I keep pushing the door open. “And now that youarethinking about it, what does your gut say? About going on a date with her?”
He swallows, purses his lips, then looks at me with curiosity in his eyes. “Do you think she’d be keen on it?”
My heart swells. He sounds so eager, so earnest. “I do. Can I set you up with her? No charge for my services of course.”
“I’d love that,” he says.
I’ve solved that conundrum.
If only I could solve my own so easily.
In the morning, I wake up to a note from a client. Renee’s a former corporate lawyer from San Francisco turned nonprofit attorney for an environmental advocacy group. She’s successful and confident, loves sports and animals, and is visiting her sister in Evergreen Falls for the holidays. I’d been planning to set her up with Rowan. But I had to cancel on her since Rowan has principles. Dammit. Why do principles have to be so sexy? As sexy as the other night on my parents’ porch.
Renee: Hi, Isla. No worries about the change in plans. Honestly, I’m not sure I want to date an athlete! I think I’m better off with someone a little more human.
I laugh, then write back, suggesting Sandeep. We text more and I set that up for next week. When I’m done, I’ve moved a few other couples along, clients, and friends. The issue is still—me.
I need to figure myself out soon since Rowan and I have another practice date tonight. It’s just a dating lesson. A chance to learn, to refine, to figure out the Wild West of dating.
And it really can’t end the way the last one did.
Or…can it?
28
SECRET SANTA
ROWAN
Look, I didn’t want the money from the Nutcracker Auction to go to waste. I bid on the Christmas carolers for a reason. I used them last night as planned, and they were up for an encore this morning.
Mia and I walk Wanda along Main Street—I made an exception by coming into town—because maybe, possibly, fine, I do want to see Karlsson’s reaction.
We turn left, then a few blocks later we arrive at the inn where I know the New York team stayed last night. The carolers are long gone. I asked for an early morning serenade, after all. Mia and I hang around the front entrance. Soon, the players start trickling out. They trudge down the steps after their loss, with Karlsson the last to go. He’s built like a wooden block, and his ruddy face is still sour.
Good.
I tip my forehead toward the beefy D-man. “What’s wrong, Karlsson? Did you wake up on the wrong side of the bed?”
He sneers at me. “Yeah, someone sent some carolers tosing ‘Good King Wenceslas’ outside my hotel room last night. And this morning they did ‘Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer.’”
I remain stone-faced. “That sounds…real thoughtful. Holiday cheer and all.”
“No, dick. It was annoying as fuck. But I’ll find out who it was.”
“Watch your language,” I say, curling a hand around Mia’s shoulder for emphasis.
“Whatever.”
He’s such an ass. “Good luck finding out who your secret Santa is.”
“Yeah. I’ll be watching you,” he says, his beady eyes locked on mine.
“Sure you will. Because you want to learn from a better player. I get it.”
Mia lifts her chin, stands taller. “My dad scored a point last night,” Mia chimes in. Wanda gets in on my defense too, barking angrily at my rival.
The asshole shakes his head and walks off.
