A/N: Hello everyone! Here's the newest addition to Luke and Max's story.

Hope you enjoy it! Have a great week!

***

Friday was a freak show starring the Thorny Theodora and her Mush-Brained Minions.

Despite our concerted efforts, we were still running behind on everything, which was kind of silly to be groaning about because really, when has anything ever run perfectly smoothly the day before the big day, right? 

I came to work at five in the morning, dressed in my most comfortable clothes—some loose trousers, a basic white shirt under a blazer I promptly tossed aside and a pair of ballet flats. It was frumpy at best and the haphazard ponytail and makeup-free face didn’t help but I was too busy getting things done to worry about it. I was at a point that I just wanted to get everything in place, zombie my way through the evening of the party and then promptly drop face down on my bed and not wake up until next weekend.

We were doing better just before lunch, thinking we’d be caught up before the day was over despite the back and forth between the office and the venue at a hotel ballroom a few blocks away, but we were foiled by Theodora’s early departure. She was apparently taking the afternoon off, four hours before the end of her shift, because she had some personal appointments at the spa and the salon. That was not the pre-party preparation we needed from her. We actually needed to get everything together so that a party could happen the next day. If we weren’t eyeballs-deep in work, I might have confronted her but I decided against it. We worked better when we weren’t in such a murderous mind frame.

Anyway, at about six in the evening, the other two people I was working with had to go. Andy had an hour and a half drive home and Sal’s wife was starting her night shift at the hospital and someone had to look after their two-year-old son.

There wasn’t much left to do that could be done today other than finish wrapping all the tokens.

I was cross-legged on the paper-and-ribbon covered floor, cutting some decorative paper when a pair of shiny black shoes stopped just in front of me.

“I’m going to have to really look into this whole work-life balance thing for employees,” Luke said dryly. “This can’t be healthy for them. No one’s productive when they’re tired to the bone.”

I looked up and quirked my mouth at him. “Gee, I must look so radiant. Thanks, boss.”

Luke actually grimaced. “Please, don’t call me that. Hearing you say it makes me feel ancient.”

“Sure, boss,” I said with a wink as I grabbed another small box containing a commemorative hockey puck so I could wrap it. “Speaking of overworked employees, what are you still doing here? It’s almost eight at night.”

Luke was at some kind of business meeting all afternoon which was great actually because it meant he wasn’t around to distract me. Since we ‘made up’ a couple of days ago, he’d been extra-attentive. It was actually nice but when I didn’t have the time or energy to return the attention, I felt a little bad. 

“I went to your apartment thinking you’d be home by now but you weren’t and I knew the only other place I’d find you at is here,” he said, turning to pick up a brown paper bag I didn’t notice he’d set down on a desk beside him. No wonder something smelled warm and delicious all of a sudden.  “I brought some take-out. Let’s eat first and then I’ll help you finish up so you can get out of here.”

I opened my mouth to argue but I lost all willpower—first, when Luke rolled up the sleeves of his light blue shirt, showing off those nice, muscular forearms, and second, when he took out a pair of my favorite paper-wrapped chicken burgers.

I couldn’t remember the last time I ate today and while I doubted that Luke was crafty with paper and ribbons, I could use a pair of hands finishing the last batch of tokens to wrap.

Why say no?

We sat cross-legged on the floor, eating our burgers and talking. It wasn’t the quick, five-minute meal I could afford time-wise but it was a nice break. Wrapping up the last of the presents also took a bit longer than I would like because I had to show Luke how to do it properly a couple of times but the effort had real entertaining value so I didn’t mind it.

It was half past ten when we finally managed to clean up and leave. 

The only people left roaming the building was a couple of body guards patrolling. They were polite in their greeting even though they seemed surprised to find Luke just coming out of the office at this time of the night. He was an even more puzzling sight holding my cherry red purse and salmon-pink coat while I was wrestling to finger-comb my hair into a sane-looking bun on the top of my head.

He drove me home and just as I was about to slip out of the car after thanking him, he blurted out, “I’ll come up with you and make us some tea. Unwind a little bit before I head home.”

I looked at his earnest face which the poor street lighting couldn’t hide.

