Chapter 23
Christine
“You can come out now.”
The woman’s voice echoed in the bathroom. Sighing, I crawled off the toilet seat, sheepishly appearing from behind the half-closed stall door. I’d run like some rabbit. No, like a bad bunny. The moment I’d seen Steven, I’d panicked.
“Thanks, Margie. I owe you one.”
“Girl. What in the hell have you gotten yourself mixed up in?”
While I watched my coworker wash her hands, I moved against the cinderblock wall, uncertain how to answer. “I didn’t intend to meet Steven Masters. He kind of crashed into my world and he’s not the kind of guy who takes no for an answer.”
“No, evidently, he doesn’t. You’re new to the game of hockey, but my man never misses a game.
If there are two on, he’ll have both our televisions tuned in and run from room to room to catch plays.
It’s comical. Saint and Steven Masters are the best players in the world.
Hands down. Steven is up and coming and both men have a temper but they’re like golden retrievers. You don’t need to worry.”
“What does that mean?’ I chortled.
“You know, hearts of gold under their fluffy exterior.”
I wouldn’t say Steven had a fluffy exterior. Not by a long shot. Unless you wanted to call him a grizzly bear in a human suit. Jesus. There were likely grizzly shifters. “Oh, okay.”
“What that man just said was… wow.”
“But he lied to me. You heard him admit it.”
While grabbing a paper towel, she eyed me carefully. “Yeah, he did, girl, but did you hear how sorry he was? Men can’t fake that shit.”
Shrugging, I kicked the toe of my tennis shoe against the tile floor, my stomach abuzz with butterflies. The electricity I’d felt with having him so close had nearly pushed me into making myself known.
But I was determined to stay angry with him.
After all, he had lied to me.
“Did you hear what he lied about? Two pretty big things.”
“Well, you obviously made it apparent that you hate hockey players and girl, I don’t know why. That man is hot as Hades. And then some. He could be the peanut butter to my jelly. The cream in my coffee. Hell, the cream in my mouth, sugar.”
“Margie! Stop.”
“Well, you’re not claiming him.”
“And you’re married.”
Margie waved her hand before tossing the trash. “Oh, that. Party pooper.”
Why had I felt a twinge of jealousy along with the extended version of feeling electrocuted?
Because you miss you. Because you like him.
Because you hunger for him.
Sadly, all true. When I’d seen his entourage in the parking lot, I’d been sick to my stomach. When he’d signed that girl’s breasts, I’d been mortified.
And I’d wished it were me.
What did that say about my moral turpitude?
“What about him being a shifter?” I pressed. At least I knew I’d get the truth out of Margie. She was that kind of woman.
“Well, I’ve been involved with some pretty furry men in my life. They are much more adventurous in the bedroom if you ask me.”
“I think this is a bit different.”
She leaned forward, winking at me. “Is it really? What’s a little fur now and again? Besides, if what Steven said is true, you don’t need to worry about running through the woods buck naked.”
Memories of the night before floated into my mind, heat rising on my face. It had been a whirlwind adventure alright. “I just don’t know.”
“Don’t wait too long to decide. That man is a hot commodity right now. My guess is, if all goes well tonight with this game, you won’t be able to get within ten feet of him.”
I thought about what she’d said while my phone buzzed. I’d invited Tawny to come since her boyfriend was already covering the game as a reporter. Then afterwards, we were going out for drinks where she’d help me decompress about being such an idiot.
“Remember what I said. I’ve never seen a boy so into a girl. That has to be worth something. Oh, yeah. Did he really replant the flowers last night?”
Since I had the phone in my hand, I flipped to the photographs I’d taken. “He did.”
She whistled after a few seconds. “Yeah, that boy meant what he said. He loves you. Maybe watch some of the game.”
“I’m working.”
“And they always have the game on in the concession booths. Plus, I happened to notice you’re working closest to the ice. You’ll have a bird’s-eye view of the game.”
“I’ll be too busy.” I cringed seeing her accusatory glare.
“Have it your way, but you could be missing out on something special.”
Love.
What could he know about love? I mean seriously? What could a bad boy hockey player know?
Well, I couldn’t worry about that now. I had to be behind the concession stand in five minutes. I’d better hurry.
