Slap Shot (8 page)

“I didn’t know he was a client of Luke’s,” she said.

“He’s not.” Derek turned to get a better look. “Luke has a policy about repping people who are bad news. He’s probably here because one of his buddies called and told him we were here.”

She looked
around quickly. “Is there another way out of here?”

He gave her a quizzical look. “Not without a bungee cord. And I don’t intend on hiding from him. He has to leave. Don’t you have a restraining order against him?”

“It expired. After I gave him back his stuff, we had no contact for a while, so I thought I’d put it all behind me.”

“You should have renewed it.”

“When he started
posting pics of some new chick, I thought he’d moved on.”

Derek tensed. “Well, he went at you pretty good online.”

“Technically, he made the comment to you. I violated wresting tag-in protocol and decided to wade into it with my own virtual folding chair.” She winced.

“If you had given me a few minutes, I would have responded.”

“Yeah, well a woman’s got to take the initiative
these days and defend herself.”

“Come on,” he urged. “Let’s get back in there. No way does that idiot get to think you’re cowering on the terrace, too afraid to have contact with him.”

“You sound like I’m coming back from a time-out in the penalty box,” she huffed. “Turn down the testosterone. I can take care of myself.”

“I don’t doubt it. And I know you’re more than capable
of handling it. But I’ve already flubbed once tonight. I don’t want your grandmother thinking I was raised in a barn.” He put his hands on her shoulders and smiled.

“Lamont pushes my buttons, but he forgets I know how to push back. Let’s be civilized. They’ll be no elbowing, high-sticking, or cross-checking at an elegant party like this.”

“I agree. No one else should have to go through
a massive renovation because two athletes went at it at a fancy shindig. And if you’re making all these hockey references in the hopes that it’s turning me on, you’re right.”

“Ha. Ha,” she said in a deadpan voice.

All eyes were on them when he marched back into the party hand in hand with Charisma and went over to Luke and Lamont. Derek heard Luke saying something about coming uninvited.

“Brayer,” Derek said.

“Popovich. It’s been a while.” Lamont turned to Charisma. “I’m surprised to see you here. I thought you stopped running in these circles.”

“I didn’t drop off the face of the earth. I’m just more discerning about the kind of people I spend my time with.” She smiled.

“We just can’t get enough of each other,” Derek said, eyeballing Lamont.

Brayer
balled up his fist, and Derek was ready for a fight. There had never been any fights at Luke’s parties, and he didn’t want to be the first client to do it. It was time to go before he reconsidered the promise he’d just made to Charisma about keeping his cool.

So instead of throwing down with Lamont, Derek gave his agent a hug. “Luke, it was good seeing you. But we have to go. You want to
meet soon to discuss those offers?”

“Sounds good. I’ll be in back in Philly next week. I’ll drop by the bar,” Luke replied, and then turned and gave Charisma a hug as well. “Charisma, you really brightened up this party. Say hello to Seth and Morgan for me.”

She nodded. “Thank you. You have a lovely home.”

Derek made sure he kept his hand on the small of her back as he ushered
her out of the party. The Queen Titans looked like they wanted to strangle her. Charisma flashed a satisfied smile at them as they continued into the foyer. He heard her breathe a big sigh of relief when they got onto the elevator.

“That wasn’t so bad,” he mused as he loosened his tie. “Did you eat anything in there?”

“No.” She winced. “I was too nervous to eat.”

“How about we
grab a bite before we head back to Philly? We can go anywhere you want.”

“Anywhere?”

“Sure.”

“There’s a place I like to go when I’m in New York City. It’s not fancy, but the food is delicious.” She smiled.

He smiled back. “As you wish.”

