Chapter 28
Grayson
Playoffs.
The part of the season that truly mattered.
But the Surge were a fledgling franchise. It was our first season in the league. Typically, new teams wallowed in mediocrity for a few years before they became good enough to play beyond the regular season.
After the final game of the season, when we were officially in, we celebrated with champagne and beer in the locker room. Small victories mattered, and it was a long season, so it was important to celebrate any chance we got.
But the next day, everyone shifted their mindset.
The San Antonio Surge were in the Western Conference, and we were matched up against the Edmonton Oilers in the first round. We were a Wild Card team, and they were the number one seed. The best team in the conference. They were the heavy favorites, and we were massive underdogs.
But we had a chance, and that’s all a team could ask for.
The first two games were scheduled in Edmonton, and then we would come back to San Antonio for the next two games. Mason and I took an Uber to the airport to board the team’s private jet. Everyone was standing around on the tarmac, waiting to board.
“Grayson, just the man I wanted to see,” Bob Trent said, slapping me on the back. “Ready for this series?”
“As ready as I’ll ever be,” I replied. “Why do you want to see me? You’re not going to make me reshoot the promotional playoff photos again, are you?”
“Something better. We’ve finished planning your final date with Josie Harper.”
I felt myself stand up a little straighter. “Oh yeah?”
Bob grinned at me. “Someone’s excited.”
I forced myself to scowl at him. “I’m surprised you’re scheduling it already, since our calendar is up in the air. We could be out of the playoffs next week, or we could be playing into June if we somehow make it to the Stanley Cup Finals. Unless you’ve scheduled the date for July?”
“That’s much too far in the future,” Bob answered. “Nobody will care about the team once the finals are over. We want to take advantage of your fake relationship while it’s popular. Your next date is on Thursday.”
I blinked at him. “This Thursday?”
“That’s right.”
I looked at the private jet sitting on the tarmac right in front of us. “You know we’re about to fly to Edmonton, right? Game one is on Wednesday, and game two is Friday.”
“Which is why the date is scheduled for your off day.”
“You don’t think that’s a distraction?”
“Why would it be? It’s not even a real date. Just some public appearances. She’ll travel with the team, watch the game from the front row, and then you two will walk around downtown Edmonton on Thursday.”
I gave a start. “She’s traveling with us?” I looked around, expecting to see Josie approaching with a suitcase any moment.
“Now that would be a distraction. No, she’s flying commercial. You won’t have to see her until Thursday. Relax.” He clapped me on the back again. “Don’t worry, you’ll be free from all of this bullshit soon enough.”
Bullshit. Right. I had to remind myself that I didn’t want to be doing this, that I was eager to put it behind me.
Yet as we boarded the plane, I felt conflicted about the whole thing. Josie was a distraction—that was just a fact. Succeeding in the playoffs meant eliminating distractions and focusing on one singular goal.
But God, I wanted to see her again.
I’d loved every minute of our ice skating date. The playful banter, the subtle glances. Holding her waist from behind while maneuvering her around the ice, controlling her body, imagining another way I could be gripping her hips from behind…
“You all right?” asked Hunter, the backup goaltender, when we were on the plane.
“Why wouldn’t I be?”
“You’re staring at the back of the seat like it’s a puzzle.”
“Just thinking about this series.”
Another player, Tyler, twisted around in his seat. “He’s thinking about his girlfriend.”
“Captain has a girlfriend?” someone else asked.
“That fan who won the date with him,” Tyler replied. “Josie.”
“I thought that was just one date!”
“They’ve gone on a bunch now. The marketing team loves it. Captain’s so attractive they want to make it last.”
“First time he’s ever lasted long in anything!” another player joked.
Laughter and jeers filled the plane.
“It’s just a marketing campaign,” I said smoothly. “I can barely tolerate her. Honestly, it’s better than signing autographs at a new car dealership like you had to do last week, Thompson.”
Thompson grinned. “Amen to that! My wrist is still sore from holding that pen.”
“I think it’s sore for another reason,” someone said, making a jacking-off motion.
But Tyler was still smirking at me. “You can barely tolerate her? Rumor has it you like her.”
There was a chorus of oohs and aahs from my teammates.
“A rumor, huh?” I turned to stare at Mason.
He folded almost instantly. “Hey, you’re the one who told me to try to make friends with the rest of the team!”
“Not by blabbing about my personal life.”
“So it’s true?” Tyler pressed. “You’ve got the hots for this beer girl?”
“It’s most certainly not true,” I said firmly. “We’ve only got one more scheduled date, and then I never have to see her again.”
“I don’t know,” Hunter said. “You’ve been in a good mood lately. Maybe she’s thawing your frozen heart.”
I showed him my middle finger.
Thankfully the conversation shifted after that. I waved to one of the assistant coaches, who brought me an iPad with scouting reports on the Oilers. I spent the rest of the flight reviewing tape, analyzing their strengths and weaknesses.
Edmonton was a nice little city that I’d visited a handful of times since joining the league. Our hotel was downtown, just a few blocks from Rogers Place, the arena where the Oilers played.
And where we would begin our playoff attempt tomorrow night.
I was still buried in my thoughts, picturing the Oilers defense and the strategy that I thought would work best, when we walked into our hotel. A team employee had already checked everyone in and was ready to hand out keys and room assignments.
But when I rounded the corner, there she was.
The sight of Josie stopped me in my tracks like I’d hit a brick wall.
Long legs in blue jeans, and blonde hair running down her back in waves.
She was standing at the front desk with a rolling suitcase by her side, nodding to the concierge as he handed her the key to her room.
She gave him the friendliest little smile, the kind that lit up her entire face, before turning away.
Her gaze collided with mine. She blinked in surprise.
Then that same warm smile spread across her heart-shaped face. No, not the same. It was warmer, more genuine.
“They put me in first class!” she said.
“First time?” I asked.
“Oh yeah, but it won’t be my last. I don’t think I can ever fly Economy again. Did you know the drinks are free in First Class?” She leaned closer and lowered her voice to a whisper. “I don’t want to alarm you, but it’s possible that I’m very tipsy right now.”
“Possible?” I teased. “Or probable?”
“Yes,” she replied with grave seriousness.
The two of us laughed, but we weren’t the only ones. Tyler and a cluster of my teammates were watching from a corner of the lobby, snickering at the two of us.
It shouldn’t have bothered me. I was a veteran of the league, one of the best players on the team. This wasn’t fucking high school. I had thick skin.
But an intense feeling of shame flooded my veins. Everyone else was focused on the series against the Oilers, while I was going on play dates between games.
Josie didn’t notice them. She sighed and said, “I’m really happy to be here, Grayson.”
It was a moment of vulnerability for her, but I didn’t see it. I was too busy thinking about myself and my reputation.
“I’m glad you’re here too,” I replied, loud enough for my voice to carry. “So we can get our final date out of the way. The last thing I need to be thinking about during the playoffs is a fucking play date set up by the fucking marketing team.”
I’d said more hurtful things to Josie before. We’d traded insults and jabs for months. But her walls were down right now, and that made my comment hit harder than anything before. Her expression changed from happiness, to shock, to intense pain.
The last thing I saw was the shimmer of tears in her eyes before she turned and rolled her luggage away.
Why did I say that?