I glanced from one to the other and back to the paper. “At least I didn’t get arrested.” I laughed.
They didn’t.
“Reported as lewd behavior in the park? What in the fuck does that mean? Who was the girl?”
“It doesn’t say?”
“It doesn’t say, but of course there was a girl. So who is she so I know how much damage control is needed.”
“Calm down, Ansley,” Bobby advised. “I’m certain nothing happened. Right?”
“We were talking, but you don’t need to know who she was. Now, I have a game to get ready for.” Even as I tried to sidestep them, I could tell Ansley wasn’t about to let this go.
In turn, I wasn’t about to give away any more of my private life. And the last thing I wanted was for Ansley to try to find Christine. Especially since she was in the building.
“Don’t walk away from me!” Ansley was beside herself today.
“He’s right. We have a very important game. Suit up, Masters. And don’t let us down. But we are going to talk about this further.”
“Sure, Coach. Whatever you say.”
Now I’d need to find Christine to warn her.
Maybe then I’d make certain she knew I wasn’t giving up.
Not on her and not on us.
After all, I was like a dog with a bone.
CHAPTER 23
Christine
“You can come out now.”
The woman’s voice echoed in the bathroom. Sighing, I crawled off the toilet seat, sheepishly appearing from behind the half-closed stall door. I’d run like some rabbit. No, like a bad bunny. The moment I’d seen Steven, I’d panicked.
“Thanks, Margie. I owe you one.”
“Girl. What in the hell have you gotten yourself mixed up in?”
While I watched my coworker wash her hands, I moved against the cinderblock wall, uncertain how to answer. “I didn’t intend to meet Steven Masters. He kind of crashed into my world and he’s not the kind of guy who takes no for an answer.”
“No, evidently, he doesn’t. You’re new to the game of hockey, but my man never misses a game. If there are two on, he’ll have both our televisions tuned in and run from room to room to catch plays. It’s comical. Saint and Steven Masters are the best playersin the world. Hands down. Steven is up and coming and both men have a temper but they’re like golden retrievers. You don’t need to worry.”
“What does that mean?’ I chortled.
“You know, hearts of gold under their fluffy exterior.”
I wouldn’t say Steven had a fluffy exterior. Not by a long shot. Unless you wanted to call him a grizzly bear in a human suit. Jesus. There were likely grizzly shifters. “Oh, okay.”
“What that man just said was… wow.”
“But he lied to me. You heard him admit it.”
While grabbing a paper towel, she eyed me carefully. “Yeah, he did, girl, but did you hear how sorry he was? Men can’t fake that shit.”
Shrugging, I kicked the toe of my tennis shoe against the tile floor, my stomach abuzz with butterflies. The electricity I’d felt with having him so close had nearly pushed me into making myself known.
