Cash (Glendale Magic #2)

Chapter 14

EVIE

Evie looked down at the text message the Cash had just sent her. She wished it didn't make her heart sing, but it did. She wished she wasn't attracted to him on such a deep level, but she was. He had fucked her in her shared office for crying out loud. That was not like her. While she wasn't mad at how good it felt, it was definitely out of character. It just seemed no matter how angry she was or how hard she attempted to push him away she just couldn't do it. The chemistry between them was next level.

She should have replied, but she didn't know what to say. 'Looking forward to fucking you on my desk again tomorrow.' She was at a loss as to how to move forward. She just couldn't get a read on him. She had thought it was a one-night stand, but the second time they had sex that night was earth shattering. She thought he had left in the middle of the night, but he'd had an emergency and left his phone number. She had thought he was a player, but she was realizing that there might be more to him there too. Maybe she should find out where he was the first morning of camp.

She went to bed and pulled up her phone and looked at the text one last time.

Evie - See you tomorrow

That was it, she locked her phone and went to sleep. She would figure out the rest in the morning.

Thursdays were an early morning for Evie. She had two private coaching sessions before camp started, so she was already on the ice when all the younger skaters and the hockey kids started arriving. She had one of her assistants leading some stretching and yoga with figure skating camp, so she decided she would stop and check on the hockey side. She tried to tell herself she wasn't going to check on Cash, but she knew she was. As much as she wanted to stop, she just couldn't.

When she got into the hockey rink it was noisy and the kids were all lacing up their skates and getting out.

"Coming over to the dark side?" she heard a voice behind her. She turned to see Wes smiling at her.

"What? No! I'm just checking out how everything is going over here. I have my kids warming up and doing some yoga this morning, so I had a few minutes."

One of the kids came up to talk to Wes and she took this moment to take in the rink. Cash was already out on the ice passing the puck around with some kids. He had a big friendly smile on his face as he talked to them, she wasn't sure she had ever seen that particular expression on his face. Then she noticed up in the top corner on the bleachers a frowning kid in a leather jacket who looked less than thrilled to be there.

"What's up with James Dean over there?" she asked Wes.

Wes smiled and shook his head. "That's Cash's nephew. He's gonna give him a run for his money this summer."

"What do you mean?" she asked, trying not to seem too eager for the new information.

"He ran away to the city without telling his mom. They live all the way in Colorado. Cash went to get him on Monday, and I think he is spending the summer with him after all of that. Yesterday he took the train back into the city, so Cash isn't letting him stay alone anymore."

Monday. That had been the day Cash was late. Was he late because he was picking up his nephew?

"Is that why he was late Monday?"

"Yeah, he called us all at the ass crack of dawn making sure one of us could cover him."

Evie nodded, letting that information sink him. He had been late because he had to drive into the city to pick up his nephew. Once again, she had jumped to a negative assumption, and once again, he was proving to be a good guy. While she wasn't sure he was over his playboy ways, she was willing to admit she had been wrong about him and maybe he deserved the benefit of the doubt more often.

Cash looked over at her while Wes was getting out on the ice. He smiled and waved at her, and her heart somersaulted inside of her. She needed to get ready for her skaters who were all done by now and putting skates on. She turned to leave but looked back one last time at Cash.

Damn...this was dangerous.

She finished up her morning group and somehow found herself back in the hockey rink. They were finishing up, and she watched as Wes and Cash did some skating while Owen was pointing out tips for the kids.

Evie had never watched him skate in person. She wasn't a hockey fan, and while yes, hockey required serious skills in skating, they weren't the skills she was used to appreciating. But watching him and Wes together was really something. Wes was fast and almost graceful when he skated, but Cash dominated the ice. He skated like he was in charge of the ice itself. It should not be as sexy as it was but damn.

"There you are. What are you doing in here?"

She knew that voice and it made her cringe. As she turned, she saw an elegant woman holding a purse that cost more money than she made in six months.

"Mom," she said with a nod. "I believe the real question is what are you doing here?"

"Came to put an end to this plus one nonsense for the wedding. We both know you’re not seeing anyone. This is putting a kink into the seating chart, and I think you are just being selfish."

"Selfish? Because I want to bring a date to my sister's wedding?"

"Evelyn, please, you know how seating charts work. One person can throw off the whole thing."

"Well, I am seeing someone, Mother, and I would like to bring him."

"Who?"

“Excuse me?”

"Who is the person you are dating?"

"What?"

"If you are dating this mystery man, I’m going to need to know who it is."

Fuck. She was not ready to be dealing with this right now. What was she going to do? She couldn't get through that wedding without a buffer.

“Well then he wouldn’t be a mystery man, would he now, mother?” she said, trying to guide her out the door.

“I’m not leaving here till you tell me who you’re seeing.”

"Him," she said, pointing to Cash.

"I'm sorry? Who?"

"Him," she said, pointing again to Cash.

"That hockey player?" she said with barely hidden disdain.

"That NHL player...yes. Him." Well...she would have to deal with this later, but hopefully it would be enough to get her mother out of here.

"Young man," her mother called out as she started to walk to the ice.

