3. Cooper
CHAPTER 3
COOPER
W hat’s wrong with me?
I stare out the window of the large SUV as we drive through the winding Washington roads. The trees are full of colorful leaves, and the landscape is picturesque. I admit, it’s impressive—even for a city boy.
Out of the corner of my eye, Blair Radcliffe is typing away on her phone. She’s certainly dedicated to her job, I guess that means she’ll be a great publicist. Meanwhile, I’m trying not to think about how stunning she is or how good she smells. It doesn’t make any sense because we had some Zoom calls and while I thought she was pretty, I wasn’t prepared for all the thoughts I had when I first saw her in the airport. Or how I’m feeling right now sitting so close to her in this car. Maybe it’s the jet lag or the Washington fresh air that’s playing with my mind.
As soon as I heard her call my name and I laid eyes on her, I felt like I was hit by a cement truck—and in a good way.
Blair’s taller than I expected, which was a surprise—at six feet five I’m usually towering over most women. She has bright blue-green eyes and a radiant smile that immediately sucked me in with a force I haven’t experienced in a while or maybe ever. Her lips are full, and the red lipstick only accentuates them.
I guess I should be grateful for the jaded woman who threw a tantrum and her ring across the plane because it was the perfect icebreaker for my initial interaction with Blair. Otherwise I might’ve stared at her while fumbling over words and possibly forgetting my own name.
“So, have you ever been to Pine Falls?” I ask. For some reason I have a strange urge to make conversation which rarely happens to me.
“ Maple Falls?” she corrects. “Never. But I attended college here in Washington. My good friend lives in the town, and it’s been a while since we’ve seen each other.”
“Oh, right. I remember you mentioned that on one of our Zoom calls.”
I barely paid attention on those calls. Estelle handled most of those conversations while I sulked about starting over with a new publicist. I know it sounds crazy to not take more interest in that side of my career, but I’d rather focus on playing hockey. All the other stuff isn’t my thing.
“Really? I assumed you weren’t listening,” she teases.
I turn to face her and pretend to be offended. “Why would you say that? Of course I was listening.”
She raises her eyebrows. “Mm-hmm, sure.”
And here I go again, staring at her full lips. Man, she’s gorgeous.
I quickly look away and shift uncomfortably in my seat. Why am I having these thoughts? I barely know this woman, and we’ll be working together for the foreseeable future. Any other feelings, thoughts, or fantasies should be abandoned immediately .
“We’re here,” Blair squeals.
I glance ahead and see a massive sign that reads Welcome to Maple Falls. You’ll never want to leave. And they’ve added painted leaves.
Ha, clever. And I’m positive I’ll want to leave.
“It’s just like I imagined,” Blair gushes, leaning forward to look out the front window. When her long hair falls over her shoulder and brushes my leg, I think I lose consciousness for half a second. She continues talking and pointing things out as we pass them.
“Aww, everything is decorated for fall, and look at the gorgeous buildings. Oh, I’m in love already.”
I feel a jolt shoot through my body as soon as she says those words. I need to get out of this car as soon as possible. I don’t say a word and concentrate on scrolling through my phone to distract myself from the dizzying smell of her shiny golden-brown hair.
Thankfully we pull into the Hawk River Lodge entrance at the perfect time. It's a rustic looking property, nothing like the usual places I stay while traveling. It has a large main building, and I see some smaller cabins in the distance.
“This lodge is amazing,” Blair announces. “It looks so cozy and inviting. Troy and Kelly Hart own both it and the arena. The reviews are great, and you’ll be here with the other players, so that’ll give you a chance to interact with the team and form important connections.”
“Great,” I mumble.
She sighs. “I know mingling isn’t your thing, so try not to think about that. Just focus on the good you’re doing—and the children you’ll be helping.” She pauses and leans closer to me. “I know how important that is to you.”
Oh, she’s smooth. And she’s right .
“It’s important to me …” I pause. “I didn’t have the easiest childhood, so I try to give back as much as I can.”
She nods. “I know. I’ve done my research.”
“About me?” I ask. I’m not sure whether to be worried or happy about her findings. She must not have been too concerned since she’s my publicist now—she could’ve passed on this job if she didn’t want to take me on. There’s no way she didn’t come across something less than favorable.
“Of course. It’s an important part of my job to know as much as possible about my clients. You need to feel secure with the knowledge I’m representing you in all the best ways. I know you worked with Estelle for years and this has been a difficult transition for you. I’m sure it will take some time, but I’m up for the challenge.” She flashes me a gentle smile, and my eyes dart to her mouth again just as the driver pulls in front of a large building. He barely has time to put it in park before I throw the door open and leap out. I just need to get to my room and clear my head. I’m sure Blair has a to-do list for me, so some alone time should do me some good before all the other stuff. She hasn’t mentioned a specific list, but I suspect she has one. And at this point I’ll probably agree to anything she says. That could be dangerous in more ways than one.
