Chapter 6 Tish
TISH
“What are you talking about?” I set my purse on the small table by the front door and walk further into the room.
Trent sits forward in the recliner, his elbows propped on his knees. “I don’t think it’s a good idea for you take the PR job with the Thunderwolves,” he repeats.
I just stare at him with open-mouthed surprise.
Shaking my head, I go into the kitchen and pour myself a glass of iced tea then return and sit on the couch facing him.
“Why? You know I need the income, and this is perfect.”
He shakes his head and leans back in the chair. “You want to open your own marketing business some day,” he begins.
“Exactly. And this will help me get started. Imagine how good this will look on my portfolio, to have the Thunderwolves as a client.”
“That’s my point,” Trent says, his brows furrowing. “They’re going to need a lot of help, much more than you, on your own, can give them. Shit, Tish, every day seems to bring a new scandal.”
I take a sip of my tea and lean into the couch, crossing one leg over the other. “So you think I’m not up to the task?” My eyes narrow, daring him to agree.
“Of course not.” He pauses and tilts his head to the side. “Well, maybe I don’t. This would be your first marketing job and I’m afraid you’re biting off more than you can chew.”
“And just maybe this will be the thing that launches my career,” I counter.
Trent sighs and shakes his head.
My eyes narrow even more.
Somehow, I don’t think the possibility of me failing is his biggest concern.
The way he’s staring off out the front window and not meeting my eyes means he’s uncomfortable about something.
“Spill it,” I say suddenly.
Trent blinks then looks at me. “Spill what?”
I cock my head to the side and give him a ‘don’t act innocent with me’ look. “The real reason you don’t want me to take this job.”
He opens his mouth to argue but I continue, cutting off any argument he was going to say. “I know you, and while you may be worried that the Thunderwolves are too far gone for me to help them, that isn’t the real reason you object to me taking this job. So spill it.”
Trent stares at me a minute, then gets up and goes into the kitchen. When he returns, he’s carrying a bottle of beer.
Uh oh, I’m not going to like where this is going.
“That bad, huh?” I tease.
Trent doesn’t smile. He sits in the recliner and takes a long drink before saying anything.
“You’re right. It’s not just about what that job might do to your reputation.”
When he says nothing more for a long moment, I growl, “Then what is it?” My frustration and impatience are clear. He knows the longer I’m made to wait for answers, the worse my mood will become.
“It’s the guys,” he blurts then winces as I raise an astonished eyebrow. “I mean, the idea of you traveling around the state with those guys worries me.”
My expression softens—a little. “I’m a big girl, Trent. And this is a job, a professional job. It’s not like I’m going off to a private cabin to go skiing with them or something.”
He takes another gulp of beer. “I know, but still… I mean, their reputations are enough to make any brother cringe. Especially Boomer.” He narrows his eyes and leans forward, his body language clearly expressing his concern and intent to make me understand.
“You really need to stay away from him, Tish.”
If only he knew that I’d already met Jake Sorenson and the instant flooding of lust that followed!
“I mean it,” Trent emphasizes. “He’s bad news for women.”
“And you think so little of me that I’ll just fall into his lap?” My tone is chastising, but a slight blush crawls its way up my neck. That’s exactly what I wanted to do…and much more.
Trent’s lips firm into a grim line.
I know that look.
My brother feels he’s digging himself into a hole and can’t figure out how to climb back out of it. “No, of course not. It’s just that…well, he has this way about him. Women fall at his feet with little to no effort from him.”
“Well, I’m not most women,” I argue, feeling guilty for the lie, since obviously I’m just as susceptible to Jake’s charms as the rest of the female population.
“Well, it’s not just Boomer,” Trent continues. “Most of those guys are used to getting any woman they want because of their fame. They’ll charm you then leave you once you give them what they want.”
I can’t help myself and ask, “Does this include the coach?”
Trent’s eyes widen, then he shakes his head and laughs. “No, he’s probably one of the safest guys there.” When I just stare at him, he continues. “He’s too old for you, and unless you’ve changed, you’re not the daddy type.”
If only he knew.
