"That was your first day," Darcy says, gathering her things.
"Best day of my life." He stands, still stretching, but then hepointsat me. "Oh! Josie! I almost forgot my favorite part!"
I frown at him. "Yes, Colin?"
"We've got the road trip coming up. Three games, two cities, away from home." He's grinning now, that big easy grin. "And sinceyouare the reason anyone in this entire country knows the Beachside Bears exist anymore—" he spreads his arms wide, "—we're sending you with the team!"
I blink. "You—what?"
"Road trip!Yay!" Beck, who I hadn't even fully clocked sliding into the back of the room halfway through, pumps a fist from the doorway. "She's coming on the road trip! FUCK YES!"
"Fuck yes, indeed. PR duties," Colin continues, grinning. "Content, media coordination, all the wizard stuff. You'll travel with the boys. First class, team hotels, the whole circus." He claps me on the shoulder as he passes. "Enjoy it, Josie. You've earned it."
And just like that, the meeting's breaking up. Pastries vanishing into napkins. Rose gathering her tablet. Coach Pearson muttering something to Pete about line change practice as they walk out the door.
I sit there for a second, my pulse doing something stupid and hopeful behind my ribs.
A road trip? With the team?
With Declan?!
A road trip means hotels. Which means close quarters. Andthatmeans, for the first time in days, I might actually get more than three minutes in Declan's orbit.
At least now I'll find out the truth.
At least now I'll be close enough to read whatever's been written across that beautiful, brooding, infuriating face of his.
At least now I'll know if I actually did something wrong.
Or if my mother just did such a number on me that I've spent four days mistaking a man with something on his mind for a man pulling away from me.
I gather my laptop, stand, and catch Darcy watching me with that knowing little half-smile.
"What?" I ask.
"Nothing." She slides her sunglasses back down. "You've just got the exact look of a woman who's about to spend a road trip pretending she's not sleeping with the captain."
I nearly drop my laptop.
"Darcy—"
"Relax." She grabs the last cookie off the tray and turns for the door, calling over her shoulder, "Your secret's safe with me…wizard."
I stand frozen in the empty conference room, my heart hammering and my face burning.
A road trip. Out on the open road, with two blazing secrets ready to explode.
God help me.
God fucking help me.
Chapter 14
Declan
The kitchen looks like a war zone, and we haven't even left for the airport yet.
"Beck.Beck.Sit your ass down before you give Biscuit a heart attack."