I had to rush through a huge crowd of people but made it just in time. Maybe my almost tardiness was because I’d stopped to stare at the ice. I’d been working the concessions for several months yet had never really paid any attention to a single event. I was here to do my job and leave.
Tonight, I was tingling all over and I couldn’t understand why.
He already told you why. You’re his mate.
“No, I’m not.” Great, now I was speaking to myself. I’d remained in a fog the entire day and it had nothing to do with alcohol from the night before. Maybe the fact my mother had called twice was keeping me on edge. She hadn’t been nice in her voicemails either.
Then again, she never was.
What made me really angry was her continued harsh words about me skating. I hadn’t become ill because of figure skating. Besides, I was a freaking adult and would run my own life. Period.
“Hey, girl.” Tawny appeared, scaring the bejeebers out of me. Enough so I jumped. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you, even if you were talking to yourself. What’s that all about? Wondering about the hot man who adores you?”
“Stop. He doesn’t adore me.” I’d told her what had happened.
Well, at least some of the horrific events that would forever alter my life.
What if I hadn’t used the get out of jail free card?
Would the ugly secrets have been kept in the dark?
I just couldn’t think about that right now. If they had, he’d still be lying to me.
No, my father had recognized him the second we’d walked into the room.
I’d seen the flash in his eyes and I’d let it drop.
I also knew my father far too well. I should have known hands down he’d been up to something.
He’d seized the opportunity karma had presented him like a dying man tossed a life raft.
And he’d enjoyed every second of the ruse.
I could only imagine what my father would do with the information.
He’d try to ruin the Masters brothers. I couldn’t allow that to happen.
“Are you okay? You look flushed, and he does adore you.”
I shook my head while tying my apron. “I’m fine. I’ve just got a lot on my mind.”
“Hmm… I can imagine. Did you set another appointment?”
Her reminder of just how much my life sucked hit me hard.
“It’s Saturday. I’ll take care of it on Monday.”
“They schedule appointments online now. You need to take care of you.”
“Go watch the game with your reporter boyfriend of yours.”
She giggled. “No matter what happens with the game tonight, Jeff is set on an exclusive interview beginning during the second intermission then after the finish of the game. Isn’t that exciting? Would you like me to have Jeff give Steven your regards?”
I threatened to toss a bunch of napkins in her direction. “Don’t you dare. He already knows I’m here. He even tried chasing me down.”
“What? That is exactly what romance novels are made of.”
“This is real life. Remember?” I chastised.
“Details. How did you get away?”
“I hid in the women’s bathroom.”
Tawny shook her head. “Dear God, Chris. You have one hot man after you and you were hiding in the women’s bathroom? Fuck your parents. Fuck that he lied to you. I saw the flowers. That was creative and romantic as hell. Jeff never did anything like that for me.”
“You date him. I gotta work. See you after the game.”
My heart wasn’t in the job, not that it had really ever been before.
I was exhausted, riddled with anxiety and in truth was at the point of hating my life.
Knowing that my father would do everything in his power to make the world of the shifters a pure nightmare pissed me off more than anything had in a very long time.
I did my best to ignore the game, managing to do so through the first intermission, which was crazy busy.
I’d barely had time to think let alone pay any attention to the game.
But with neither team scoring, I could tell the fans were getting antsy.
I’d even heard a few boos before intermission had hit.
By the time the second period had begun, I was drenched in sweat, my ponytail barely holding on given the excessive heat and my makeup was likely running down my face. But as happened with every sports game, as soon as the intermission was over, the entire corridor emptied out.
I grabbed my drink, trying to cool down. With all the air now flowing in, my temperature should be dropping.
It wasn’t.
Plus, my skin was itching.
Just like it had when we were headed to my parents’ house. I’d done a little googling during the day, trying to learn as much as I could about shifters.
There was much more written about them than I’d realized, numerous white papers researched by well-respected scientists from various universities throughout the world.
The bottom line was that for all the hype presented by the media, all the myths and rumors that had been flying around for almost two years, shifters did exist. The phenomenon had been proven through countless scientific tests. No longer could I shove my head into the sand.
Especially since I’d exhibited signs of being in heat as female animals did during different periods of their lives.
But I was human.
At least that’s what my birth certificate said.