Chapter 46 Philadelphia Wishes
Philadelphia Wishes
Darcy
Eric—” I gasp, but he’s already there, yanking the door open with enough force that it bangs against the wall.
“How,” he says in a voice cold enough to freeze the Hudson River, “is it appropriate for you to ask Darcy to work at this hour?”
The GM actually laughs—that infuriating, knowing laugh that makes me want to choke him. And I can’t believe this is happening right now. This is the precise scenario I’ve worked so hard to avoid.
“Gotcha!” Sharp says, sounding pleased with himself. “How about we make a deal—I’ll be more reasonable about work hours if you two cut the charade. I’m familiar with the ice bucket trip. Might’ve invented it myself.”
Everything inside me deflates, and I let out a sigh. “Deal,” I snap.
“Oh, look who it is!” Sharp says, peering around Eric’s broad shoulders. “That lunch? It’s supposed to be November fifth.”
“I heard you the first time.” I cross my arms and take a fortifying breath, because I have something to say. “You should know that spending time with Eric is my private business. I don’t want to hear any BS about me being a possible distraction during his season.”
“A distraction? Philadelphia wishes, am I right?” He laughs obnoxiously.
Okay. Well. I’m close to hyperventilating, but that’s not the worst reaction.
Sharp leans against the door frame. He takes both of us in with a measured glance.
“Look, kids. I’m not a big enough asshole to give my female employees any guff over their private lives.
But I will do this.” He turns to face Eric, laying a hand on his shoulder.
“My dude, do not, under any circumstances, underestimate, betray, or mistreat Darcy.”
I gasp.
“That’ll never happen,” Eric says crisply. “You have my word.”
“Good,” Sharp says, turning his gaze to mine.
“Make no mistake—Darcy Kendrick is the Legends’ most important employee.
She’s smart. She’s dedicated. And even if she tries her best never to show it, I know she actually cares about me.
If she ever quits, the organization will collapse faster than an ice sculpture in July.
” He shifts his gaze to Eric. “… And if one of you has to go, I’ll trade your ass to Calgary so fast you’ll get frostbite from the jet stream. ”
My jaw unhinges. So does Eric’s.
“Night, kids.” Sharp gives us a half-hearted wave and closes the door, leaving Eric and me standing here alone together.
It takes a full beat for Eric to cross the room and pull me into his arms again. “That was… wow?”
“Wow,” I echo. My eyes are strangely hot right now. Sharp’s words are still echoing through my mind. Smart. Dedicated. Most important.
Did that just happen?
“You okay?” Eric takes my hand and leads me over to a huge king-sized bed.
We both get onto it and end up on our sides, facing each other.
“I think he meant it,” he says, smoothing his thumb across my cheekbone.
“All of it. And somewhere in that speech, he said it’s none of his business who you’re dating. ”
“He did,” I agree. “He said… a lot.”
“I guess we’re not as sneaky as we thought?”
“No,” I agree. “And here I was, so impressed with us.”
“Same.” Eric smiles at me. “But this is better, right? I don’t want to give up our nice breakfast dates, but maybe we don’t have to hide.”
“We don’t,” I agree. “If the team knows…” I take a shaky breath. “I’m allergic to people knowing my private business. But it will be fine, right? They respect you, and maybe nobody will give us a hard time.”
“I wouldn’t let them,” he says. “Here, let me try something.” He turns and grabs his phone off the bedside table. He taps something on the screen, catching his tongue between his teeth in a look of concentration I’ve grown to love. “How do you feel about this?”
He hands me the phone, which contains the draft of a text in the players group chat.
Eric: Guys, a quick word. As some of you may have noticed, I’m dating Darcy Kendrick in the GM’s office.
It goes without saying that you should continue to treat Miss Kendrick with the professionalism she deserves.
I don’t want to hear any jokes or rudeness of any kind.
As an added incentive I’ll remind you all that she has a hand in your travel arrangements, your calendar, and sometimes the menu.
TL;DR: no chirps or you’re getting 7 a.m. meetings, hotel rooms near the elevator, and mystery meat at every team meal.
I cackle. “I like it. Just the right balance of professional and vindictive.”
Then I press send.
