. The woman was an untapped frontier of sexual exploration. Not only was she open to it, she delighted in it.

Things with Chloe were totally different than they’d ever been with Kelsey. Even in the beginning, things with his ex had felt like work. Had he booked the right restaurant? Worn the right shirt? Bought the right gift? Hell, Chloe was a breath of fresh air with her sarcastic little mouth and lack of expectations. Living in the here and now, just having fun in the moment, was exactly what he needed.

“Yo, Ry. What the fuck are you doing over there?” Jordy threw a balled up sock at him. “Get your head in the game, man. Warm-up’s in five minutes.”

He glanced down, realizing he was far from game ready. Grabbing his jersey, he slipped it over his shoulder pads. Jordy was right. He needed to table all thoughts of sex and get his head in the fucking game.

After? Well, that was a different story.

Chapter Nine

C
hloe shepherded her rambunctious little charges from the Garden of Dreams to their seats, doing everything in her power to keep the kids moving in an orderly fashion. She’d been flattered when Becca, the Garden of Dreams liaison, had extended the invitation for her to join them at the game. Spending time with the kids was proving more fulfilling than she could have imagined, and it would give her an opportunity to see the crowd’s reaction to the new Garden of Dreams campaign firsthand. Her belly twisted in knots. The new spot was scheduled to run on the big screen right before the game. Although she was proud of the work they’d done, it was impossible to predict how people would react. For the kids’ sake, she hoped positively and with open checkbooks. Especially since there was a call to action inviting the crowd to text donations before the puck dropped. Seeing Ryan’s comeback game live was just an added bonus.

“Here’s your seat, Elijah.” Extricating herself from the hand of the little boy, whose death grip had cut off all circulation to her fingers fifteen minutes ago, she took the seat next to him. The rest of the kids settled into empty seats between her and Becca, the group’s other chaperone.

“Wow.” Elijah said, eyes growing wide as he surveyed the arena. “This is awesome, Miss Chloe.”

“It is pretty awesome, isn’t it?” she agreed. In more ways than one. She was anxious to see Ryan play. They hadn’t seen one another since last weekend. He’d texted a few times, but he’d been busy with practice. Even though she missed the sex, her life remained drama free. It was refreshing to say the least. Would he even know she was here tonight? Probably not. It was unlikely the players knew everything going on within the Rangers’ organization or Garden of Dreams. They had other priorities. Like the hunt for the Cup.

She grinned, pleased with her newly acquired hockey knowledge. Not that she’d ever admit it, but Ryan had opened her eyes to a sport she’d never really considered in the past. She’d be an expert in no time. Of course, her interest was strictly professional.

Maybe she should have texted him and told him she’d be at the game. But it wasn’t like they had a commitment or anything. Better to play it cool. Chloe glanced at her watch and settled in to wait for the Garden of Dreams spot. It would be airing any minute.

Even if she hadn’t been watching, she’d have known the second it came on. The kids leaped from their seats, squealing with delight when their faces appeared on the big screen. She watched the video with a critical eye, finally admitting to herself it had turned out pretty damn great. Her shoulders dipped and she released a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding. The video was just the right mix of depressing ‘
How do you sleep at night?
’ followed by an upbeat ‘
You can make a difference!’
vibe. Only a stone-cold bastard could look at those glowing little faces and not want to help. At least, that’s what she was counting on.

When the cameras panned their section, putting the kids on screen live, she waved graciously, reminding herself that any PR was good PR. Even if it was likely her presence would ignite a new round of speculation about her non-existent relationship with Ryan.

Chloe watched the crowd, very aware that sitting among the raucous fans was a completely different experience than being tucked away in a suite with the upper crust of society. And even though the crowd was wild tonight, screaming and chanting and stomping, she preferred it. They were going nuts waiting for Ryan and the other Rangers to take the ice. Of course, she could do without some of the signs.
Put it in MY five hole, Ryan!
,
I want my headboard to give you a concussion, Jordy!
and
Puck Me, Gabe
! were among her least favorites.

Seriously?

When the lights dimmed signaling the players would be taking the ice, Chloe felt a flutter of panic in her belly. The Rangers were playing the Flyers. Was Ryan up to it? Hockey was an incredibly physical game, and she knew he needed a win tonight to get his confidence back. And her stupid nerves were getting the best of her. Which was silly. Ryan was a pro. By his own proclamation he’d been skating as long as he’d been walking, so pretty much his whole life. He’d be fine. Besides, what they had was just sex. She didn’t need to worry about him or his feelings or any of that other mushy stuff. The only thing she needed to worry about was showing the kids from Garden of Dreams they, too, could overcome adversity, right?