Yes, we patched up a couple of days ago but despite Luke’s assurances and dedicated efforts, I felt that we were better off keeping a clear sight of those lines. That way, neither of us would be hovering too close to the edge where we could just simply lose to gravity and fall. If I ever summoned the courage to take that leap, I’d like for that other person to meet me at the edge, take my hand, smile, and jump in with me.

“It’s late and we both have a very long day tomorrow,” I said gently. “It’s probably best that we both get some rest.”

Luke looked away, drummed his fingers on the steering wheel a little and finally nodded. “Yeah, you’re probably right.”

“Goodnight, Luke.” 

I quickly slipped out of the car before I hesitated again and before he could get out of his seat to open the door for me. I paused by the front door and gave him a little wave before letting myself in.

This feels like a very complicated game—the kind that messes with your head, screws with your heart rate and leaves you mildly breathless as if you’ve run a marathon when really, all you’ve been doing is just circling around each other to see who’d make the first move.

I let myself into my apartment, set my stuff down and automatically walked to the kitchen to start some hot water some tea. Standing back, I stared at the blue light on the kettle for a minute as if it could somehow impart some wisdom, before picking up my cellphone and ringing Luke.

“Yeah?”

“Are you still sitting in your car outside?”

“Maybe.”

I sighed. “Do you still want to come up? I’ve got some hot water started for tea. But I can’t promise to be a good hostess because I’m about fifteen minutes away from collapsing in my bed.”

I could hear him smile. “I’ll take it. If you do fall asleep before the fifteen minutes is over, I’ll tuck you in.”

I rolled my eyes. “Get your ass up here, Hedenby.”

My hair was all over my face by the time he made it to the door. I barely glanced at him as I continued to rake through my hair.

“Can you make tea when the water’s ready?” I asked as I picked through a thick lock. “I just noticed I have chunky glitter all over my hair from those damn ribbons. I have to quickly shower if I don’t want these in my eyes.”

“Yes, ma’am,” he said dramatically before I headed to the bathroom. 

After a quick shower and rough blow-dry, I combed my damp hair up into a bun and threw on my oversized white terry-cloth robe.

Luke turned at the sound of the door closing and his eyes widened slightly as he took me in. 

Then he grinned. “Max, are you trying to kill me?”

My brows furrowed. “What? I forgot to bring a change of clothes with me. I wasn’t going to just walk out naked to get to my closet.”

He laughed even though a tinge of pink touched his cheeks. “Ah, the perks of a studio apartment.”

I raised my arms, the baggy sleeves of the robe sliding down past my hands. “It’s not like you can see anything, can you?”

Luke raised a brow. “If I can, do you honestly think I’d tell you when I’d be immensely enjoying the view?”

My cheeks warmed at that but I still marched over to him and swatted him on the arm. “Quit it. My being in a robe is probably a good thing. When you’re out of here, I’ll have to dig through my closet to find a dress for tomorrow night. I thought I’d have time to shop but it didn’t happen so something old will have to do. I just hope it still fits.”

“Did you completely miss it?” Luke said in an amused tone, pointing to a large pale turquoise box sitting on the edge of my breakfast bar about a half-foot away from me. A ruby red ribbon criss-crossed it, looping into a pretty bow right on the center. “I was sitting in my car debating how to give it to you. I had it with me when I came up.”

I scrunched up my nose despite the instant lust I felt for the delicate and pretty packaging. “Um, I wasn’t paying attention. Wait, what is it?”

Smiling, Luke walked around me to grab it. He took me by the hand and led me to the love seat where he set the box down. “It’s your dress for tomorrow night. I picked it out. Well, Peggy helped, especially with the sizes, but I chose it.”

My throat suddenly dry, I sank down to my knees in front of the love seat and touched the satiny bow, my eyes soaking in the rich blue-green hue of the box. “You got me a dress? Why?”

“Because you worked so hard doing the preparations and I want to make sure there’s no doubt in your mind tomorrow evening that you look absolutely spectacular.”

I looked at him. “You know that I’ll still be milling around tomorrow night, working behind the scenes, right?”

“Not likely if you say yes to being my dinner date tomorrow night,” he said in a rush as if he’d somehow held his breath for a moment there. 

