10. Blair
CHAPTER 10
BLAIR
A fter having the best kiss of my life last night, I’m more confused than ever. It’s not supposed to be this way.
When I took over for Estelle Windsor, I thought it would catapult my career to the next level. Having new high-profile clients would open doors for me that I never dreamed of. Of course, I didn’t know what it would be like working with Cooper. I was prepared to put a lot of time into building a level of trust with him based on everything I’d heard and read. Estelle even cautioned me that he might be uncooperative at first and then eventually he would come around. I’m assuming after last night, that’s no longer the case.
And wow, Cooper is a good kisser. I may not have loads of experience like the Puck Bunnies who are currently roaming Maple Falls, but I’ve had a few relationships in my lifetime, and Cooper Montgomery wins by a landslide.
I think I’ll leave that tidbit out of his bio. Excellent kisser doesn’t need to be listed along with his stats, standings, and team history.
I decide to get out and visit the farmers market. Roaming through the rows of stalls and visiting Kiki sounds like the perfect way to spend my morning. I stop to grab a pumpkin spice latte and head to the waffle stand. It must be good because there are quite a few people lined up in front of it.
I text Kiki while I wait.
I’m at the farmers market. Getting a waffle. Are you here?
As soon as I pick up my order, I spot Keira walking down the row.
“Good morning, B,” she says, giving me a tight hug. Her blonde hair is pulled back into a ponytail, and she looks comfortable and cute in her t-shirt and jeans. She’s totally in her element here.
“Hey Kiki. I’ve been dying to try one of these waffles. They look so delish.”
“They are amazing.” She agrees. We walk toward a little round table and sit down.
“I don’t want to keep you if you’re busy. I just wanted to say hi.”
I take a bite of the strawberries and cream waffle and it practically melts in my mouth.
“No worries, I have a few minutes,” she says. “You’re not working today?”
I shake my head. “Cooper goes to the arena every morning to get in extra practice time. He really takes his hockey career seriously.”
Keira gives me a curious look. “B, can I ask you something?”
“Always.”
“Is there something going on with Cooper?”
Crap. Is it obvious? Have we fallen into the clutches of the Maple Falls gossip?
I clear my throat. “What do you mean?”
She’s quiet for a few seconds. “Your expression changes when mention him. And he always looks miserable—except when he’s talking to you.”
Hearing her say this makes my pulse quicken.
“Cooper and I are … getting along well.” I don’t have time to get into it right now.
Kiki raises her eyebrows.
“That’s a good thing, right?”
I nod. “Yes. What about you? Have you talked to Dan the Man?”
Her cheeks turn pink. “A little.”
Obviously neither of us are being very forthcoming about our situations and that’s okay.
“Anyway, what else do you recommend I try this morning?” I ask, changing the subject.
Relief washes over her face. “Ooh, great question. I’ll show you around the market.”
“Awesome.” I exclaim. In other words, I don’t want to talk about Cooper, and she doesn’t want to talk about Dan.
It’s almost time for dinner with Cooper, and I thought I’d be more nervous about it. We need to discuss our situation. Confession: I spent some time on Google this afternoon. There aren’t many clear-cut, specific articles about client-publicist romances. However, many consider it a conflict of interest to become involved with a client. I know one unforgettable kiss doesn’t mean automatic relationship, and the fact is that in a few weeks our time in Maple Falls will be over. Cooper will return to Tennessee and join his season, and I will return to Dallas. We will continue to communicate via email and text and have Zoom meetings he may or may not listen on. Then I will join him for some games and major events. This is probably the most suitable outcome. I’m just not sure it’s the outcome I want.
The sound of my phone drags me out of my thoughts. It’s a text from Cooper, which suddenly turns me into a giddy teenager.
Hey. Are we still on for dinner? Pick the place—Pine Falls doesn’t have many options.
I giggle as I type my response.
Yes, and I think you mean Maple Falls? I’ll choose a place.
My pulse picks up as I chew on my fingernail. As much as I don’t want to admit it—I’m super excited for this evening.
