Cooper’s smirk indicated he’d welcome a fist fight with Ethan if Ethan would be kind enough to oblige. Ethan didn’t back down, and Lauren stepped in the middle of two angry alpha males. Cedric stood nearby, ready to assist, and she appreciated his calm presence.
“I said, apologize to the lady. You’re on my payroll, you’ll treat my staff with respect.”
A muscle ticked in Cooper’s jaw and for one tense moment Lauren feared the situation might escalate out of control. Finally Coop blew out a breath and turned to her. “Sorry, Lauren. I was out of line.”
“That’s okay.” She managed a weak smile.
Cooper turned to Cedric. “I need a fucking beer.” Cooper stalked down the hall followed by his small group of teammates. A few of the young guys glanced nervously over their shoulders. They needed their jobs, Cooper didn’t.
Lauren waited until they rounded a corner. “Thanks for defending me, but I can handle myself with these guys. In fact, in order to gain back their respect, I insist on handling them myself in the future.”
Ethan’s eyes softened, and he smiled sadly at her. “I understand, but I need to establish boundaries as to the treatment of my staff.”
Lauren sighed. His staff. Another reminder she was part of his staff. That was the way it was and would be until she could fulfill her contract and get the hell out of this city and away from this man whose body tempted her to throw away everything just for another fling with him.
Ethan cleared his throat. “I was wondering if you’d meet me for dinner. Strictly business of course.”
Disappointment flooded through her. She wanted to meet him, but not for business. Regardless, he couldn’t know that. “I can spare some time.”
* * * *
Minutes later, Lauren sat across from Ethan in a booth of a neighborhood bar called simply The Place which he claimed served some of the best burgers around. She longed for the days when there hadn’t been this awkward silence between them, but they’d crossed that invisible line and it’d been a one-way street with no turning back.
A wire-thin waitress as rough as the cracked and worn menus she carried hustled up to their table. Her all-business, take-no-prisoners expression softened when she recognized Ethan. A huge smile spread across her face.
“Ethan, about time you came in. Been cooling your heels in the ice rink watching that new team of yours?” She asked as she tossed the menus on the table and tapped her pencil against her pad. Her makeup hid whether she was forty or twice that age. Judging by her hands, Lauren voted for the latter.
“Team doesn’t report for a while for training camp. You a hockey fan, Doris?” Ethan chatted her up, obviously knowing her. This didn’t seem like the type of place a billionaire would frequent but then Ethan wasn’t your typical billionaire, preferring jeans to suits and ties, and never talking down to those less fortunate. Lauren grudgingly admitted Ethan had lots of good qualities. Too bad honesty wasn’t among them.
“I am now. The rainy season has been long and empty since the Sonics left, and I like a good fight as much as the next girl.” Lauren suspected Doris had been in a few fights herself over the years.
“I’ll send you some tickets, right down on the glass.”
“I’ll hold you to it. Sorry I missed your big day today. I heard all about it from several fans who came in afterward.” The pickled waitress walked off toward a bar with an even crustier bartender with a bald head and a beefy body.
“That was nice of you.” The words tumbled out before she could stop them. After all, dishing out compliments to the man who had uprooted her life and the lives of many of her friends and colleagues wasn’t on her to-do list.
“I’m a nice guy.” He grinned that engaging grin of his, and she almost fell for it once again.
Lauren cocked her head and spiked a brow, duly chastising with just that one eyebrow. “She’s a character.”
“A Seattle institution, just like this place. It’s been here for as long as I can remember and so has she. Not much changes but the photos on the wall.” He pointed to the walls lined with autographs of what appeared to be local Seattle sports stars and celebrities. He pointed at one photo of a basketball team dressed in green and gold. “That’s the 1979 Sonics championship team, may they rest in peace. There’s the 1917 Seattle Metropolitans—the first American team to win the Cup.”
Lauren nodded. She’d known that about Seattle.
