Chapter 6
EVIE
Evie had moved through her normal routine without much change, but by Tuesday, she still couldn’t get Cash off her mind. Her dreams replayed their time together. Whenever she saw a tall, bearded man with tattoos she checked to make sure it wasn’t him, always slightly disappointed when it was just some random guy. Even when she was coaching, she was finding it difficult to give her skaters her full attention. She needed to do something to get Cash off her mind, only she wasn’t quite sure what.
She had just gotten home from the rink when her phone dinged. It was probably her mom or sister with more wedding nonsense, but she decided to check it anyway.
Sasha - Are you working tomorrow?
Evie - I have an early morning coaching session but after that I'm good. What's up?
Sasha - I'm just going to call you. It’ll be easier.
Then her phone rang.
"Hello."
"Hi Evie, I have a favor to ask you and it's kind of a long story."
Sasha sounded terrible. Evie hadn't known her long, but in the past month they had become friends and right now she sounded distressed.
"Are you okay?"
She took a long deep breath. "Not really."
"What's happening?"
"Long story short, I had an issue with a stalker before I got to Glendale. He found me and I'm staying at Conner's. I had a really rough day dealing with work and the police and I just need a day off. I know Conner won't let me stay here alone because he is being such a stickler about my safety. And if I'm honest I don't really want to be alone either, I could use a girl’s day." She took a deep shaky breath after quickly getting all that out.
"Oh my god, Sasha. Of course. Are you okay? What's happening?"
"I'm okay. I'm safe here at Conner's and at work but it's just scary. I’ll tell you all about it when you get here."
"Okay. What time should I be there?"
"Is eight okay? Conner won't leave until I'm not alone and he has playoffs coming up. He can't miss practice.”
"Of course, I'll be there at eight. And what kind of girl’s day are we talkin’? Junk food? Movies? Booze?"
"Yes, to all of it."
"Okay, I'm sorry you're going through this, but I’ll be there tomorrow morning with supplies."
"Thank you so much. I know we haven't known each other that long, but I just don't know many people here."
"Hey. I'm glad you asked me. I'm glad we're friends, and I'm here for you."
"Thanks. See you tomorrow."
After they got off the phone, Evie was kicking herself even more. Maybe if she hadn't been busy flirting with Cash, she would have realized something was going on with Sasha. Just another nail in the coffin that was her mistake of a one-night stand.
The next morning, she put Conner McPhee's address into her GPS and drove to a subdivision just outside of town that was full of big, beautiful houses. This surprised her. Conner had been playing for the Magic for years and was their captain. While she didn't know how much he made, she knew it had to be good money, but she had assumed he would have a condo in town, not a fancy house.
She pulled up to the gate and realized she would need a passcode to even get in. It did seem excessive, but with what Sasha was dealing with right now, it was probably a good thing. She texted Sasha to get the code.
While she was waiting to hear back from Sasha, a big truck pulled up. It was a nice truck, made for looks, not work. It slowed by the driveway. Her heart started pounding in her chest. What if it was Sasha's stalker? Her hand slowly reached into her purse for pepper spray.
"Evie?"
She looked up to see Cash getting out of the truck.
"Cash? What on earth are you doing here?"
"I could ask you the same question," he said with a smirk.
She just stood there with her mouth gaping open. He cocked an eyebrow and seemed to relish in how uncomfortable she was at this moment.
"Okay, I'll bite," he said, giving her an obnoxiously handsome smile. "What exactly are you doing outside my teammate's gate at eight in the morning?"
"Well, I'm not fucking him."
Why did she say that? Why the hell did she say that?
"I didn't think you were," he said amused.
"And what are you doing lurking by your teammates gate?" she shot back at him.
He just laughed at her. "Teammate and neighbor. I’m on my way into work."
"Oh…You live out here?" she asked. While it didn't seem like the kind of place Conner McPhee would live, it really didn't seem like a place Cash would live. She bet he had a sex dungeon in the basement of his house. And dammit it if that thought didn't make her heart beat between her legs.
