Hooking The Rookie

1. Ava

There isnothing more depressing than being single at a wedding.

Especially if the bride’s parents, brother, a few rugby guys, and you are the only guests at the wedding.

And I was only there because I’m the rugby team’s publicist.

I guess, technically, it’s my fault. I set Liam and Emily up, telling the press they were engaged so they’d get off my player’s back.

I didn’t think a few weeks later, they’d actually be getting married, and I was there to make sure all the press got it right.

And I needed the money.

Publicists didn’t get paid much, despite what everyone on television liked to portray. My flatmate just moved out and at this rate I was thinking selling pictures of my calloused feet from my rugby days wasn’t a bad idea.

“You look lost,” a deep American accent whispered.

I glanced up to see Michael, the bride’s brother and the canter for the rugby team.

I’d only ever seen him in uniform or sweats after practice, so maybe I gazed a little too longingly at how well the over-six-foot blond-haired, blue-eyed American filled out his impeccably tailored suit.

A girl could dream, even if the players were hands-off and never looked twice at the big-hipped publicist.

“I’m just thinking, maybe I should take a few photos of the setup outside and tease a little bit on the team’s pages,” I said, quickly looking out the large, open glass doors and holding up my phone.

Whoever Liam hired to decorate must have cost a fortune but did an amazing job.

His penthouse flat was already beautiful, with gorgeous views of the river. But now it was filled with dozens of white roses leading out to a grand, golden arch.

I couldn’t have done it better myself.

Though I maybe would have added a little more green and really played up the Dublin Shamrocks, that was just my PR brain jumping in.

“You know you don’t have to have a publicist”s brain turned on all the time; you can admit this is weird, too,” Michael grumbled.

I bit my bottom lip, trying to focus on my phone instead of looking at the man beside me who did not smell like a rugby center after practice.

Even over all of the flowers, I could inhale his woodsy cologne and a hint of mint still on his breath.

Squeezing my eyes shut, I tried to get the visions of him getting out of the shower and putting on his cologne out of my head.

“It is a little unorthodox and quick, I’ll admit.”

I focused my phone on Emily and Michael’s American parents in their linen outfits, talking to the justice of the peace as he looked over some notes in his book.

“Unorthodox? That’s a fancy media way of saying crazy, right?”

I laughed, a real one almost ending in a snort, so I covered it with a cough.

I usually didn’t let my guard down. I had an image to uphold for the team, and when I was with two of the players on official team business, I had to stay as professional as possible.

“I guess you could say that.”

He smiled, and it was as if the rest of the world had melted away.

The man was pure American sunshine, and if I could bottle up his radiance and sell it, well, I wouldn’t be thinking about posting in the Daily News that I was on the hunt for a new flatmate.

“I know you’re here for the team, but thanks for coming out anyway. It makes it a little less awkward to have someone else here that’s not doting on my sister and Liam.”

He shoved his hands in his pockets, kicking at the hardwoods.

I wanted to tell him not to scuff up the floor before pictures, but I bit my lip.

“I’m sure you had way better things to do on a Saturday when we don’t have a game.”

I shook my head. “Not really. My flatmate was moving out the last of her things, so I figured it was better to be out of her hair.”

He looked up at me, his smile crinkling the corners of his blue eyes. “So what would you have been doing if you weren’t here?”

I shrugged, trying to rack my brain for something that didn’t sound strange, or that I was on the verge of becoming a hermitic cat lady.

I didn’t have much of a life other than work, but he didn’t need to know that.

“I guess I could possibly bake. I saw a new recipe for scones the other day, and I’ve been dying to make them.”

He blinked hard, then tilted his head. “You’re not the one who always puts the cookies and such outside of the locker room, are you?”

My cheeks heated as I put my finger to my lips. Not that anyone was listening to us anyway. The bride and groom were still getting ready somewhere, and his parents were deep in conversation with the Justice of The Peace.

“Those are supposed to be anonymous. Sometimes, okay, a lot of times, I bake too much, and I figure the team dietician wouldn’t approve.”