I heard the entire statement but only the word date rang in my head like an echo. 

“Your what?”

Luke laughed a little, almost nervously. “God, don’t make it sound like it’s a death sentence.”

When I didn’t say anything, he hastened to add, “It’s my first time to attend a charity dinner here in the city after becoming CEO. It’s not that I’m unused to this kind of thing but it would nicer if I spent the time with someone who understands the cause and whose company I already like. We’re already both going to be there. We might as well enjoy the evening together.”

Should it have really stung that it turned out to be a convenience thing?

But thankfully, that admission was enough to clear my head of clouds and roses that I realized just how complicated it would be if I said yes.

“It’s not a good idea, Luke, even just to go as friends,” I said, backing away slightly from the box as if reality had somehow physically barred me from lifting the lid open. “It’s a work function—one I’m partly responsible for. I can’t skip my responsibilities because I’m hanging on to your arm all night.”

“You can still go do whatever you need to do if you have to,” he countered. “I’m not going to chain to my side all night.”

“Very sexy if not a little barbaric of you,” I said dryly, rolling my eyes. “Come on, Luke, think about it. It’s your first charity dinner here in the city as Hedenby Holdings’ newest CEO. Do you really want to show up with your junior marketing assistant as your date?”

“No one’s going to think about it that way,” he said stubbornly.

“You and I both know that’s not true.”

“Maybe I don’t care.”

“I wish I could say the same thing but that’s not true either. We all care a little bit, Luke, as we should—if not for ourselves, then for the other person. Even if I didn’t care to be gossip fodder, I wouldn’t want you to be.”

He groaned a little and briefly closed his eyes. “Why do you have to be so goddamned logical sometimes?”

I shrugged. “I’m usually a lot worse than I am around you so don’t complain.” 

“Fine, fine,” he grumbled. “I’ll fly solo then.”

I studied his sullen expression, wishing I didn’t have to say the words at the tip of my tongue. But I had to because he wasn’t obligated to me and I wanted him to be clear on that. He’d been somewhat walking on eggshells around me since the incident at Peggy’s birthday and I didn’t want that. It would bother me if he followed the advice I was about to give but if he didn’t, I would want it to be for the right reasons.

“You don’t have to,” I said quietly. “Take someone else with you if you’d like.”

Luke’s brows rose gently. “You want me to invite someone else along?”

“I want you to do whatever you want,” I clarified, fighting the sharp edge of my irritation. “If that includes bringing a date with you, go right ahead. I’m not going to stop you.”

Luke released a slow breath, his jaw clenched tight.

He didn’t say anything for a moment before he got up on his feet.

“Sometimes, I think that’s the problem,” he muttered under his breath as he started to leave.

I craned my neck up and around to trail him. “Hey, what are you doing?”

“What I don’t want,” he said without a glance over his shoulder as he headed straight for the door. He was gone before I could even process the fact that he got pretty mad at me. 

Why? Because I told him to bring a date?

That was all I was entitled to say. I certainly couldn’t tell himto not bring a date. I had no right to say that. Despite Luke’s bewildering relationship with me, I was, under all the complex layers, just still his friend. A friend that yes, he flirted with on a regular basis, spent an excessive amount of time with, and constantly confused with actions normally reserved for someone who was more than a friend.

Luke wasn’t in the market for the only kind of relationship I was willing to gamble on so unless we both wanted the same thing, it was too risky for me to try to bridge the gap.

Last Friday was a small but bitter taste of that reality.

And yes, it felt very hypocritical of me to tell him to bring someone else because in spite of myself, I had wanted to say yes even when I knew I shouldn’t. It was the only way to keep the lines sharp. Even if it cut me a little, a little blood was still better than a broken heart. 

The lengths we go to protect ourselves can sometimes be measured by the lies we say to get there.

My gaze returned to the beautiful unopened box in front of me, remembering the eager look on Luke’s face when he showed it to me. It was such a contrast to the grim expression he wore before walking out of the apartment. It was incredible how a few words could turn everything upside down.

I definitely can’t accept this now.

I stared at it longingly, my fingers only inches away, wanting to lift the lid away and discover what dress Luke picked out for me. It would be beautiful, no doubt about it, because Luke was a man with a keen appreciation for fine things. Whether I would give it justice or not was an entirely different story.

