“This. You and me.”
“Working together?”
“Anything . . . together.”
“Come on, Li—Carolina. You need this for your work, right?”
She shrugged. “I can get models.”
“Oh, but you need me. I’m a hot commodity.”
She shot a look at him. “Modest as always, aren’t you, Drew?”
“Well, you know me.”
“Yes, I do know you.”
He figured if he could joke with her, tease her like he’d always done, she’d snap out of this sad, reflective mood. Mad Carolina he could deal with. The sad one he couldn’t handle.
“Come on. It’ll be just like old times. Only you get to tell me what to do. You can even be mean to me. It’ll be like payback. Think of all the fun you’ll have ordering me around.”
She straightened and cocked a brow. “Why do you want to help me? Surely you have better things to do with your time. Like playing a hockey game, or picking up some woman.”
“Not really. Annoying you has always been one of my favorite things to do.”
“Yes. I remember that well.”
“Think of it as a nostalgia trip, then. And besides, I come cheap. I won’t even charge you for my time, seeing how I’ll get all that free publicity.”
“How generous of you.”
“I know, right?”
She took a deep breath and let it out. “Fine. We’ll do this.”
“Great.”
“And can you get me tickets to see some of your games?”
Now it was his turn to give her the once-over. “I didn’t know you liked hockey.”
“Now who doesn’t know much about whom? I actually do like hockey, Drew. Plus I want to study your lines while you skate.”
“Huh. Okay, sure. There’s a preseason game tomorrow night against Denver. Do you want to come to that one?”
“Tomorrow night? Let me check my calendar.” She went over to her desk and grabbed her phone, doing some scrolling with her thumb. “What time is the game?”
“Seven thirty.”
“Yes. That’ll work. I should be finished up by then.”
“Okay. I’ll have a ticket set aside for you. Are you going to bring someone?”
She looked up from her phone. “No. It’ll just be me.”
“You can pick up the ticket at the box office. Just give them your name.”
“Thanks. This will really help with my designs.”
“Anytime.”
She looked around. He hated to admit he found her discomfort amusing, but he did. If she was uncomfortable, then it meant she felt something. And he wanted her to feel something.
For him. About him.
“So . . . you’d like me to leave.”
She lifted her gaze to his. “I didn’t say that, but I do have work.”
He stepped over to her, deliberately getting close. “You should just say what’s on your mind, Carolina.”
She didn’t say anything, but her eyes said it all. Confusion, that slight irritation that always made him smile, and then her eyes darkened, a flash of desire she tried to hide before she moved away.
But he’d seen it, and it made him tighten.
He took a deep breath. “Hey, I can take a hint.” He grabbed his jacket and put it on.
“Thanks for coming over,” she said as she walked him to the door.
“I’ll see you tomorrow night at the game.”
“Sure.” She held on to the door and gave him a stiff smile. “Good night, Drew.”
“Night, Carolina.” Before she could shut the door in his face, he brushed a brief, soft kiss across her lips, taking in her slight gasp of surprise. “Don’t work too hard.”
He turned and walked away and she shut the door.
He smiled as he pushed the elevator button.
Yeah, he got to her. Surprisingly, she got to him, too. He’d always enjoyed teasing her. After all, she was Gray’s little sister. Until she’d become more than that in one night that had rocked his world.
She’d thought he’d walked away as if she hadn’t meant anything.
But she’d meant a lot more to him than she would ever know. And that had scared the shit out of him. That one night with her had brought out feelings he hadn’t been ready to deal with. Not when he’d had a new career ahead of him and his entire life had been about to change. He couldn’t have handled falling in love all those years ago.
Now? Now was a different story. Now he was settled, with a good career and a stability in his life he hadn’t had before.
Except Carolina wouldn’t give him the time of day.
He aimed to change that.
THREE
CAROLINA TOOK A CAB TO MADISON SQUARE GARDEN, went to the box office to pick up her ticket, and made her way to her seat, surprised when she realized it was in the middle and down low.
Great seats. She’d have an amazing view of all the action and the players. She took out her sketchbook and readied for the game.
When the players came out, which happened to be right near where she was seated, she shifted in her seat to watch them take the ice.
It was just as she’d imagined, only so much better seeing it in person. Despite being loaded down with heavy uniforms and protective gear, they glided across the ice, as breathtaking in form as a figure skater who wore the lightest of costumes. Carolina settled in and watched the players warm up, the grace and fluidity of motion they used to slide the puck back and forth as graceful to her as any skater she’d ever seen.
When the game started and the referee dropped the puck between the two opposing players, she leaned forward, her gaze already trained on Drew, one of the forwards. He and his teammates struck fast, grabbing the puck and driving ahead toward Denver’s goal.
Drew was lightning fast. Carolina no more than blinked and he had skated down the ice toward the goal and taken a shot. It missed, but his teammate had scooped it up behind the goalie and shot it toward another one of the Travelers players.
The interplay fascinated her. She’d watched a lot of games on television, but there was nothing like being at a game. The action was fast paced, and she found herself leaning forward, her pencil clutched tightly in her hand. By the time Denver had snatched the puck and moved to the other side of the ice, she realized she hadn’t sketched anything because she’d been too absorbed in the game.