In a matter of seconds, the bell service agents are unloading our bags onto a cart while Blair chats with a woman holding a tablet. I walk over and join them.
“Ms. Hale, this is my client Cooper Montgomery and one of the Maple Falls Ice Breakers. Go, Otters.”
Otters? The mascot for our team is an otter. Wow, did I sleep through all those conversations? And I just told Blair I was listening on those calls. Maybe I remember some brief mention about the animals, but I didn’t take it seriously .
“Ohhh, hello, Cooper Montgomery, we’re so thrilled you’ll be staying with us here at the Lodge,” Ms. Hale says, giving an obvious wink. “We appreciate everything you’re doing for our community—the Ice Breakers are already local celebrities.”
“I’m just a hockey player,” I say modestly. “But I’m happy to help the people of Pi— Maple Falls,” I say quickly when I see Blair mouth the correct name of the town. There I go again looking at her mouth. And why can’t I remember the name of this place?
“Your rooms are ready and waiting for you,” Ms. Hale says, scrolling on her tablet. I have you two in neighboring rooms, near the other players.”
That’s just perfect. I’m already more attracted to this woman than I should be, and now I know she’ll be sleeping in the room next to me. Ugh. There goes my plan of escaping to my room for some peace.
Ms. Hale hands Blair two white envelopes as she continues telling us about amenities on the property. Blair peeks in both envelopes and hands me mine.
“Please reach out if you need anything,” Ms. Hale says, looking directly at me. “I’ll follow up after you get settled.”
“ We will. Thank you so much,” Blair replies.
“Thanks,” I add.
Blair and I make our way through the large front doors and into the lobby. It’s a grand room with a massive fireplace. It reminds me of a ski lodge you’d find in the mountains.
“I can’t wait to go out and explore,” Blair says, not looking up from the map. “But first we have work to do.”
I groan. “You have a to-do list for me, don’t you?”
She smiles. “What kind of publicist would I be without a list? ”
“I knew it. Estelle did the list thing for a while, and then we came up with a new system that worked better for us.”
She nods. “I’m open to other options. I have no doubt we’ll find something that works for both of us.”
I give a thoughtful look. “Blair, can I ask you something?”
Her eyes grow wide. “Anything?”
“Are you sure you’re up for this—working with me?” I ask. “You said you did your research, but I’m not the easiest person to deal with. Social and public events aren’t my specialty, and the press knows it.”
A surge of fear builds as I immediately wonder if she might realize she’s in over her head. The last thing I want is to start over again with someone else.
“I learned a long time ago not to believe everything I hear,” she says with a shrug.
Something stirs in my chest as we get on the elevator.
“I’m already loving the energy of this resort,” she says, changing the subject as relief washes over me. I guess this means she’s not going anywhere yet.
“It’s definitely different from the places my team usually stays.”
Blair gives me a worried look. “Oh, there’s another hotel in town. Would you rather stay there? It’s more upscale, but Estelle and I discussed it and decided on this lodge since so many of the other players are here. And since Troy Hart owns it, it made sense.”
Of course. That’s a typical Estelle move. If she was still my publicist, she wouldn’t give me any other option.
“The lodge is fine,” I tell her.
When the elevator door opens on our floor, Blair steps off first. She turns to the right, and I follow closely behind her as we walk down the long hallway .
“Here we are, your home for the next several weeks. And there’s my room,” she adds, pointing to the next door over. I immediately notice how close our rooms are to one another. Not that it matters.
“Neighbors,” I say, clearing my throat.
“Yep.” She pauses. “Anyway, check it out and let me know if everything is okay in your room. I’m sure Ms. Hale will do everything in her power to make things perfect for you. She’s obviously already a diehard Cooper Montgomery fan.”
I snort. “Hmm … I think she’s a fan of hockey players, not specifically me.”
Blair presses her lips together to hide a smile. “Whatever you say.”
We both linger in front of my door for a few more seconds.
“So … I’m going to relax for a while,” I say. “Long travel day.”
Blair nods. “Yes, me too. I’ll talk to you later.”
I move quickly to enter my room.
As soon as I’m inside, I fall onto the bed and throw my arm over my eyes. Okay, Cooper, focus.
I consider calling Estelle to tell her about my dilemma, but she’s not required to be my pseudo-therapist anymore. She’s off the clock, and I need to let her focus on her retirement. After a few minutes I sit up and look around my room. It looks like it’s newly renovated, spacious, and clean. It’s not five-star luxury, but it’s comfortable.
I could take a nap, but I’m too wired. My phone buzzes with a text message. I look at the screen to see a message from Blair.