With a long sigh, I dropped my hand and got up on my feet, turning away from the unopened box. I would send it back to him in the morning with an apology. I couldn’t wear it when it wouldn’t be for the purpose he’d gotten it for.

“That wouldn’t be fair,” I said to myself as I went to pick up my warm mug of tea which had been sitting next to Luke’s untouched one on the breakfast bar. “But then, I already haven’t been very fair to him tonight.”

***

I spent the morning at the ballroom venue for the dinner, organizing some last minute details with a couple other people before we collectively agreed that it would be the best it could get tonight.

We grabbed a quick group lunch before going our different ways to get ready for the evening’s affair. I still didn’t have a dress. After last night’s episode with Luke, I lost interest in looking at dresses so I just went to bed where I tossed and turned, no matter how exhausted I was, before falling asleep.

When I got home this afternoon, I spent an hour in my closet looking through a few older dresses I owned before narrowing it down to two options. I showered, set my hair up in hot rollers, did my nails and got myself as party-ready as possible.

I had called Terrence this morning, wondering if he could swing by and pick up something Luke had left, but there had been no response yet. I didn’t know where Luke lived actually and I didn’t want to call him up or text him to ask. He was probably still fuming at me. If Terrence didn’t show up, I would just bring it with me to work on Monday and return it then.

When it was time to finally decide on a dress and put it on, neither of the two I had inspired any excitement. They both still fit but they were a bit on the dull side. With the amount of behind-the-scenes work I anticipated tonight, dull was probably a good outfit choice because that meant I could work undetected in the background. But dull didn’t make me want to put on the rest of my makeup and get out of the apartment. 

I kept glancing at the box that still sat on my love seat, the curiosity to see what was inside still nagging at me to a near ache.

I was going to return it to Luke but would it really hurt to take one tiny little peek?

It wouldn’t so I went and looked.

I instantly regretted the reckless decision because the moment I saw it, I was doomed to wear it.

First, under a note card that I’d set aside, there was a glimmer of red the deep and rich color of merlot. The silk was fluid enough to resemble the heady, dark ruby-colored wine.

I gently took it out and held it up, mesmerized by the cascade of sensual color as the dress revealed its full form.

As if in a trance, I put it on and stood in front of the full-length mirror by my closet door, looking for traces of the dress’s magic because somehow, the woman I was staring at was me but different.

It was styled like a wrap dress with delicate cup sleeves that gave my shoulders an elegant shape. The neckline dipped low enough just to tease, revealing nothing more than a slight glimpse of cleavage. A shiny, satin band of the same color cinched around my waist, tied on the front with a casualness that made me think of silk robes, lingerie and boudoirs. It gave me a sleek silhouette even as it hinted at curves hidden by the long flowing skirt which moved with every sway and step. My legs peeked through the narrow center slit in front, exposing bare smooth skin all the way up to my knees when I walked. 

It was a dress I’d pick out for myself because it was comfortable, forgiving and understated but it was also something Luke would choose for a woman because it was seductive in its simplicity.

But Luke hadn’t stopped there.

Inside the same dress box were three smaller, matching turquoise boxes. One contained a pair of classic and luxurious black suede stilettos. Another had a black velvet envelope clutch with a jewelled clasp that matched the color of the dress. In the last box, the smallest of the group, was jewelry—a thin gold chain with a dainty gold dragonfly pendant with two small rubies for its eyes. Earrings with two larger, teardrop rubies encased in cold completed the set.

He remembered the dragonfly.

I picked up the note card and read Luke’s scrawl on it: 

You don’t need all these to be beautiful but you deserve them because you are. - L

“Luke Hedenby,” I said with a sigh as I clutched his note to my heart, glancing at the woman in the mirror once again and this time, looking for the one he saw that I could never recognize myself. “You’re worse than a casual heartbreaker—you’re a romantic.”

Resigned to my fate for the evening and knowing that somehow, I would have to find Luke tonight to set things right, I finished getting ready and called for a cab. 