“I just worry about you, Tish. I don’t want you hurt. Hell, if any of those guys dares to lay a finger on you, I’ll beat them with their own hockey stick!”
I chuckle and set my iced tea on the end table next to me. “Well, at least I know you’ve got my back.”
Trent nods. “And at least I know Ash will be there. You can always go to him if there’s any trouble.”
Too bad he doesn’t know just how badly I want to jump Ash’s bones.
“I’m taking this job, Trent.” My voice is softer but still firm. “You, of all of people, know how badly I need this job.”
He sighs in resignation but still asks, “There’s nothing I can do to change your mind? You won’t reconsider working at my company?”
I shake my head with a small smile. “Nothing, sorry, big brother. I am actually pretty excited to dive in and get to work.”
He stands, takes his empty beer bottle to the kitchen, then returns. “Well, I know when to quit with you. You and your stubbornness.” He shakes his head.
I stand as he walks over to me and gives me a hug. “Promise me you’ll be careful.”
Nodding, I reach up and kiss him on the cheek. “I promise. Now stop worrying about me.”
“Never,” he laughs.
I watch him walk to the door and leave. My shoulders sag. He doesn’t know how right he is to be worried about me. Forget worrying about what the other guys will do to me, he should be concerned about what I’ll do to them. At least three of them.
Shaking my head I look up at the star-shaped clock on the wall. Time to go pick Becky up.
“That’s a silly reindeer,” Becky chuckles.
I pretend to frown as if offended while I look down at my reindeer cookie. Becky and I made a batch of Christmas cookies earlier and now we’re decorating them.
“What’s wrong with him?” I ask.
She laughs and points at it. “It’s purple!” she gasps. “Everyone knows reindeer aren’t purple!”
“Oh?” I say, raising an eyebrow. Then I point to her snowman. “But snowmen can be blue?”
She looks up at me in all seriousness. “Yes because when you’re cold your lips turn blue, so snowmen can be blue.”
“Well, I can’t argue with that logic,” I laugh. “But let me tell you a secret.” I whisper as if I want to make sure no one can hear us when it’s just the two of us sitting at the table.
Her eyes widen excitedly and she leans closer to me. “My reindeer is really brown. He’s just wearing a jacket because he’s cold.”
Becky giggles. “A jacket that covers all of him?”
“You got me there, kiddo,” I grin.
We spend a few more minutes putting the finishing touches on the cookies.
We end up with three Santas, five reindeer, six snowmen, and ten snowflakes.
“Pick out the ones you’d like to keep here, then the rest will go to kindergarten with you tomorrow.”
Becky nods and sucks in her bottom lip as she looks over the cookies laid out on cooling racks. “How many do I get to keep?” she asks after a minute.
I pretend to consider. “We need to take twenty to your friends, so how many does that leave?”
Becky starts counting, being careful not to stick her finger in the icing as she points at each cookie. “I get to keep four!” she says excitedly.
“Yes!” I clap my hands. “Now, pick out the four you want for yourself.”
She reaches for a Santa Claus then pauses and looks up at me with a frown. “Don’t you want any for you?”
“Why don’t you pick one out for me,” I suggest.
“Then that will leave three for me?”
I nod.
“Wouldn’t it be more fair for you to have two and I have two?”
My heart melts. My little girl is so smart and sweet, always thinking of others even though she’s only five years old.
“You did most of the work, sweetheart,” I tell her with a fond smile. “But thank you for thinking of me.”
To my surprise, Becky picks out the purple reindeer, but when I expect her to say it’s for me, she puts it on her pile of cookies.
Instead, she gives me the blue snowman.
A little while later, Becky is fast asleep in her bed and I lay sleepless in my own.
My thoughts keep flipping between excitement to begin a new job and concern over my out-of-control lust around Coach, Jake, and Ash.
But I must have fallen asleep at some point because it seems like I’d only just closed my eyes when my phone rings and sunlight streaks across my bed.
Coach Carl’s name pops up and I quickly answer.
“Trisha, come to the clubhouse right away. We have another scandal to get ahead of.”