* * *

Derek had to admit he was expecting her to choose some swanky, upscale eatery where celebrities frequented,
not a dinky hotdog hut that had seen better days. When they stepped up to the counter to have their order taken, she didn’t hesitate to order a dozen hot dogs with varying toppings and a couple of grape sodas. She rattled on about Luke’s party and her interaction with the women she’d been avoiding. Facing them seemed to do her a world of good. She said she didn’t miss the fake friendships and
insincerity and constant backstabbing. Leaving Lamont looking like a fool had left her feeling pretty good too.

Bright orange trays in hand, they found a spot at the end of the counter. He helped her up onto the stool and they dug in. He had to admit the hot dogs were delicious. Who would’ve guessed a woman who carried around an outrageously expensive purse could appreciate the simple pleasure
of a hot dog?

He took his phone out of his jacket pocket and held it up to take her picture.

“Don’t you dare.” She put her hand to her mouth so the sauerkraut wouldn’t come tumbling out.

“I want to capture the moment.” He snapped it anyway. Then he took a napkin and rubbed her cheek clean. “You have mustard on your face.”

“And you failed to tell me this before you took
that picture? For how long?”

He laughed. “I’d say it landed there after the second hot dog.”

“Thanks a lot.” She rolled her eyes. “And the photo will be blackmail of some sort?”

“There’s nothing sexier than a woman who doesn’t give a damn about what others think about her. It’s OK to be imperfect sometimes.”

“You weren’t talking about imperfections when you did that cover
of
Athletics Magazine
last month. All I saw were ripped muscles and abs you could grate cheese on.”

“That’s for the image of Derek Popovich, hockey star. I assure you I am quite human in my downtime.”

“It was ingrained in me to look perfect all the time. My mother would faint if she saw me like this. She’d swear I was intentionally derailing all her hard work.”

“Well, you look
fabulous anywhere you are. From the most elegant of places to—” Derek looked around, “—this dicey establishment. I dread seeing the health department’s grade for this place.”

“Says the owner of an upscale bar and grill. I think you’re being a food snob. There aren’t any hot dogs on your menu.”

“And there never will be.”

She chomped on another hot dog. “Yeah, well the hot dog
is a totally respectable menu—”

Derek pulled her stool closer to him with his foot, leaned in, and kissed her mid-chew. Her lips were smooth and soft. She put the hot dog on the tray and clutched the lapels of his shirt, so he put his hands on her waist. It wasn’t until the owner of the place came out from behind the counter and declared his hot dogs made people fall in love that they finally
separated.

“What did you do that for?” Charisma whispered.

“I would have been an idiot not to.” He caressed her chin with his thumb.

“I think you took some of my pretzel dog.” She chewed.

“It’s delicious.” He chewed too. “I can buy you another one.”

That’s when he saw it out of the corner of his eye. Someone was staring into the store window with a camera in their
hand.

“I think we’ve been spotted.” He motioned his head casually to the paparazzi.

“Well, at least this time we were only fighting over food.” She chuckled. “I wonder if he saw.”

“He’ll definitely see this.” Derek leaned in again and planted another hot kiss on her. Charisma leaned forward and melted into him. His heart sped up when her breasts pressed against his chest. He
wanted to touch her all over, but it was not the right time. They broke apart and looked into each other’s eyes. He knew they’d just given the photographer some juicy pics but didn’t care. They had another round of hot dogs before cleaning up their area and dumping the trays. He helped her into the car. As they maneuvered their way out of the city and headed back to Philadelphia, he knew he wanted
to see her again.

Seth had tried to warn him that there would come a time when the wild life would begin to leave a bad taste in his mouth. He hated when Seth was right. Now he sat beside a woman that made him think about the future. Sure, he could take her back to his place and make mad, passionate love to her, but he wanted to get to know her first. She intrigued him. She was far more
than just tabloids and bad behavior. For the first time his heart was telling him to throw caution to the wind and make a genuine connection and it scared the hell out of him.