Fuck. This was not happening. "Mom! What are you doing?" She took hold of her hand trying to pull her out.

"I'm meeting your wedding date," she said, shooting her a doubtful gaze. "Young man," she called again.

"Mom. Stop," she whispered harshly, but it was too late. Cash looked around him for who she was talking to. He pointed to himself and gave her a confusing look. "Mom. seriously," she said, trying to pull her away from the ice.

Her mom turned and gave her a look that stopped her. A look that said stop acting like a petulant child. A look she was all too accustomed to. And to her horror, Cash was skating over to her.

"Hello, I'm Elizabeth Masterson. I understand you are escorting my Evelyn to the wedding."

Cash shot her a quizzical glance and Evie wished she could stop existing. Just all together stop existing. There was no coming back from this level of embarrassment.

Cash turned to her mother with a charming smile on his face. "Yes, ma'am. That is correct. It’s my honor to be escorting her to this wedding. She’s very excited about it. In fact, it’s all she’s been talking about," he said, sneaking her a look that shot straight through her.

"Really?" She said with a hint of disbelief.

"Yes, ma'am."

"And you play for the NHL?"

"Yes, ma'am. I'm assistant captain of the Glendale Magic."

Her mother gave a small hum and Evie was just about to lose it. "Are you happy now?"

"Yes. Was it that difficult?" she said to Evie.

"It was nice to meet you, I'm sure you are aware of the responsibilities of escorting the maid of honor."

"Mother," she said, finally pulling her out of the rink entirely.

"Well, that was excessively rude. I was just talking to the young man," she said, pulling her arm out of Evie’s grasp.

"You’re ridiculous. He’s a grown man, I'm not sure why you are speaking to him like he’s the help. That was humiliating."

"I can't understand why. He’ll be there for all the events, correct?"

Evie groaned and rolled her eyes. "Mom, I have work to do. I’ll call you later."

"Okay, I still need his name."

"No, you don't, just write plus one."

"Evelyn, why are you being so difficult? What is his name?"

"Cassius Hawthorn," she heard a deep voice say behind her.

"Thank you, Mr. Hawthorn, I look forward to officially meeting you at the rehearsal dinner," she said with a smile. "Was that so difficult?" she said to Evie.

"Goodbye mother," she said with an icy glare.

"Goodbye, Evelyn. It was a pleasure, Mr. Hawthorn," she said.

And she watched in a dream state as he gave mother a polite nod, "The pleasure is all mine, Mrs. Masterson."

She gave her daughter an approving look and turned and left. She closed her eyes, and she could feel Cash's eyes on her. Maybe if she just left, she could just pretend that this all had been a terrible nightmare. She turned to leave.

"Not so fast," Cash said, putting his hands on her shoulders, turning her to face him. "Care to let me in on what is going on? I'm here for shenanigans, but I do like to be clued in first."

"I'm sorry about that...that was my mom," she said, still unable to meet his eyes.

"I figured out that much."

"And you totally don't have to go to the wedding with me. She just surprised me and was demanding to know who I was bringing...and I don't know what I was thinking but seriously, don't worry –"

"I'll go with you."

"What?" she finally looked at him.

"I'll be your date," he said like it was the easiest choice he ever had to make.

"It's fine. My family is.... a lot."

"Evie. Stop. I'll go with you to the wedding. When is it?"

"Cash, it's fine. I can find someone else to go with." Her heart stupidly leapt as he grimaced at the idea.

"No. I’ll take you. That's final. I was only asking because of the hoodlum up there, if it's out of town I’ll find someone to keep an eye on him."

"That's your nephew?" she asked. He nodded. "All the more reason not to do this then."

"Evie...what's going on?"

"They are all just going to have so many questions and I know they’ll think we’re together–"

"Let them."

"Let them?" she gawked at him.

"Yeah, let them think whatever the fuck they want to think. They will anyway."

He did have a point there. "And you'd be okay letting them think that?"

"Yep."

"Seriously? You'll what? Be my pretend boyfriend for the weekend?"

"If that's how you want to think about it."

"This is crazy."

"It's not so crazy," he said with a small smile.

"Evie," called a teenager from the ice. "I'm drowning in five-year-olds out here."

"I'm coming," she said as she turned for the ice. But before she could leave, she felt Cash's hand take hers, and damn it if her heart didn't melt at his mere touch.

"She'll be there in a minute," Cash called.

"I really do have to go," she answered quickly.

"Go out to dinner with me."

"Tonight?"

He nodded. "We can work out all the details over dinner."

"Okay," she said, trying to bite back the grin that wanted to stretch across her face.

"I'll text you."

"Okay, I have to go," she said, turning toward the ice.

"Make sure I'm not blocked," he said with a cocked eyebrow.

"You're not blocked."

"Good."

What the hell just happened? The past fifteen minutes felt like a whirlwind. She never thought she would be looking forward to going into a rink full of five- to eight-year-olds to catch her breath, but her head was spinning. She couldn't figure out what the fuck just happened. Cash was going to pretend to be her boyfriend for her sister's wedding and they were going out to dinner tonight. She was going to need to reign in her feelings. She was already dangerously close to having real feelings for one of hockey's biggest playboys. What the hell was going on?