Ethan turned to her, his enthusiasm bubbling over in that manner of his that she’d always admired. “Years from now I want to walk into this place with my grandkids and say that this was the first Sockeye team to win the Cup and point at a picture of the Seattle Sockeyes hoisting the Cup on home ice.”
“That’s quite a dream.” Lauren stared at him as if she’d never seen him before. She believed he’d achieve his goals and more. Sadness washed over her as she wouldn’t be a part of what he was building. She’d be walking away from it all as soon as legally possible.
“What can I say? I dream big. What’s the point of dreaming small?” His blue eyes shone with pride.
But Ethan wasn’t just a dreamer. He made his dreams reality, and he had the money to do it.
Lauren studied him, his every expression, trying to read his thoughts, his hopes, his fears, trying to understand why he’d done what he’d done. Why had the man she’d given her heart to crushed it with his lies? Why hadn’t he trusted her with his secrets?
There was only one way to find out and damned if she had the guts to ask tough questions with answers she might not appreciate.
“You’re staring. Did I say something wrong?” His smile dropped a few notches.
“Uh, no. Not at all.”
“Good, I’d rather not piss you off any more than I already have.”
There it was. He’d opened the door a crack. She could kick it open the rest of the way and let all kinds of uncomfortable things inside or she could slam it shut and lock it.
“You didn’t piss me off. You disappointed me more than you’ll ever know.”
“I’m sorry for that.” He looked genuinely sorry. In fact, sadder than she’d ever seen him.
Lauren wavered a little but shored up her resolve to keep this meal strictly on a business level, not that there was anything to waver over. After all, except for one slip, Ethan hadn’t made one move to re-establish anything other than a purely business relationship with her. Which was as it should be even if part of her wanted more.
“You invited me here with the promise of discussing business. Nothing else. So let’s discuss hockey, or you can take me home.” Harsh words, but she couldn’t give the man an inch, because her heart would gladly give him a mile.
“You’re right.” He sat back and took a sip of beer then sighed. “Have you heard anything from your father?”
“Nothing.”
“That makes two of us. I told him to take a few weeks to make a decision.”
“I’m sure he’ll get back to you. If for no other reason than to tell you where to shove your offer.”
Ethan laughed. “I’m sure you’re right.” He leaned forward and sobered a little. “How are things going for you? Are the new coaches treating you well?”
Lauren couldn’t stop her smile. “Really well.” She couldn’t lie. She adored the new coaches, loved their enthusiasm, dedication, and open-minded attitudes.
“They’re listening to you then?” His anxious expression indicated her answer mattered to him.
“Yes. A lot.”
“Good. I’ve heard great things about you, too, from them. They tell me you have an eye for hockey, for numbers, and analyzing what all those numbers actually mean.”
“I’m happy to be able to help.” She spoke with absolute sincerity.
“Are you enjoying your new role? I sure as hell hope you are because you’re invaluable to me and this team.” His blue eyes held her captive, and her heart performed those familiar backflips it did whenever she looked into those deep blue eyes of
his. Lauren looked away and swallowed. Ethan’s approval was invaluable to her and so was Ethan. She wished it wasn’t that way, but there it was.
Ethan sat back in the booth and ran a hand through his still unruly hair. He’d shaved but hadn’t bothered yet to cut his hair. “If you want out, Lauren, I’ll void the contract terms. You keep the money. The only thing I ask of you is to stay through the draft to assist the coaching staff.”
A huge lump prevented Lauren from answering. She didn’t want out of the best job she’d ever had, but the answer was still the same. She needed to go because she couldn’t continue as Ethan’s employee when she wanted so much more. Being simply his lover didn’t work for her, her pride, or her sense of professionalism. Nor would it earn her the respect of the staff, players, and coaches. She was in a lose-lose situation. The only way to cut losses to a minimum was to leave.
“I think it’s for the best if I go.” Her voice cracked on that last word.
