My cheeks warmed again. “Maybe I’ll have to stop in sometime.”
Her smile was mischievous. “Believe me when I say that Cormac ismorethan happy to pay for whatever confection you want.” She waggled her eyebrows.
“No, no, I couldn’t ask him to pay—”
“You can and will. That man is hotness personified. All that growly masculinity in a hurt package.” She fanned herself. “We’ve all been waiting to see who he wanted, and you are the sweetest woman possible. I might get a cavity as I repeat your resumé: occupational therapist for a public school, helps at the animal shelter, and runs half marathons for fun.”
“I’ve been running forever.” I fiddled with the threads that poked through the small hole in my jeans, high on my thigh. Maybe I should have dressed nicer, like Naomi. She was so put together in her silk capris and mint-green shell. Not that I had the money to spend on high-end brands. I sighed, hating how out of my league I felt. A few patrons had moseyed into the arena, and Naomi bent down to dig in her bag. She pulled out a large jersey with Adam’s name and number on it and slipped it over her cute top.
“I came straight from work—we received a rather large order.” Her smile grew wider, her eyes gleaming. “And worth getting here later than I’d planned.”
“Oh?”
“I hope the client enjoys what I had sent over.”
“You send things to people’s houses?”
“Everything for a price.” She rose. “Want a drink? Some food?”
“Sure.” I grabbed my bag and followed her.
Somehow, we returned to our seats with arms laden with food and my wallet untouched. I scowled. “You should have let me pay for something.”
“Psssh. I will once you and Cormac aretogethertogether. For now, let Adam handle our snacks. You give and return.” She winked. Plopping back down in her chair, now surrounded by fans, many of whom wore team jerseys or hats, she bit into a doughy pretzel. “Mmm... That’s good.”
I lowered my voice and leaned in. “I’m not sure how I feel about…well, the wealth.”
She swallowed and licked her thumb. When she turned toward me, her expression was earnest. “It’s gross, the amount of money these athletes make. Now, they workhard. That’s why they play in the NHL. But their salaries are only a part of their income—hell, I’m pretty sure their uniform brand has all these boys on their marketing payroll. They have the money most of us will never dream of. And many of them don’t come from wealth themselves, so they either hoard it or they spend, spend, spend. Lucky for me—and you—our guys like to save. And not just for a rainy day.”
“But think of all the good that money could do for…for schools or…”
Naomi smiled, but it drooped. “If I’ve learned one thing in my years, it’s that no one is going to give extra money to kids in school. Hell, this crap we’re eating now is a million times better than the mayo sandwiches I got for school.”
I dropped the last of my snacks into my lap and squeezed her hand. “They wouldn’t give you free lunch?”
She shook her head, a hollow laugh barking from her throat. She raised her chin, pride stamped across her features. “My mama wouldn’t let me get a free lunch. That was for the grifters and convicts. Nah, I had to make do with whatever we had in the house, which was always nothing…” She trailed off, her posture stiff but her head held high. Still, her lip quivered before she swallowed.
Clearly, I’d struck a nerve. I opened my mouth, planning to apologize, but she waved her hand, as if dissipating the mood. “But that’s my point: these boys use their money for good. At least some of it. So, if the school system matters to you, have Cormac get involved in lunches. Nutrition is in an athlete’s wheelhouse. Or PE or after-school activities—there are lots of ways for him to harness his fame and fundraise bigger bucks.”
The arena went dark, and then the announcer began introducing the players.
“Oh, good,” Naomi said. “Game time.”
She launched into an explanation about the offsides rule, the one thing I hadn’t grasped when Cormac and I talked before.
“That’s a hard one,” she assured me. “Give it time. You’ll get it.”
“I’m sorry I upset you. Before,” I said.
She shook her head. “You didn’t. Not really. I’m just… I get where you’re coming from, and I understand your worry about the money. It’s weird, but it’s also so comforting to know I won’t have to live in my family’s car, you know?”
I nodded. Never had I considered myself lucky…well, before now. My childhood had been threadbare and often bleak. My mother had worked two, sometimes three jobs, which meant she was never home. But I hadn’t ever lived in a car or gone hungry at school. And now, Naomi was successful in her own right, married to a sexy athlete.
Cormac skated by, his face intent as he struggled to control the puck. His powerful body surged as he moved with such speed and grace. I pressed my hand to my chest, shocked by his effect on me. I wanted him. And I wanted to attend more games with Naomi.
Cormac slapped a shot into the net, and the arena went wild—including Naomi and me. I screamed, hugging her. Cormac fist pumped and pointed toward us. Toward me.
Everything inside me settled as I screamed and waved. In this moment, it all seemed so clear. I wanted this life with him.