He laughed, grabbing his stomach. “Fuck, so you’re the one that makes those awesome brownies and cookies that I swear taste like booze.”

I smiled despite the situation. “Well, I do find that Guinness really helps bring out the flavors of the chocolate.”

He smacked his hands together and then pointed a crooked finger at me. “I knew it. I’m going to have to tell the guys they were wrong, and I’m not imagining it.”

I shook my head quickly, grabbing his hand without even thinking.

An electric current pulsed through me, going straight to my core, and I tried to tamp it down, squeezing his hand and focusing on the reality of his moment, not how warm his fingertips were against mine.

“No, you can’t tell anyone that it was me. I can’t lose my job.”

He swallowed hard, those deep blue eyes locked on mine.

I don’t know how long we stood there locked in a silent reverie, but there was a new electricity between us, one that I knew I had to shut down quick as I pulled my hands away and straightened my blouse,

At least I could focus on my clearance rack white silk shirt and black pencil skirt instead of the heat pooling between my legs.

“Okay. I won”t tell anyone. I promise,” he said softly.

“Thank you. I appreciate that,” I said, clearing my throat and trying to gain some composure.

I’d been with the team for five years, my first job out of Uni.

I’d never gotten flustered around any of the guys, and now wasn’t the time to start.

Raucous laughter sounded behind Michael, and we both turned toward the sound.

The bride and groom came out of the room, holding hands and giggling.

Emily was in a short, white lace dress, looking like a real Barbie doll with her curled blonde hair and barely any makeup on her big blue eyes.

And there was Liam McCarthy, her Ken, in his fitted black suit and brown hair swept back away from his dark green eyes.

Emily’s mom fluttered toward them, waving her hands as her long dress swished between her legs. “Emmy, you know you and the groom aren’t supposed to see each other with you in your dress before the wedding; it’s bad luck.”

Emily giggled, smiling at Liam. “Everything we’ve done so far has been a little crazy, so why change it now?”

Emily”s mom stared between the two of them as her father slowly approached, putting his arm around her mother. “Now, I know drinking is legal here at eighteen, and it is your wedding day, but maybe you two should have waited to hit the champagne until after your vows.”

Emily giggled even harder. “Daddy, I’m not drunk.”

Liam shook his head. “In fact, she won”t be drinking for a while.”

No one else might have caught it, but my eyes immediately went to Liam’s hand, now firmly grasped on Emily’s belly.

Oh. Shite.

“We’re pregnant,” they both said in unison.

Emily’s parents gasped before relenting and hugging the happy, glowing couple.

Michael didn’t join them.

Neither did I.

I figured it was a family moment and needed to stay out of it. When they were ready, I’d do their press release, but I just put on my best fake smile right now, hoping I didn’t have lipstick on my teeth.

“No fucking way. I’m staying in this apartment now,” Michael mumbled.

I glanced over to see him running his fingers through his hair as he let out a deep breath. “I thought I could maybe stay here until one of the guys let me crash on their couch, but there”s no way I can do that with a baby coming.”

“You could always move into my spare room?” I blurted before thinking of what I said.

Something I never did, and it took me by surprise as much as it must have, Michael, because we both stared at each other, and I could feel my mouth dropping open.

I cleared my throat. “My flatmate is moving out today and there’s nothing in the team bylaws that says co-workers can’t be roommates.”

He sighed, looking from the happy couple and then back to me.

“I guess it couldn’t be any worse than staying with the newlyweds and an infant,” he reluctantly grumbled. “Where do I sign up?”

It took everything I had not to roll my eyes.

It”s good to know that it was just me who felt the spark. If he was going to be an arse, it would definitely be easy enough to ignore him while we shared a flat.

“Ella will be out this afternoon, and I can get the contract to you tomorrow. The first month’s rent deposit usually covers it, and then we split the amount after that.”

He stuck his hand out.

“Sounds like we have a deal.”

I put my palm in his, trying to ignore the electricity that fairly crackled between us.

Fecking hell, this was not how I had planned today going, and the Dublin Shamrocks PR”s situation was about to get a hell of a lot more complicated.