Chapter 11
MAVERICK
Sadie and I agreed to meet at the ferry terminal.
I’m not sure why she won’t just let me pick her up from her place, but whatever.
Not my concern. At least that’s what I keep reminding myself, even as some annoying part of me wonders if it’s because she doesn’t trust me, or if there’s something she’s hiding.
I put my SUV in park and roll my shoulders, feeling out the twinge in my arm.
After six weeks, things are feeling better.
But not better enough to let me play, according to the team doctors.
I’m getting antsy. I need to be on the field, shagging balls.
Not playing PR puppet and going to fucking farmer’s markets.
Then again, as I watch Sadie approach, rolling a suitcase behind her, I have to admit, there are worse people to spend time with.
She somehow makes it tolerable. Makes me feel comfortable, which isn’t an easy thing to do.
I don’t open up to people. I don’t let them in.
Hell, even guys I’ve played with for the last couple of years barely know anything about me.
And that’s not because they haven’t tried.
It’s because I don’t do that shit. Getting close to people only means they have the ability to hurt you.
“Hi,” Sadie says in a forced cheerful tone as she opens the back of my SUV. Belatedly, I realize I’m an ass and should probably be helping her load her stuff, but before I can even get out of the car, she’s done and opening the passenger door.
“Hey.” My voice sounds more gruff than intended, because I’m pissed at myself for not even having the basic decency to help a woman. Jesus Christ, I’m a lost fucking cause.
“Thanks again for agreeing to this, I know going to a wedding between two strangers is probably not high on your list of fun weekend plans.” I glance over before turning the engine on and see her hands in her lap, eyes downcast behind those big glasses.
She’s dressed casually today in khaki shorts and some kinda shirt that looks like a button-up but with a tie at the bottom.
Honestly, it looks like something you’d see on a bible camp counselor, but on Sadie, the innocent looks fucking indecent.
I really am a piece of shit. Lusting over my fake girlfriend who’s so far out of my league, we might as well be on different planets. A woman I can’t have, because if I fuck this up, my career could be over.
“It’s fine.”
I turn the engine on and drive out of the parking lot where we’re leaving her car, heading down the causeway toward the ferry terminal.
I’ve only been to the island a couple of times, and in my opinion, the best part is the boat ride over.
I fucking love being on the water. It’s why I’ve never wanted to live anywhere but here.
Surrounded by mountains and oceans. The few years I spent with teams not on the coast were awful, and as soon as I hired Colin, I told him to get me back to Vancouver.
The guy in the ticket booth does a double take when he recognizes me, but thankfully, doesn’t say anything. Then we’re pulling into the long lineup of cars.
“Do you want anything to eat or drink?” Sadie asks, finally lifting her eyes to meet mine. “I can go inside the terminal and get it if you don’t want to.”
She just can’t seem to stop herself from bending over backward for me, and I don’t know how to convince her it isn’t necessary. Once again, my lack of social skills has me at a loss, and I fucking hate this feeling.
“I’m fine.”
“Oh, okay.”
Fuck. Now she’s staring down at her lap again. If this entire weekend is gonna consist of her feeling bad for me being here, then I might need a drink. And seeing as I’ve never had a drop of alcohol my entire life, that’s saying something. I know I’ve got to do something to get her to unwind.
“Sadie.” Her eyes shoot up to mine, wide and nervous.
I try to soften my tone. “You gotta relax. You’re acting like you’ve fucking kidnapped me or forced me into this.
You didn’t, okay? This is part of our deal.
Anything you need to convince your friends and family that you’re good after the dirtbag breakup, I’m here for it. Right?”
Finally, I see the tiniest give in her shoulders. She gives me the barest of nods, but it’s enough. I recline my seat slightly. “We’ve got some time before we gotta load onto the boat. Let’s just chill.”
Spinning my hat bill around to face front, I pull it down to cover my eyes and try to settle. But I can feel her stare, and after a moment, I push the hat up and arch my brow at her. “What?”
Her pretty blush makes my dick stir in my pants, but I ignore it.
Then she bites her plump lower lip and I want to tug it out of her teeth with my own.
Fucking fuck. No. I might be attracted to the woman sitting next to me, but nothing, I mean nothing, can ever happen.
She holds my career in her hands. One wrong word from her, and I could go from slowly reforming my bad boy image to a total write-off.
The fact that she is still giving off nervous-as-shit vibes has me blurting out, “Sadie, if you don’t want me here, say the word and I’ll go.”
Her eyes widen as, thank God, she shakes her head. “No, Maverick. I’m sorry. That’s not it. I’m just nervous.”
I bring my seat back to upright and turn to look at her, trying not to clench my jaw. She needs to talk. Great.
“About what.”
Her gaze dips down again, and it’s about all I can handle. I’ve seen her be confident and secure. That dinner with all my teammates? She had them eating out of her hands. So who is this shy, insecure person? And what did I do to make her feel that way around me?