"I do. I live two houses down."
"I'm here to see Sasha," she blurted out.
"Oh yeah, that makes sense. How’s she holding up? That whole situation is fucked."
Evie was skeptical. "You know what's going on?"
"I do. I know she doesn't want many people to know, but Conner texted me the morning after the gala. That's why I left so early that morning."
Evie’s eyebrows drew together at the memory of waking up alone after thinking she meant something more to him that just a fuck.
Then he did something that shocked her. He leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. The fucking bastard.
"Don't forget to use my phone number, doll. I'd really like to see you again," he said in a low gravelly voice.
"How would I have your number?" With a wipe of her cheek, she crossed her arms and glared at him.
He gave her a confused look. "Because I gave it to you."
"You did no such thing."
"Yes, I did."
"No, you didn't. I think I would know if you had given me your number. All I know is we hooked up and you left without a word."
"I left because Conner texted needing help, but I left you a note with my number."
She just looked at him quizzically while her phone dinged in her hand. She wasn’t sure how much time had passed because her brain had short circuited.
"Did you not find my note?"
She just shook her head while her phone dinged in her hand again.
"Do you need to find out who that is?" he asked.
"Oh right..." She opened her phone and saw the code from Sasha. Before she knew what had happened, Cash took the phone out of her hands. "Hey! What do you think you’re doing?" She tried to get her phone back but considering he had about six inches on her and was a big dude, he just held it above his head.
"There," he said with a wink. "Now you have no excuse not to use my number. Call me. I want to take you out."
The rage deep inside of her flair. That was rage…it wasn’t attraction. She was almost sure of it.
"What the fuck? You can't just take people's phones and tell them to call you."
"It seems like I can,” he said with an infuriating smirk.
"You’re such a dick," she said all while cursing her body for being on fire.
"I look forward to hearing from you," he said as he made his way back to his truck.
"Not going to happen."
"We'll see," he said with a wink before driving off and Evie was left standing at the gate trying to figure out what the fuck just happened.
What the hell had just happened? Had he really left her his number?
Evie drove up to the house. She got out and knocked on the door. Sasha came and let her in. Evie watched as Conner kissed her goodbye. She didn't think they had been together long, but that was a comfortable kiss. That was the kiss goodbye of a couple that had been synchronized for a long time.
"You guys seem pretty comfortable," Evie said after Conner left.
"Yeah, he's been great," Sasha said with a gooey smile.
Evie couldn't help but be happy for her. She was still thrown by the exchange she had with Cash out front. Had she been wrong to write him off? No. That had been the right decision. She was sure.
Wasn't she?
Later that morning, they were sitting eating the donuts and mimosa's she'd brought when Sasha got another text. She looked at her phone and a big grin found her face.
"Conner?" Evie asked.
"Actually, no. That was Cash."
"Cash Hawthorn?" she asked with a skeptical furrow in her brow.
"Yeah, he's been really great through all of this."
"Cash the hockey player?" Surely, they weren't talking about the same person.
"Yeah, he's a really great guy underneath it all."
"Really? I thought he was just a big playboy."
"Oh, he is, but he's a good guy."
That was both comforting and unsettling, but if Sasha said he was a good guy, then maybe she should call him. But for what? Another hook up?
"Why are you so interested in Cash?" asked Sasha with a quizzical look.
"Well..." Was she going to tell her? She might as well. "We kind of hooked up after the gala. But we don't have to talk about that today."
"What?!" Sasha’s eyes were wide with surprise.
"It was nothing."
"Come on, give me details. It’s the perfect distraction."
Well, she couldn't argue with that. Sasha got up to freshen up their drinks. "Okay, what happened?"
Evie filled her in on everything. The hook up, both times they had sex, and how different the last one felt. Waking up alone and then finding out this morning that he had left her a note. She left out bumping into her ex's mother in the elevator because that was just too humiliating.
