“Great, we’ll introduce you,” Ryder says. “Griffin’s right, they’d love to show you around town.”
Clearing my throat, I muster up a smile that isn’t entirely fake, despite how awkward I feel about this whole exchange and that the man I had a one-night stand with is glaring at me. “Thanks. I’d like to meet them.”
“If we’re done offering to braid each other’s hair, can we sign the damned pucks and get out of here?” Logan all but growls.
My stomach twists, and I risk looking at him, which is a mistake. Because those gray eyes that held so much heat when we spent an unforgettable night together in LA now hold nothingbut contempt, and I’m surprised by how much that hurts. Dropping my eyes to the floor, I take a step back.
“Right. Of course. I’m just going to see if anyone needs help with anything.” I take a few steps away when I hear Logan muttering under his breath.
“Sure. Run away, Blair. You’re good at that, aren’t you?”
My steps falter, my stomach bottoms out, and my heart races. Closing my eyes, I give myself three seconds to feel the sting of Logan’s words, then I lift my chin, plaster a fake-ass smile on my face, and make my way over to a group of players I haven’t met yet.
ten
LOGAN
“Was that necessary?”Sebastian is disappointed in me. If I couldn’t tell from his tone, the frown marring his face would make it perfectly clear.
My chest twinges with a flash of unwelcome guilt when Blair’s steps falter, but I push it away. I don’t owe her anything. Not even politeness. I still don’t know why she’s here or what she hoped to gain by sleeping with me, but I’ll find out. In the meantime, I’ll make sure she understands that I’m not buying her innocent actorher apparent sex amnesia.
“She’s a liar,” I say. “I fucking hate liars.”
“Have you talked to her?” Griffin asks, arms crossed over his chest. “You know, to find out why she lied? Because she doesn’t seem like some conniving, evil mastermind to me.”
Rolling my eyes, I shake my head. “What’s the point? I’m sure whatever story she concocts would be entertaining, but I’m not interested.”
“Dude,” Maddox says, placing a meaty palm on my shoulder. “Did you not learn anything from me when I almost lost Isla? Communication is key.”
Right around when Maddox was ready to tell his now-wife that he loved her, he overheard her having a discussion with her ex that sounded really damning. He broke up with her without so much as a conversation to figure out what really happened, and if it wasn’t for Griffin’s interference, they probably never would have gotten back together. But this situation is different.
“I’m not with Blair. Never was.” Despite myself, my eyes wander back to the woman in question as she smiles and chats with some of the guys on the third line. I hate myself for the way my stomach twists when Trey Moore grins and casually touches her shoulder.
I know what that shoulder looks like naked and glistening with sweat. I know what every single inch of Blair looks like naked and sweat-slicked.
“She works here,” Sebastian says. “And I get you’re pissed about the situation, but you don’t know her story. This whole thing could be one massive coincidence, and you can’t jeopardize her job because you’re butthurt that she pretended not to know you.”
This conversation is pissing me the hell off. Why does it feel like they’re defending her? “You guys are supposed to be on my side.”
“We are,” Griffin says. “You know we’ll always have your back. And that’s why we all think you should talk to her and clear the air. Because the last thing you want is to have this shit affect your game. Especially at the start of the season.”
All four of my closest friends on the team look at me with the same expectant expressions. They all want me to do this. Even if I’d rather skinny-dip in a pool full of piranhas. “Fine. I’ll talk to her. I doubt it’ll do any good, but I’ll talk to her.”
“Better hurry up, then,” Ryder says. “Because she’s leaving.”
Turning, I see that, sure enough, Blair is leaving the ice with a few smiles and waves for my teammates. It’s now or never, I guess. “I’ll be right back.”
The guys offer their encouragement as I jog after Blair. She’s wearing heels and dragging a wagon full of swag behind her, so it doesn’t take much effort to catch up with her.
“Blair, wait up,” I call.
She comes to a stop, her shoulders tense, back stiff, and takes a deep breath before she turns. Her sienna-colored eyes are wary as she regards me. Fair, after the way I acted this afternoon, I guess, but I’m not the one who lied. I’m not the one who pretended not to know who she was or that we’d be working for the same organization when we slept together.
“Can I help you?” she asks stiffly.
Running a hand through my damp hair, I sigh. “Can we talk?”
Her eyes dart all around before finally landing back on me. She shifts her weight from one foot to the other and draws her plump lower lip between her teeth. “Talk about what?”