Reaching out, I tip her chin up to make her look at me. “Specs. What’s wrong.”
I don’t know if it was the nickname or me touching her, but the floodgates open.
“We have to spend forty-eight hours together, Maverick. We have to fake being into each other in front of my friend and her entire family. People who know you, who are probably your fans. They’re going to look at you and look at me, and if we aren’t convincing enough, they’re going to question everything.
This isn’t just a two-hour dinner date, this is an entire weekend with the same group of people, trying to make them believe we’re truly dating. ”
Her voice is nearing hysteria pitch and it’s got me grinding my teeth because I fucking hate seeing her upset.
“So? Do you think you can’t do it?” I fire at her.
I don’t know what I was expecting for a reaction, but a scoff of disbelief isn’t it.
“Can I act like I’m attracted to you and want to be near you?
Yeah, Maverick, I can. It’s not like it’s hard.
I mean, look at you.” She waves her hands in my direction.
“But can you do it? Can you drop the scowl for that long and actually look like you’re having a good time with me? Like you want to be here?”
There’s so much she’s not saying, and my first reaction is to want to just fucking kiss her. She thinks I can’t pretend to be into her for a weekend? Holy hell, it’s going to be hard to hide the fact that I am into her if I have to be around her for that long.
“Trust me, Specs. I’ll be fine,” I grit out.
Yeah. Fine. Totally fine.
We’re fine the entire ferry ride and drive up the island to the town of Dogwood Cove where her friend lives.
And by fine, I mean totally silent until we’re driving down the highway and she finally decides to speak to me.
“I guess I should tell you about my friend, so it seems like we talk and know stuff about each other. Like a normal couple.”
There’s a sharp point to her words, and I know it’s directed at me and my recalcitrance any time she tries to get me to talk about myself.
“Heidi used to work at the hospital, in the oncology ward. Then she went back to school to become a pediatric surgeon. She went to Dogwood Cove to do her final residency and fell in love with a doctor there. He’s got a huge family.
They’re all lovely, but also, a lot. Be prepared for his brother Sawyer, especially.
He’s apparently a huge fan of the Tridents, and from what I remember when I met him last year, he’s kind of intense in this goofy, fun way.
The weekend is a mixture of planned wedding events and free time if you want to explore the area.
It’s really beautiful, I get why Heidi loves it. ”
She’s rambling, and I chance a quick look over to see her staring out the window. At least she’s talking to me now.
“Tonight is the cocktail hour after they finish the rehearsal. We should have about an hour to settle in before that starts. Then tomorrow, the ceremony isn’t until the late afternoon, which means we have the morning free.
Ceremony, reception after, then an optional breakfast the next morning before we head home.
It’s all happening at this resort right on the beach that has cabins and a new main lodge.
But if you want to go off and do your own thing at any point, you can totally just leave me there, I’ll be fine. ”
“I’m not gonna leave you alone.”
Her eyes slant over to me. “You say that now…”
I glance back over at her again at that cryptic statement, but she turns to face forward without saying anything else.
I take the next turn onto the driveway for Oceanside Resort and travel down the winding track until it opens up.
Pulling into an open spot, we climb out of the car and I take a look around.
Holy shit, she wasn’t kidding, it’s beautiful here.
Cabins line the beach to one side of a low building that has a dock jutting out from it. There’s a boat launch, and behind us, I can see more cabins and a newer three-story building that must be the lodge Sadie mentioned.
The fresh sea air is amazing, and I can feel myself relaxing just standing here soaking it in. Honestly? Two days of peace and quiet away from the city, the stress of my rehab, and managing the press is gonna be fucking amazing.
“I’ll go get our cabin key,” Sadie says, hurrying off.
She’s back shortly, brandishing a key. We move my car down to the designated spot behind one of the cabins that overlooks the ocean. This time, I’m prepared, and move quickly to the back to unload the bags.
“Maverick, your arm.” Sadie hovers behind me, sounding way too much like my physical therapists.
“I’m fine.” I lift her bag out, then my own, all using my good arm only. Turning to her, I give her a look. “See? Fine.”
“You keep using that word. And I hate that word,” she says, narrowing her eyes at me. “It never means you’re actually fine.”
That makes a rough laugh escape me as I let her take the handle of her suitcase. “Okay, how about this. My arm is healed enough to lift a bag out of my car.”
“Better,” she says primly, but her mouth is fighting a smile.
But that smile falls as we round the corner to the front of the cabin, and a nervous expression once again covers her face.
I don’t have the fucking energy left in me to ask what’s wrong now, so I choose to ignore it, letting her unlock the door and push it open.
The second I step inside, I see the reason for Sadie’s nerves.
And judging by the guilty look on her face, she knew about this situation and chose not to mention it.
A quick look around the small studio cabin makes two things stand out.
There’s no couch, just a couple of comfortable-looking chairs. Comfortable, yes. Good for sleeping, no.
Which brings me to the second thing.
There’s only one bed.
This is definitely not fine.