“All right, then. I’ll start looking for your replacement. If you have any ideas, let me know.” Ethan’s face hardened into a mask of indifference.
“I will. I’m not really hungry. Could you please take me home now?”
Ethan threw an ample amount of cash on the table and drove her home in silence. He waited while she got inside and locked the door behind her.
Lauren peered through the blinds, watching him walk to his car with his shoulders slumped, every stride announcing defeat. A minute later she heard his car drive off.
Lauren slumped to the floor, her back against the door. Horace rubbed up against her, purring loudly. She buried her head in her hands and sobbed, crying for what couldn’t be, crying for what she’d lost before she’d ever gotten it, and most of all crying for losing Ethan.
* * * *
Ethan hated it when his requests were ignored, especially by his own staff. He paid people to handle the details so he didn’t have to sweat the small stuff and could focus on the big picture. It was so atypical for Mina to let crap go like this. He stomped over to her desk feeling every bit like a grouchy grizzly bear. Mina ignored him as she went over a marketing plan with Brad, making Ethan wait. Finally, she glanced up at him and raised one white eyebrow. Brad stood back and watched with way too much interest.
“Mina, I told you I don’t want anyone scheduled during this time frame. Why the hell did you schedule a Seattle Times interview?”
“Because you said that it’s crucial we promote the hell out of the team. They want to do a feature and that was the only time I could squeeze them in.”
Ethan continued to glower at her; he couldn’t help it. He was just in that kind of mood. “Don’t do it again without asking me first.”
“Yes, my king.” Mina laughed, and Brad joined in.
Damn, he got no respect from the old bat, but firing her wasn’t an option. He didn’t have a clue how he’d function without her. Brad followed him into his office, even though he tried to close the door on his friend. He wasn’t in the mood for company.
Brad helped himself to a cup of fresh coffee from the Keurig machine and sprawled on the leather couch, feet on the glass coffee table.
“I have work to do, and I bet you do, too.” Ethan spoke pointedly. Ethan had been surprisingly impressed at how hard Brad worked on marketing the team. Of course, Brad had been gifted with a silver tongue so selling hockey to Seattle ran right up his alley.
“Yeah, and you’ve been a regular asshole lately. Everyone’s noticed.”
“You mean more than usual?”
“Come on, Ethan. You’re not an asshole to work with. In fact, you’re usually a pretty damn good guy, so what the fuck is up with you?”
Ethan frowned. He hadn’t realized he’d been coming across as an ass to his employees. “I—I’m not sure.” He couldn’t be more honest than that.
“It’s got to be a woman. Did you and Lauren settle your differences?” Brad’s eyes narrowed as he studied his friend, dissecting his body language like no one else could.
“You could say we did.”
“Oh, fuck, you’re not sleeping with her again? You can’t be or you’d be in a better mood.” Brad answered his own question.
Ethan sighed; sometimes Brad was a bigger pain in the ass than Mina. “I let her out of her contract. She’ll be leaving employment with us right after the draft.”
“Which is next week?”
“Yeah.”
“It’s probably for the best.”
“The team is going to suffer for it. She’s a brilliant hockey mind. I hate to let her go.”
“That’s not the only reason you hate to see her go. You’re hot for her.”
Ethan shrugged. He couldn’t reduce what he and Lauren had together down to hockey and sex. It just cheapened a relationship that seemed to be so much more.
Brad studied him in that way only Brad could, passing judgment without opening his mouth.
“What?”
“Well, it is for the better for both of you. While this might put a dent in your reputation, it’d ruin hers and her ability to be taken seriously ever again.”
“I know. I just never thought I’d be running this hockey team without her practical and sound advice.”
Brad nodded. “I think you two had a good partnership going. If you don’t want to let her go, you only have one option.”
“One option? What the hell would that be?”
“Propose.”
“Propose what?”
“Fuck, since when are you so dense? Marry the woman. She can still work for the organization without repercussions, and you two can have your personal relationship, too.”