CHAPTER FIVE

Charisma looked out the living room window, wondering when the rain would stop so she could run some errands for her business trip. When Jared had strolled into her office and declared that he needed her to go to Texas with him to assist on a project, she’d been in a state of shock. He normally conducted his Blake business
on his own, but he claimed if she were there with him this time, he’d get twice as much done. Truth was, Jared was learning how to delegate better, now that he was in a relationship. Two hands on deck meant he could spend more time with Autumn and Bingo.

The bigger shocker was that they would be staying in Morgan’s guesthouse at the Twelve Horseshoes Ranch. She assured her cousin she would
be fine at a hotel near Blake Enterprises, but Jared wouldn’t have it. He said it would be ridiculous to stay at a hotel when the family had so much room. Charisma wasn’t so sure it was a good idea. She and Morgan had come to an agreement that with time and effort they could possibly mend their broken relationship, but she didn’t think Morgan would be keen on having her visit.

Still, she
really could use the space and time away from Derek to sort out her tangled up feelings and get her head straight.

It had been a week since their date to his agent’s party. The steamy kisses they shared afterward plagued her dreams and consumed her daily thoughts too. He had nice, soft lips, and his facial hair tickled her face. Those lips. He wore that raw sexual energy of his like a second
skin. The energy between the two of them had been electric, and she’d thought for sure he’d try to make a move in the car, but he hadn’t. Which was a huge disappointment because she was pretty sure she would have gone to bed with him. He was a perfect gentleman, right up until he dropped her off back home. He walked her to the door and kissed her goodnight. This time it was more passionate mixed
with a sweetness. In fact, it felt so good she thanked him for a lovely evening then dashed into the house and shut the door in his face. If he’d asked her out again, she would have said yes. And that wasn’t a good idea.

She hadn’t bothered to check if that picture of them kissing appeared on any gossip sites yet, relying on some cousin to update her if they saw something really shocking.
She could always count on her family to point out her misdeeds. But who could blame them? She’d made it so easy in the past. How ironic was it that for years she’d sought attention, craved it to the point of compromising her morals, and now all she wanted was to be left alone.

Derek’s Alamo discussion was going on today. Hmm. What would be the harm in taking a peek? She’d get to see him
and dodge out of the bookstore before he even realized she was there. She even had a good excuse to stop in. Michelle had sent her a text the other day about a new book that might be a good reference tool for her design studies. Besides, after she went on this business trip with Jared it would be awhile before she could see Derek again.

That sold her. She grabbed her car keys and her purse.
She was all set to go until the doorbell rang. She groaned, not in the mood to entertain a relative today. She opened the door. It was her mother.

“Mom. What are you doing here?”

“Nice to see you too,” Debra replied. “Can I come in? You know what the rain does to my hair.”

“I was on my way out.”

“Out? I hope you’re going to change.” Debra gave her the once over and pushed
past her.

She closed the door and glanced at herself in the hallway mirror. “I’m fine mother. And you?”

“I told you before to look your best every time you step outside. Making an impression is everything. Right now you’re saying, ‘I’m too lazy to change after my gym workout.’”

“I’m comfortable.” She was wearing a pair of jeans and a blouse and sneakers. Not her usual glammed-up
Saturday afternoon attire, but she liked giving her feet a rest from those stilts and restrictive clothing she wore all the time. “I don’t have a date. I was going to Morgan’s bookstore. Jared suggested another book to help with my new career aspirations.”

And to ogle the hunk I’m avoiding while he gives a lecture on the Alamo of all things.

“Why are you buying books for a temporary
job? Do you want to be an office manager for the rest of your life?”

“Sure, if it’s working with Jared. He’s expanding and encouraging me to grow with the business.” She plopped down on the couch.

“Where’s your grandmother?” She peeked into the kitchen.

“At a farmer’s market with Sydney and Alicia. I think they’ll be back in a few hours.”

She glanced at her watch. “How’s
dad? Is his back feeling any better?”

“If you came home more you could see for yourself. You know you don’t have to live here. Your father and I could float you a loan for a new place.”

“There’s no need to rush. I like living here. Grandma said I can stay as long as I want.”