Cooper is right about there not being many restaurant choices in town. There’s the Bistro, a diner, a pizzeria called the Rustic Slice and an upscale restaurant called the Glass Olive. So, The Glass Olive it is.
Sophie texted earlier today and asked if anything happened between Cooper and me. I didn’t respond because that conversation needs to take place over the phone. Some things can’t be accurately explained via text, and my amazing kiss with Cooper is one of those things.
There’s a knock on my door at seven o’clock on the dot. Cooper is known for his punctuality, so I’m ready. I’m wearing a pair of cream-colored wide-leg pants with a red bodysuit. It seemed like a suitable outfit for dinner with someone who’s both a client and the man you have feelings for.
I take a deep breath before opening the door. It might be just my imagination, but Cooper looks even hotter today than he did yesterday.
“Hey,” I say cheerfully .
“Hey.” The corners of his mouth turn up slightly. I really like seeing him smile.
I hold my door open. “Want to come in for a minute?”
“Sure.” He looks up and down the hall. I guess you get used to being extra aware of your surroundings when you’re constantly under the scrutiny of the public eye.
“How was your day?” he asks.
“It was nice. How was yours?”
“Okay. Practice started a bit rough, but I think we’re finally making some progress as a team.”
“That’s great news.”
“And then Estelle called,” he adds.
Oh.
“How’s she doing?” I ask. “Hopefully enjoying all her free time.”
“She’s good. I think she’s still trying to recover from the years of working with me.”
I giggle. “Did she say that?”
“She didn’t need to”—he pauses and shoves his hands in his pockets— “She was mostly concerned about how things are going here.”
I clear my throat. “What did you say?”
He shrugs. “I told her about the team … and that you and I were working well together.”
I exhale sharply. I guess that’s one way to describe our status.
“I didn’t tell her about last night,” he continues.
“That’s all right. It’s your decision if you want to tell anyone … or not.”
Maybe Cooper doesn’t want people to know, even though we basically kissed in front of the whole town.
“I want to know what you think,” he says, reaching for my hand. “I don’t want to put you in a bad situation. My reputation is already subpar at best. If I weren’t good at this sport, people wouldn’t care what I do.”
I slide closer to him and place my hands on his shoulders then move my fingers over his well-defined deltoids. “It’s now my job to change that.”
Cooper cups my waist and looks into my eyes. “While I doubt the opinions of me will ever change, if there’s anyone who could achieve that, it’s you.”
“I’m up for the challenge,” I whisper before moving even closer to him. In one move Cooper effortlessly lifts me off the ground, our lips perfectly in sync.
“We should probably go,” Cooper murmurs between kisses.
“We should,” I agree.
It takes quite a few seconds for us to separate and catch our breath. And I can’t think of a more perfect start to the evening.
The Glass Olive is divine. It’s surprisingly elegant and quaint—and the intoxicating aroma of garlic, basil and oregano makes my mouth water. As soon as the server places the breadbasket on the table, I dig in without any shame. I guess I should’ve had lunch instead of googling answers to my life questions.
“Hungry?” Cooper asks, giving me an amused look.
“Yes. Don’t judge me,” I say covering my mouth as I chew.
He holds up his hands. “No judgment. I’m fascinated by you.”
I swallow my bread. “Fascinated? I’m not sure how to take that after stuffing my face.”
“It’s a good thing,” he assures me. “You’re very self-aware. Many women wouldn’t indulge in a basket of bread.”
I sigh. “I wasn’t always this way. It’s taken some work to get to this point.”
He nods. “You’ve taken over for Estelle and haven’t missed a beat. She was right about you. I won’t tell her that though because I’ll never hear the end of it.”
“How did she break the news about me?” I ask.
He takes a sip of water. “She told me she was finally ready to retire, and she had met the perfect person to take her place. I believe her exact words were that you were a gem who wouldn’t take my crap.”
I laugh. “I love it.”
“I trust Estelle completely, so I didn’t even consider trying to find someone on my own.”
The server returns to our table with an extensive wine list and rambles off a list of chef’s specials. I order a glass of pinot noir and Cooper orders a Coke. Apparently, he doesn’t drink when he’s prepping for a game.