But when I stepped out of the apartment, a familiar black town car was already parked by the sidewalk. The driver’s side door opened and Terrence emerged. He rounded over to my side, smiling and holding a small cluster of dark red roses toward me as he sketched a slight bow.

“Ms. Moss, you look stunning,” he said when I just stood there, probably with my mouth hanging open. “It’s an honor to be your chauffeur for the evening.”

I took the roses, still agape, and found the small card tucked inside the wispy pale gold paper that wrapped around the bouquet. 

Just because you can’t be my date doesn’t mean I can’t treat you like one. -L

I didn’t really believe in the whole butterflies in your stomach metaphor before but something definitely fluttered in my gut as I read Luke’s note over and over again.

Damn the man. 

I was trying my best to see straight so I didn’t miss the lines and he wasn’t helping.

All I kept seeing were his smiling blue eyes and the soft curve of his lips whenever he’d smile at me.

“Um, where’s Luke?” I asked Terrence, eyeing the car warily. “Why are you—I mean, he can’t—“

“Max, if the guy wants to sweep you off your feet, I say Iet him,” Terrence said with a wink before opening the door for me. “Luke needs practice.”

“This is still not a date, you know?” I said lamely as I picked up my skirt a little so I could slip more easily inside the car. 

Terrence sighed and muttered under his breath, “If you both say so.”

The hotel wasn’t far from my place so it only took about fifteen minutes to get there. Terrence told me to leave the bouquet in the car and he’d make sure I have it when I got home later. I plucked a rose bud and pinned it on a loose twist of hair I’d swept on the side. It gave the look a more romantic feel, especially with my hair brushed into soft waves down my back.

I called Luke the moment I got into the hotel but only his voicemail picked up. 

I was about to try again when Theodora spotted me down the small staff hall that led to the back of the ballroom. From the scowl she was sporting, she was not happy to see me. “I expected you here earlier, Max. You’re not some special guest here. There’s still a ton of things I need you to do and you’re running out of time.”

“Hello to you, too, Theodora.”

She looked extra sour when she saw me up close, her brow lifting nearly up to her hairline as she appraised me like I was some cheap and possibly fake jewelry.

“Don’t you think it’s a little too much for a work dinner?” she asked.

I glanced at her super tight, orange gold cocktail dress with a low-necked, fully beaded top that caught the light with her every move, and raised a brow. “Clearly not since you’ve set the standards quite high for what’s too much.”

Theodora’s nostrils flared and if this were a comic book, I’d have smoke coming out of them too. “Careful, Max. Just because you’re Mr. Hedenby’s latest entertainment, it doesn’t make you queen. You still need to work hard and watch yourself.”

“Since you’re so good at micro-managing, why don’t you tell me just how much work I did this week?” I said before I could stop myself. “Oh, wait, you wouldn’t know because that would’ve required you actually doing your job and keeping track.”

Theodora stiffened, planting her hands on her hips. “Don’t push your luck, Max.”

“What luck?” I shot back, too far gone now to back off. “I don’t rely on luck, Theodora, because it’s fickle. So I just work my ass off and you know it. And as for being Mr. Hedenby’s latest entertainment, I’m not but you won’t believe me so I’ll save my breath. You might want to save yours too, next time you feel like making up stuff and passing it on as truth. I’m no queen here but neither are you.”

“Is everything alright here, ladies?”

We both turned around and saw Bryce standing a couple feet away, watching us warily. I flushed because as much as I would like for Theodora to get off the pedestal she’d put herself on, I didn’t want my boss to hear me stoop to her level of cattiness either. 

“Just sorting out the final details, sir,” I answered stiffly. 

“I don’t imagine there’s a ton since things seem to be running pretty smoothly,” the man said with a gruff nod. “Sal just needs to get the entire the team down here so they we could do the press meet and then it’s on to the dinner.”

“I can round up the rest of the players,” Theodora piped up eagerly. “We’ve rented them the penthouse Royal Suite for the pre-show and for anyone who wanted to stay overnight afterwards. I’m sure—“

“Max, go check upstairs if some of them are still there,” Bryce interjected with a dismissive snap of his fingers. “Theodora, I need you to out on the press room. There are a few unauthorized personnel there insisting on admission.”

“But Bryce—“ Theodora started in protest, only to be cut short by the arch look the director gave her.