“You know she’s letting you stay here to get back at me.”

Charisma crossed her legs and folded her
arms over her chest. “How can you say that? Grace Marie Reed doesn’t have a vindictive bone in her body.”

“Sure she does. She’s thinks I didn’t raise you well and this is her chance to fix what I broke.”

“So you admit there were some missteps in your parenting?”

“What? No.” Debra glared at her. “She had no right to tell me how to raise my children. She overstepped on many occasions.
But that doesn’t surprise me. She never liked me. She gave me and your father six months to find our own place after we married.”

“I’ve never known her to ask anyone to leave. Uncle Julius stayed with her for almost two years after his wife kicked him out.”

“That was different. Julius was her brother.”

“No, that’s not it. What happened?” She knew her grandmother wouldn’t speak
ill, but maybe her mother would spill the beans.

“Typical mother-in-law, hates the woman who stole one of her babies away. She was heavily involved in your father’s life before we married, but I put a stop to that. She didn’t approve of anything I did. She said I was pushing you and your brother too hard.”

“What would give her that idea? Just because I’m a mess and Trevor hasn’t been
home in years,” Charisma said.

“I knew this would happen. She’s turning you against me.”

“No, she’s not. Our communication issues have nothing to do with grandma. Don’t try to pin it on her.”

“I know you’re going through a lot. You were devastated about your breakup with Lamont, but you’ll find love again.”

“I had many feelings for him, but now that my brain fog has cleared,
I know it wasn’t love. Love isn’t that way. Someone who loves you doesn’t systematically treat you like crap so you become dependent on them and they can easily manipulate you.”

“I still say you two could have worked things out in couple’s therapy.”

“Wow. You’re still beating that dead horse?”

“Fine. Lamont is out of the picture. But I hope you don’t expect to get a date until
you move out of here. You can’t entertain a man, living with your grandmother.”

“Actually, I already did,” she shot back. “Derek Popovich took me to a party last week and he came here to get me. He had a great time with Grandma. He even brought her flowers and candy.”

“So that story about you being in a love triangle with the hockey player and that actress is true?”

She rolled
her eyes. “Partially true. It was all a big misunderstanding.”

“What on earth are doing with him?”

“Have you not seen him?”

“He’s attractive, but hockey isn’t exactly a high-profile sport.”

“You do know hockey’s a billion-dollar industry? They’re not playing on frozen ponds and keeping score with dry-erase boards.”

“Is he a well-paid player?”

“I don’t know.
I’m helping him redecorate his bar, and we’ve had one date.”

Debra whipped out her phone and did some digging. Her eyes widened. “According to this Web site he’s worth—”

“I don’t want to know. That’s not important to me. He’s a nice guy, and I enjoy his company.”

“He owns the Slap Shot Bar and Grill. Regular people can’t get a reservation there.” Debra continued to scroll. “He’s
also known for playing the field.”

“I’m aware of that.” She stood up. “If you don’t mind, Mom, I have a lot to do before I leave for Texas on a business trip with Jared. He has some work to do with Blake Enterprises, and I’m going to help out. If you have some free time, it wouldn’t kill you to check in on Grandma.”

“Are you going to see Morgan and Isabelle at the Twelve Horseshoes
Ranch?”

“Yes. We’ll be staying in Morgan’s guest house.” Charisma picked up her purse and keys and herded her mom to the door. “And I’ll give you a complete report of that magical place when I get back…unless they make me sign some kind of disclosure.”

“I wouldn’t be surprised. They’re all privacy freaks and have never invited the entire family. There would be plenty of room to host
our family reunion there.”

“That would be hard because this family is attached to Grandma’s backyard. And just because she has the space and the money, Morgan shouldn’t be obligated to host anything.”

“I wanted that life for you,” Debra said.