"Wait,” she interrupted, “So, he left you his number?"
Evie shrugged. "I guess. I wasn't sure if I should believe him."
Sasha shook her head. "No, Cash wouldn't lie about that. I don't think Cash would lie, period."
Evie nodded, taking it in. Sasha did seem to have respect for him, and that was a mark in his favor.
"Are you going to call him?"
That was the million-dollar question. Was she going to call him?
"I don't know. I’ll see him when we have the meeting about the summer camp, I guess," she said.
"Oh, did he pick the rink's scholarship program as his organization?"
She nodded.
"So, you’ll get to work with him then?" She had a big grin on her face and Evie wished she would stop. She still hadn't decided how she felt about all of it.
"I will. I guess I’ll have to figure it out."
The rest of the day they proceeded to eat junk food, watch 90's rom coms, and do a little day drinking. Sasha needed to unwind, and so did Evie. She hadn’t had a care-free day like this in a long time.
They had just finished watching Dirty Dancing, when Sasha said, “I think Conner looks like Patrick Swayze in the movie.” There was a slight slur to her words.
“Oddly enough I can actually see it, a red headed Patrick Swayze,” Evie agreed.
“Right! We will have to go as them for Halloween,” she said as she finished her drink. Evie had lost count of how many she’d had, but isn’t that what today was about? Sasha got off the couch and meandered her way into the kitchen.
After a moment she heard a loud gasp.
“Ya okay in there?” Evie called.
“I just had the best idea,” Sasha said, rounding the corner and sloshing her freshly refilled drink. “You and Cash should pick out a famous couple from a 90’s movie and we can go out together. How much fun would that be?!”
How could an idea make your heart sing and fill you with dread at the same time? Because that was exactly what was happening right now. She loved the idea of a couple costume with Cash, but they weren’t together and would not be together.
“That would be fun, but Cash and I just hooked up. That’s it.”
“Then why did he leave you his number?”
Evie wished she knew. That new information had been throwing her all day.
“You’ll be together by then. I know it. Ooh Let’s watch Pretty Woman!”
And just like that Sasha was pulling up another movie.
That conversation kept playing around in her head. Why was Sasha so sure they would be together? Evie sure wasn’t. In fact, until a few hours ago, she had completely written him off. It was probably for the best that he stayed that way.
Evie went to the kitchen and got a glass of water. Her head was so muddled with thoughts of Cash and Sasha seeming so certain there was something there, she was ready to stop drinking.
It wasn't until Evie had completely sobered up that she realized Sasha was wasted. But she needed to blow off steam today and if dancing around an NHL player's kitchen to Snoop Dog was what she wanted to do, Evie was more than happy to do it with her.
After a few songs the garage door opened, and moments later Conner walked in. The confused look on his face morphed into a smile as he watched Sasha dance. The look on his face stirred some jealous feeling in Evie. He simply adored Sasha and it was written all over her face. She wanted that. She wanted something simple and easy, but whatever was happening with Cash was anything but. Pulling herself together, she smiled and said goodbye. She needed to get back to the rink for an evening class.
Soon she was back on the road with Cash Hawthorn on her brain. Maybe she would text him.
That night when she was getting ready to go to bed she kept running over the events of the day. It was then she remembered that morning when she went to leave and had to pick up the scattered contents of her clutch. She went and got it out of her closet and opened it up and dumped it on her bed. Lip stick. Hair tie. Band-Aids. Safety pins. The card from the gala. All what she expected, but there in all the contents of her clutch was a piece of paper from the hotel notepad. She picked it up.
I had to run but I would love to see you again. Call me and let me take you out on a real date. – Cash
And there at the bottom he had written his number.
She stared at the note and read it too many times to count. He had told the truth this morning. Maybe she should text him. But she was still finding it hard to trust him. Even with this new information, she couldn’t get over the feeling she’d had when she thought he had left in the night. Cash was dangerous. He threw her off balance too easily. She needed to be careful where he was concerned.