Total pages in book: 154
Estimated words: 148473 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 742(@200wpm)___ 594(@250wpm)___ 495(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 148473 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 742(@200wpm)___ 594(@250wpm)___ 495(@300wpm)
“It seems it worked,” Everly says, wrapping up the auction. “Thank you again to everyone who came out tonight. We raised more than half a million dollars for some great causes and on behalf of everyone at the Sea Dogs, we are so grateful to all of you. And here’s hoping the winners post pics of their dates—we’ll be sure to reshare. Thank you again.”
As the crowd begins to disperse, Everly nods to me as we head backstage. “Stay with me while we finalize the details. We need to record everything formally.”
“Absolutely,” I say.
A few seconds later, the winners of the dates are ushered into a room backstage. I cut through the crowd, making a beeline for Maeve. I need to know what she was thinking.
I pull her aside. “What was that all about? And where are you hiding one hundred grand? You know you could get a date with me for less than a dime,” I say, sketching air quotes as I try to keep the moment light, even though the truth of that statement unnerves me in a way I don’t want to deal with right now.
Or ever, to be honest.
“To protect you,” she replies, her expression serious. “I’ll explain more later.” She pauses, a playful smirk crossing her face. “But it’s a good story. There’s always a story with me.”
Truer words. But this is a Maeve plot twist I didn’t see coming. And it’s driving me a little batty. “Give me a hint,” I whisper.
She rises on tiptoes, cups my ear, and whispers, “Miranda Blush was going to bid on you and claim she was your girlfriend. Use you to build up her new beauty line. Probably spin a ton of lies. I couldn’t let that happen. That would be bad luck. So, I told Beckett, and he put up the money. And I saved you from her.” She steps back, meeting my gaze after serving up well more than a hint. “Just like you saved me earlier.”
“That was hardly an even trade,” I say, but holy fuck. Maeve has quite the protective side. It’s...sexy. But I shouldn’t find it sexy. Maybe it’s just...captivating? Yeah, that’s it.
And sure, it was nice of my friend. I’ll need to pay Beckett back. He shouldn’t be putting up that kind of money.
Either way, maybe there’s no forced luck after all. Just quick thinking from both of them. I let out a relieved breath, glad that debate is resolved.
Everly finishes taking down the details of Maeve’s bid then gives her friend a pointed look. “Girls’ breakfast soon—I’m going to need all of the details of your big surprise,” she says.
“And you’ll get them,” Maeve says, her voice brimming with mischief.
Everly looks to both of us. “That is, if you can fit me in before you guys take off for Vegas next weekend.”
Wait, what? “We don’t play the Sabers till next month,” I point out, reminding Everly of the hockey schedule that she usually has memorized. Our game against the Vegas team isn’t till February.
“I know. I mean the date package we assigned to you, Asher,” Everly continues with a professional smile. “It was donated by Outrageous Record. They have a week-long stint in Vegas, so there’s a whole package—flight, a night at a hotel, dinner on the Strip. It’s next weekend, which is perfect since you have two nights off from hockey. Have fun.”
She spins around and heads to Miles’s highest bidder to handle the details of his date, leaving me standing there, trying to wrap my head around this new wrinkle.
I look back at Maeve, and my thoughts feel like they’re tangled up in knots even though a quick trip with her should be no big deal. We’ve taken lots of trips—it’s kind of our thing. So why does this feel different?
It shouldn’t feel any different simply because my best friend looks ludicrously sexy wearing my vest. It shouldn’t be any different no matter how good it feels when I wrap my arm around her and Leighton snaps a picture for the team’s social feed.
But Vegas?
Vegas is different. It’s like walking into a carnival and getting swept up in the crowd right away. It’s a vortex for all varieties of luck, good and bad, forced and natural.
And for troublemaking.
We’ve never needed help finding trouble—but in Vegas, trouble usually finds you.
6
NO HARD FEELINGS
Asher
I seriously appreciate Maeve playing the role of goalie tonight. But now I’ve got to handle the fallout. She takes off, and as the crowd thins out, I grab my phone from the back pocket of my pants and toggle over to my banking app. I don’t think twice. I tap a few keys, setting up the transfer. Then I cut through the lingering groups and make my way to the front entrance of the Cartwright Mansion, where Beckett’s picking up a pair of jackets from coat check.