She unlocked the door and looked at her mom. “I know, in your infinite mom-wisdom you think you pushed me so I could have a better life,
but I think you wanted those things for yourself. You know why I like living here with Grandma? Because I get to be a kid again in some ways. I was never a child to you, I was just something you were constantly grooming to be something special. When all I ever wanted was for you to tell me that I was special because I was your daughter and you loved me.”

“That’s not true,” Debra replied.

“Well, that’s how I felt. If you want to invest your time in something, how about getting your son to come home? The time I’ve spent working with Jared has made me realize how much I miss my brother. Train your laser focus on mending your relationship with your son. I have my love life and my housing situation under control.”

It would have been nice to see her brother again. It had
been far too long. But Trevor was staunch in his decision to stay away after Debra had meddled in his life as well, claiming she wanted the best for him, or at least what she
thought
was best.

“I’m losing you. I know it.”

“No, you’re not. I don’t know what’s going to happen in my life. I am working on so many things at once. But I’m not the same person anymore. I don’t want fame and
a rich husband. I want to know myself and be proud of that. I can finance my own happiness, I don’t need a man to do that. Who knows, maybe I’ll flourish as an interior designer. It means the world to me that Jared thinks I can do it. And if I’m lucky, the people I treated like crap will forgive me. Whatever the outcome, I will own it and I will be proud of it.”

“Everything I did, I did
with your best interest at heart.”

She didn’t reply to that. Instead, she said, “If you ever want to have a new relationship that includes respect and trust, you know where to find me.”

She watched her mother drive off and got into her own car. Her hand shook as she pushed the start ignition button on her Lexus. That was the first time she’d ever really stood up to her mother and the
first time her mother had actually listened. Charisma got on the road. She couldn’t believe her mom had searched for Derek’s net worth. She knew he was loaded, but she didn’t care about that. She was thinking about her conversation with her mother so intensely, she drove right past the bookstore and had to circle the block.

She eased into the back of the lecture room, hoping to go unnoticed.
Derek was standing at the podium looking quite gorgeous holding a book up in the air while the women in the audience were entranced by his deep voice, dark hair, and those icy blue eyes. The man was born in a country with one of the richest, most complex histories in the world, but he was talking about the Battle of the Alamo. Go figure.

“If I had a history teacher like him in high school,
I would have gotten better grades,” a voice said behind her.

She whipped her head around. It was Michelle. “I probably would’ve submitted a diorama of the Alamo for extra credit.”

Michelle snorted and a group of women turned around to sneer at them for interrupting Derek. Unfortunately, he looked too and spotted her. He flashed her a warm smile and waved. She waved back.

“So
looks like the party must have been fun,” Michelle said, keeping her voice low. “I saw that hot dog smooch on social media. Look at you two, incorporating food with the frisky business. Tyler likes a good ham and cheese sandwich when we’re in bed.”

“You’re having way too much fun at my expense.”

“I see it as a bit of payback for all the years you came in here like a hammy theater major
causing a scene with Morgan.” Michelle nudged her and laughed. “Derek couldn’t stop talking about your date when we had coffee the other day.”

The crowd erupted in applause. Derek had finished, and the ladies rushed the podium to ask him questions. Charisma tried to make sense of what Michelle had just said. Derek and Michelle had coffee and they’d discussed her?

Derek waded through
the crowd, headed her way. But the sea of women flooding the room made it impossible for Charisma to get away fast enough.

He grabbed her hand and pulled her closer to him.

“Charisma. I didn’t expect to see you here.”

Michelle flashed a smile over her shoulder on her way to the front of the room to get control of the crowd. “Oh, I told her about your event the last time she was
in the store. She said she wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

“Yes,” Charisma agreed. “I thought it would be cool to hear you go on about Texas. Not that I have any questions about Russia for someone who actually lived there.” She bit back a smile.

“I could teach you anything you want to know.”

“I bet you could.”

He hesitated and looked into her eyes. “What’s wrong? You seem
a little down.”

“Nothing.”

“You’re not telling the truth,” he replied. “What’s going on?”