“This restaurant is really nice,” I say after the server leaves to fetch our drinks.
He looks around. “It is. I didn’t expect this town to have a place like this.”
“Do you go out a lot back in Tennessee?”
He shakes his head. “Not much during the season. But there is one restaurant that I go to all the time. The owner is a friend and Wolves season ticket holder. I’ll have to take you there when?—"
He abruptly pauses. “Um, if you come for meetings and work. ”
I try to swallow the lump forming in my throat. “I’d love to go.”
These are things we will be discussing after he’s done playing with the Ice Breakers. Before we came to Maple Falls, we had meetings virtually. And Cooper is used to this setup since Estelle lives in New York. We can easily maintain our professional partnership from a distance without any issues. Beyond that is still to be determined.
The server returns with our drinks and to take our orders. I finally select the sea bass with asparagus and risotto, and Cooper orders the filet and roasted potatoes. I also request a second basket of bread since I inhaled the first one. Poor Cooper was lucky to get a piece.
“So, do you think you’re ready for the Lumberjacks?” I ask, referring to the team the Ice Breakers are playing.
“I hope so,” he says. “They are tough, and they’ve been playing together longer than we have.”
I did some research on the team, and the Canadian Lumberjacks look super intimidating. I don’t think any of them are shorter than six foot five. That’s a whole team of men Cooper’s size and above.
“I have faith you guys can pull out the win.”
He folds his hands, rests them on the table, and leans toward me. “Hearing you say that makes me believe it.”
I hold my wine glass in the air. “To an Ice Breakers win.”
Cooper touches his glass to mine. “I like the sound of that.”
After a wonderful meal, Cooper and I walk back to the lodge. It’s another chilly night in Maple Falls, so thankfully it’s not a long walk. Just as we turn the corner, we’re met with two reporters. I recognize them immediately from the media event.
“Whoa. Cooper Montgomery. This is a late night for you,” the man says.
“Can you give us an update on the team? There are reports saying the Ice Breakers aren’t ready to take on the Jacks,” the woman adds.
“I don’t do random interviews,” Cooper tells them.
“Wait. You’re Blair Radcliffe,” the guy exclaims when he notices me. “You’re Cooper’s publicist, so you must have something to say.”
I exhale slowly. I got this.
“Cooper Montgomery will be available for comment the day of the first game against the Lumberjacks.”
“Is Cooper planning to quit the Ice Breakers before the final game?” the woman asks, ignoring everything I said.
Where do they come up with this stuff? Is there someone out there who just starts rumors for fun?
“Cooper will play all five games here in Maple Falls,” I tell them.
We manage to get past them and continue our trek back to the lodge.
“Sorry about that,” Cooper says. “That’s the part of my life I don’t enjoy.”
I shrug. “It comes with the territory. I knew that when I took this job.”
“Yes, but I’m not one of the players who likes all the hype and attention. It would probably be easier to have a client like Dan Roberts. ”
Hmm … I don’t know about that. I’ve heard plenty of stories about Dan from Keira.
“I don’t want a client like Dan. I want …” I trail off before I say anything else. I know what I want—both my career and Cooper. I’m just not sure how to make that happen.
Thankfully we arrive at the lodge at just the right moment. We’re both quiet as we travel to our floor.
“I guess we still have some things to talk about,” Cooper says.
“Yes, I think so too.” I yawn as we approach Cooper’s room first.
“Do you want to come in, or … should we go somewhere else?” He gives me a wistful look.
“Sure. Let’s hang out.”
I’m not worried about it because I’m a mature woman who can handle herself around the man she’s falling for.
As soon as Cooper closes the door, he gently pulls me into his arms. I rest my head on his chiseled pecks, allowing myself to sink into him.
“So,” he says into my hair.
“So,” I repeat.
“Are we doing this?” he asks, looking down at me.
“You mean working together and …” I tighten my arms around his neck.
“Yep. I’m game if you are,” he says.
Every cell in my body is shouting yes. I still have some concerns, but I also can’t ignore how I feel when I’m with him.
“Definitely.”