Eric takes the phone out of my hand, hitches his body closer to mine, and kisses me thoroughly.
And, yup, all the day’s complications fade quickly. We melt together, and I let out a little groan of enthusiasm as his hand finds its way under my shirt.
“Baby,” he says. “Thank you for sneaking into my…” I expect to hear hotel room, but he says “… DMs. Best thing that ever happened to me.”
“Mmm,” I say, grabbing his face with both hands. The talking is nice, but the kissing is nicer.
He rolls on top of me and props his elbows on the bed. “Hold up. I’ve been needing to say something, but people kept interrupting us.”
I give up and flop my arms out on the bed. “Okay, you have two minutes, then I’m getting this shirt off you.”
He smiles. “I might not even need both of those minutes, because it’s just a quick thing. You should know that I’ve never had as much fun as I have these past couple of months. And that’s because I’m in love with you.”
My heart stops. “Eric.”
He calmly lifts one wrist and checks his watch. “That only took a few seconds, see?”
I grab his beautiful face in two hands and kiss him.
“Oh yeahhhh,” he says against my lips. “Say more.”
I’m attempting to do just that—with my tongue—and also unbutton his shirt with my newly healed hand—when his damn phone starts pinging. Probably in response to Eric’s text.
“Ignore them, baby,” he says, helping me with the buttons.
And I try, I really do. But after ten pings or so, it gets to me. So I reach out and grab Eric’s phone. “I love you, too, but I need to know what these assholes are saying.”
He grabs the phone out of my hand and holds it out of my reach. “Wait, say it again.”
I do an ab curl to kiss him on the neck. “I love you, too, Captain. You must know this already.”
He gives me a lazy, fond smile. “I just like hearing you say it.”
“Now can I see your phone, please? Then we’ll shut it off for good.”
“Now that’s a plan I can get on top of.” He wiggles his eyebrows at me and hands me the phone.
The player chat has gone wild.
O’Connell: Wait, really?
DeLuca: O’Connell, tell me you live under a rock without telling me you live under a rock.
Petrov: Cap laying down the LAW. Congrats bro, Darcy’s the best.
Larkin: About damn time Tremaine. Location of your new desk a dead giveaway lol!
Brooksie: This is my shocked face.
Thing One (Calder): Yooo Cap that’s actually fire! Miss Kendrick is the GOAT. Respect.
Weber: Congrats Captain! Can I still ask her to stop putting me in the room next to the ice machine?
Svensson: Shit. I owe Jackson fifty bucks. Congrats you two.
Jackson: TOLD YOU SO. Pay up Svensson.
Thing Two (Thompson): Does this mean I should stop asking her to help me tie my game day ties?
DeLuca: Thompson. You absolute walnut.
I burst out laughing.
With a sigh, Eric takes the phone.
Eric: Thompson, we need to talk. See me during office hours.
Thing Two (Thompson): Oh God what did I do wrong now?
Brooksie: RIP Thompson.
Weber: Pour one out for our fallen rookie.
Merritt: Eric be nice to him, he’s just a baby.
Eric: I’m just going to teach him to tie a motherfucking tie.
Eric: No, actually, I’m not. Get some YouTube. Now all of you go to bed. I’ve got better things to do than teach you to tie a tie.
DeLuca: **resisting the obvious chirp here**
Merritt: **resisting so hard**
Thing Two (Thompson): **wondering what the chirp is**
Thing Two (Thompson): Oh wait. Got it. Night, everyone!
Eric shuts his phone off as promised and slaps it onto the bedside table. “That could have gone worse, yeah?”
“Yeah,” I agree, running a finger down his belly. “I don’t know what I was so worried about.”
“Sorry about that last thing. I should have realized it was dumb to say I had better things to do.” He rolls onto me again, and I take in the sight of his handsome face looking lovingly down at me. “I do, though.”
“Do you?” I tease.
“Oh yeah.” He kisses me, but just once. “For example, I need to plan a shopping trip.”
I laugh. “Not what I thought you’d say.”
He shrugs. “Thing is, I need some new ties. Because I think we’re about to put some miles on another one.”
Heat shoots through my veins. “Is that a promise?”
“Oh yeah.” He kisses me again. And then he proves it.