R
yan watched from the tunnel while the other Rangers skated onto the ice and lined up. He paused, dragging in a deep breath and filling his lungs to capacity with the frosty air. Sweat trickled down the back of his neck. It was now or never. “You’ve got this,” he said, needing to hear the words spoken aloud.

Now sure as shit wasn’t the time to fall apart. The team was counting on him. Stuffing his fear down, he stepped onto the ice, his heart slamming against his rib cage. The spotlight found him immediately, sending the crowd into a thunderous applause. The guys tapped their sticks on the ice, leading the arena in a chant.

Douglas! Douglas! Douglas!

He was home, back on the ice where he belonged. Skating to the line, he took his place among his teammates and waved to the fans, grateful for their support and knowing he was lucky to have it. Now it was time to prove he deserved it. The Garden pulsed with energy and he drank it in, fueling his enthusiasm. When the doc had given him the news about his leg, he’d been so afraid he’d never have this opportunity again. But here was he was, three months later, game ready. With a little more time, he’d be back in top form. He cut his eyes at the Flyers. They were glaring daggers, but he didn’t give a fuck. No one was going to intimidate him. Not tonight, not ever.

When the anthem was done and it was time to face off at center ice, he was ready. The crowd ceased to exist. He blocked out their cheering, the loud music, and the excited lilt of the announcer’s voice. Squatting low, he choked up on the stick, fully prepared to sweep the puck back to his defensemen and take control of the game. The ref blew his whistle and dropped the puck. His stick was on it the instant it hit the ice, winning the faceoff easily. Putting his shoulder into the opposing center, he pushed forward, skating down the ice and getting into position to receive the pass he knew was coming. The Flyers were fast, but his guys were prepared.

His eyes darted across the ice. Jordy still had the puck.
Boom!
He was checked into the boards, but not before passing to Bash, who was on the breakaway. The Flyers defense tried to sweep the puck from him, but Bash flipped the puck to Ryan. It skipped over the Flyers sticks and landed in front of Ryan, who received it easily, drawing back and taking the shot on goal. The puck whizzed through the air, heading for the goalie’s right shoulder. He wasn’t ready. The puck pinged off the crossbar and bounced in. The siren blared. The crowd went ape shit, the roar reaching a deafening pitch.

Ryan pumped his fist and checked the scoreboard. Thirteen seconds. A new personal best.

Crunch!
His face met the Plexiglas above the boards. Hard. The solid surface was unforgiving, splitting his lip and giving him a taste of his own blood. No fucking way. Checked from behind after a shot on goal? Dirty. He turned around, fully prepared to take a swing at the asshole who’d delivered the hit. Fighting wasn’t exactly his thing, and he could count on one hand the number of fights he’d had, but this wasn’t happening. Forgive and forget? Maybe he could overlook the injury to his leg as a freak accident, but this was deliberate.

Before he could respond, Bash was on the player who’d hit him. Hozier. No surprise there. The guy had a reputation for playing dirty. Bash’s fist crunched against the other player’s nose, unleashing a crimson tide, which ran down his face, staining his jersey. Hozier swung back, but Bash deflected the blow, taking it on the shoulder. He had Hozier by the jersey, pounding the shit out of him. The linemen stayed back, waiting for an opportunity to pull the two swinging giants apart. Finally, when it looked like Hozier couldn’t take another punch, Bash dropped him on the ice. He gave Ryan a fist bump and headed for the box where he was sure to spend five for fighting. Hozier would be joining him for boarding, another major penalty, so at least the penalties would offset.

Although spontaneous, the fight had amped the crowd up even further. They were going crazy. Some considered Bash a goon, but the title did him a disservice. While he was the team’s undisputed enforcer at six-foot-four and two-twenty, he was also a skilled player. But mostly he was loyal, as he’d proven tonight, jumping in to defend his team and his captain despite everything that had transpired between them over the last few months.

Collecting Bash’s gloves from the ice, he skated over to the sideline and handed them off. He grabbed a water bottle and rinsed his mouth, spitting blood onto the ice. The busted lip stung, but it was probably nothing compared to Hozier’s nose. Or his ego, for that matter. Ryan looked into the stands and spotted a tiny, pissed off brunette waving her fist and no doubt cussing like a trucker. The kids beside her stared wide-eyed and slack-jawed.

Unable to suppress the smile that spread across his face, Ryan found himself grinning like a fool. Chloe hadn’t mentioned she was coming to the game. Talk about a pleasant surprise. His night was definitely looking up. Their eyes met, and her cheeks got a telltale flush of embarrassment when he winked at her, acknowledging her presence. For someone who didn’t give two shits about hockey a week ago, she was awfully invested in the game tonight.