How’s your room? Mine is perfect. Do you need anything?
Different thoughts fill my mind. Whoa, maybe a nap isn’t what I need. There’s one thing I always do when I’m stressed—I need to get on the ice.
It’s fine. I think I’m going to go over and check out the arena before practices start. I’m curious to see what the facilities are like in this town.
I’m not lying. I’m just leaving out the part about being attracted to her and needing to get away from our neighboring rooms. Everyone knows some things are better left unsaid.
Good idea. I’ll let the coaches know you’re heading over there. Have fun!
Fun, sure.
I have no idea where the arena is located, but this town is so small I could probably walk in any direction and find it.
I leap to my feet and head to the bathroom to change out of my travel clothes. I came to this town to play hockey and that’s the only thing I need to focus on.
I was hoping I’d have the rink to myself—no such luck.
Almost immediately I spot Dan Roberts from the Chicago Blizzard, who I’ve played against many times. Ah, now I remember that he’s the real celebrity here. They probably have a statue of him in the town square with a fancy plaque that says Dan “The Man” Roberts, beloved hockey star, hometown hero, and all-around swell guy . I’m sure Ms. Hale over at the lodge is a super fan.
“Cooper,” Troy Hart calls. “You made it.”
I haven’t seen Troy in years, but he’s the genius behind this all-star team, so we all wouldn’t be here without him. He’s standing with one of the coaches, Scotty MacFarland, who I remember from my days in the minors. Scotty has been through a lot. He had a very promising career and then suddenly dropped off the face of the earth. I heard his wife got sick and passed away, but I try to stay out of the rumor mills. He’s wearing two different socks … I wonder if he knows.
“Happy to be here,” I reply, not sounding the least bit convincing.
“Hey,” Dan says, patting me on the shoulder. “I’m glad we’re finally playing on the same team. It’ll be a nice change from beating you on the ice.” He grins confidently. Dan the Man is also the captain of the Ice Breakers, so he’s running this show here in his hometown and he knows it.
“Yeah, something like that,” I say with a scowl.
“Hey, Cooper. You ready to get out there and stretch your legs?” Scotty asks.
I hold up my bag. “Definitely.”
“Okay, guys. I’ll meet you in the rink,” Scotty says.
I sigh—there goes all hope of me having some quiet time to skate through my thoughts. I had no idea this would turn into a team bonding experience, but we’re all here to play, so where else would these guys be? I’m assuming Pine Falls isn’t known for its exhilarating night life.
As I follow the others toward the locker room, I hear my phone buzzing from my bag.
When I find it, I’m met with a text from Estelle.
How’s it going?
I let out a puff of air as I consider letting her know how enamored I am with her replacement, but I’m not ready to open that can of worms, so I put my phone away without responding.
After a quick change into my gear, I head out to the floor. The arena is a good size considering the size of the town—it has a main concourse, concessions area, and all the usual features. I’m not sure what I was expecting it to be like, but it’s a nice facility. I should’ve known Troy Hart wouldn’t invest in an inadequate space. The Harts are all hockey royalty.
As soon as I get on the ice, I’ll feel better. Hockey has always been my go-to when I needed an escape. I guess you could say it’s my happy place, but I’d never use those words out loud to anyone. If my teammates or opponents heard me call hockey my happy place, I’d never hear the end of it. I’m known for being serious, centered, and focused on my sport, which is all that matters. As I glide around, getting my muscles warmed up, something occurs to me. I know very little about Blair—I know she lives in Dallas and she’s career-driven. For all I know, she might be in a relationship, which is none of my business. Unlike her, I haven’t done any research on her life. I begin to increase my speed, all thoughts of Blair flying out of my mind. Hopefully they stay that way, although it’s not looking good.
As I go around the curve, Scotty waves me over.
“Hey. You good?” he asks.
I nod. “Yes. I just wasn’t expecting everyone to be here already.”
He gives me an understanding nod. “No pressure. Feel free to do your own thing.”
“Thanks.” I pause. “How are you doing with … everything?”
Crap. How do you ask someone how they’re handling the passing of a spouse? Is it even appropriate to ask? I usually try to stay away from the personal questions.
“Sorry, man. I didn’t mean to make it awkward,” I add .
“Don’t worry about it. We’re doing okay—me and my daughter. Thanks for asking.”
I totally forgot he had a kid. Wow, no wonder he stepped away from playing hockey.
“Anyway, I appreciate the free time,” I tell him. “It’s been an exhausting day.”
I guess that’s one way of describing it. I should’ve known Estelle’s four a.m. phone call, informing me she wouldn’t be joining us, was a sign of things to come. I think I need to lie low tonight and get a good night’s rest. Maybe things will be different tomorrow. One thing is for sure, I don’t need to see Blair again today, even if a part of me wants to.