I nod curtly, forcing my gaze to Talia on the other side of the room. I’m a forty-seven-year-old man and I have to cut this shit out with Jules. Nothing can happen between us for several reasons, any one of which would be good enough on its own.
She’s close to Talia’s age and they’re becoming friends. And she’s a team staffer. I’m not her boss, but I am in a position of power with the organization. There’s no way she wants to start something up with a man my age.
“Right here would be great,” she says, moving over to the open wood lockers where the players’ sweaters are waiting.
I get in position, the lockers behind me, and she gives me an encouraging smile as she presses a button on her phone screen to record.
“I’ll be editing this. Anything you mess up on or want me to take out, I can.” She adjusts the phone position slightly. “So how are you feeling about the way the team is shaping up? I know you still have to decide on your final roster.”
“I think we’re looking good. Moss is as dialed in as ever, and our offense is hungry. The preseason gives us a chance to make a decision on our final roster, and I expect we’ll release that soon.”
“How are preseason games different from regular season ones, for you as a coach?”
“They’re no different. I expect the same level of performance from the boys in every game. The preseason gets us all into the travel groove, which is good. We’re shuffling our lines and trying guys out for things and the preseason gives us a lot of latitude for that kind of thing.”
I can’t look away from her phone screen. If I do, I’ll give myself away. It’ll be obvious that I can’t get enough of her.
“Last one. What do you think of the new arena?”
“It’s impressive. They thought of everything, and we’re looking forward to playing here for the first time tonight.”
She lowers the phone and turns off the camera. “Thanks ... Noel.”
She’s having a hard time calling me by my name. Almost everyone who works for the team calls me “Coach” or “Coach Turner”. Our owner and general manager use my first name, and a few staffers do, too. I’ve never asked anyone to use my name until Jules.
I couldn’t help myself. I wanted to hear her sweet, sexy voice saying it. And it didn’t disappoint. There was a tug in my chest just now when she said my name for the first time.
“Is that it?” I ask, the question coming out sternly.
“Yes. Thanks.”
I didn’t mean to make it sound like I’m annoyed with her. It’s just that I need to get some distance between us. The closer she is, the harder it is for me to think about anything but her.
The best thing I can do for both of us is to keep things as impersonal as I can. Even if it means she thinks I’m a dick.
“Enough with the dog, boys,” I bark as I walk toward the visiting coach’s office space. “You’ve got work to do.”
CHAPTER SIX
Jules
I’m burstingwith excitement when Blair comes into the kitchen to grab a box of Cheez-Its from the pantry.
“I have amazing news,” I say, bouncing from foot to foot.
“I’ll take literally anything that’ll distract me from the vomit photos I’ve been studying.”
She’s studying, the boys are both at school, and I’m off today. Deb told me I was working too much since I was in the office from eight to five every day and traveling with the team. Our first regular-season game is tomorrow night, and she threatened to fire me if I come into the office at all today and before noon tomorrow.
“I just got off the phone with the Crush team owner, and he gave me a bonus. Deb told him about the latest social media numbers and they’re way better than she was even hoping.”
Blair sets the box of crackers down and comes over to me, giving me a hug. “Of course they are, because you’re amazing at what you do. Congratulations. You deserve it.”
I pull back and put my hands on her shoulders. “I’m booking a trip for you and the boys to Disney World for their spring break.”
Her eyes widen. “Jules, no. Seriously. You already do everything for us.”
“I wish I could go, too, but it’s too far into the hockey season for me to take a week off.”