“So you’re saying that I can have my cake and eat it too if I marry her?” Ethan seriously wondered if Brad had been partaking in some of Seattle’s now-legal marijuana.
“Yeah, it’s perfect.” Brad grinned, as if he’d just solved all of the world’s problems.
“That’s fucking nuts. Propose marriage to keep her here.” And in his bed? Even more importantly, in his life?
“Hey, my parents got married with less in common than that, and it turned out okay.”
“Yeah, but they had some rocky times.”
“Who doesn’t? They’re still together and happier than they’ve ever been. And look at your parents. They’re so happy together, they’re almost disgusting. You’ve had good role models. Why couldn’t you make it work?”
“What about love, Brad? The reason most people marry.”
“Yeah, and get divorced six months later. Highly overrated, I say.”
“You’ve been holding out on me. I’ve never seen your cynical side.”
Brad snorted. “You’d never catch me getting married for love. It’s an illusion. I’ll get married because it makes good business sense, to have kids, and because we’re compatible enough not to kill each other when I leave my underwear on the floor or she spreads her makeup all over the bathroom counter.”
Ethan just shook his head. “You, my man, have a major issue.”
“Like you don’t?”
“You’re the one telling me to put a ring on her finger to keep her here.” Ethan pointed out the obvious but Brad just grinned. “Like I said, you’re fucking nuts. Not going to happen. It’s one of your stupider ideas.”
Brad’s sly smile indicated he knew something Ethan didn’t. “Someday you’ll be eating those words and I’ll be feasting on your apology.”
Brad had pickled his brain from all the partying he’d done in college. That was the only thing that could explain his insane suggestion.
Marry Lauren just to keep her here? That would be absolute insanity.
And Ethan had always been stone-cold sober when it came to sanity.
Maybe it was time to get drunk on insanity and do an incredibly insane thing.
Chapter 16—Tripping
Lauren resisted the urge to chew her fingernails as she sat with Kaley in a small cafe after a late night at work. Everyone worked long hours g
etting ready for free agency and the draft. Kaley and Lauren were no exception. Kaley’s new responsibilities revolved around assisting with the salary cap and prospective player research, and she excelled in her new role with the team. A role Lauren grudgingly admitted Kaley would never have had with the former management.
“Ethan’s doing incredible things with this team.” Kaley gushed, as if she’d been promoted to the president of the Ethan Parker fan club.
“Yes, he is. His methods are cutting edge, not exactly making him friends with the good ol’ boys, but I think he’s heading in the right direction.”
“You do?” One perfectly sculpted eyebrow peaked under Kaley’s brow. “Then you’re staying?”
The urge to jump up and shout, hell, yes, I want to be part of this thing he’s building here, reverberated through her. It took every ounce of willpower she possessed to stick with her plan, even if she didn’t have a clue what that plan might entail. “Actually, the opposite. He’s let me out of my contract. I can leave right after the draft.”
“But your aunt just moved here.”
“She didn’t move here to be with me. She moved here because Seattle is a beautiful, progressive city, and she’s always wanted to live here. Me being here gave her that needed kick in the ass.”
“But she still moved here because you’re here.”
Lauren sighed, feeling cranky and defensive. “She’ll stay here because she wants to, and my decision to go has nothing to do with her.”
“Why are you going? Something happened, didn’t it?” Kaley rubbed her chin in thought. “I honestly thought the last few weeks would convince you to stay.
Lauren squeezed her eyes shut, not wanting to answer her best friend’s question. She answered it anyway. “Yes, I can’t work with him on a professional level without the personal entering into it. I just can’t. The man attracts me too much.”
“So?”
“So I work for him. All the respect I fought to earn over the past several years is blown to pieces by a sexual relationship with him. I didn’t get this job because I slept with him, I got it because I’m damn good at evaluating hockey talent even if I don’t have a penis.”
Skating on Thin Ice: Seattle Sockeyes (Game On in Seattle Book 1) Page 17