“Didn’t I make my instructions clear enough?” he asked.

“I’ll have them down shortly,” I said with a firm nod, casting Theodora one last glance and catching her own bitter one, before exiting the hallway.

On my way up, I ran into a couple of them. I personally didn’t recognize the players’ names and faces but they were all supposed to be wearing the green and gold badge of the Hope for Home project on their lapels in support of tonight’s cause.

I called Sal as the elevator took me up to the penthouse level and found out how many players he was still missing. Just a couple more people.

The Royal Suite was one of the most ridiculously large and luxurious penthouse units in the hotel with about two dozen bedrooms, a large kitchen, both indoor and outdoor spaces for entertainment and a variety of amenities from a pool to a rock-climbing wall. The Pacific Pirates were contributing their time and efforts for free into this joint fundraiser. In return, the company granted them the best accommodations for tonight’s affair.

Just as I was about to knock on the massive oak double doors, they opened and two men stepped out, each carrying a tall glass of beer.

“Gentlemen, your presence is requested downstairs in the ballroom for the press meet,” I said with a polite smile.

“When’s dinner?” one of the men—a hulking figure with a shaved head—asked as he tipped back the rest of his beer. 

“Um, dinner starts in half an hour,” I said distractedly as he gave me his empty glass. “The guests are already arriving and the reporters are assembling in the press room.”

“You’ll be there, won’t you, babe?” the other guy—tall and quite piratical with his dark hair in a low ponytail—asked as he not-so-subtly looked down the front of my dress. “Maybe when the party’s over, we can start one.”

I tried not to cringe through my fake smile. These two guys might have gotten ahead of themselves a bit with the pre-party drinks. I made a mental note to warn Sal so he could steer the drink servers away from these two because we needed them to stay mostly sober for the rest of the evening. 

“Rizzo’s still there fixing his tie,” Shaved Head said. “Could never get those things right.”

“I’ll see what I can do to help,” I said as pleasantly as I could manage, holding out a hand to Pirate Guy’s drink. “Let me put that one away for you so can both go. Both the guests and the media are very excited to meet all of you.”

Pirate Guy happily handed me his drink and blew me a kiss before clapping Shaved Head’s back. “Let’s go, Patmore. Coach is gonna have our ass if we’re late. See ya, Lady Red.”

I blew out a sigh as soon as they were gone before pushing my way into the suite.

“Hello?” I called out, my voice echoing faintly in the vast front hall. I stopped by the open door to the rooftop patio where the pool and tennis court were and craned my neck around to see if anyone was still out there.

“Hey.”

I jumped at the low voice, my elbow bumping against something hard as I whipped around.

“Oh, shit.” 

Both the man and I stared in horror at the beer dripping down the front of his white dress shirt and the right thigh of his dark gray trousers.

Slowly, I raised my face, biting my lip hard as I studied the man’s grim look as he continued to inspect the damage on his clothing. It was like a lucid nightmare in slow motion that I couldn’t wake from. My arms shook as I backed away from him a little.

“I am so, so, so sorry. I didn’t mean to. I didn’t see you and I… ” I rushed out in a breath, bumping back against the glass door which jarred me back to reality. “I was… Oh, God. Here, let me fix it.”

Seized by panic, I dashed to the kitchen on the other side of the room, set the glasses down, turned the faucet on and soaked some paper towels.

The man walked over to me, loosening his tie and tossing it on the counter. “The pants might survive when they dry but I don’t think the shirt’s going to cut it.”

There was a widening, ugly yellowish stain on the silk shirt that would not be fixed by drying. I bit back a miserable groan and decided to try anyway.

Before he could say anything, I went to him and started to dab the damp paper towels on his shirt. 

“Hey, hey,” he said, grabbing my hand and gently prying it away. He looked up at me, a small smile on his face. “It’s cold.”

Unfortunately, I couldn’t summon the courage to smile back. I dropped the paper towels on the counter and gestured to his shirt. “Yeah, but it’s ruined.”

“I have another one,” he said as he started to unbutton the shirt around the collar. “But I don’t have an extra pair of pants.”

“Take it off and give them to me,” I promptly said, putting out both of my hands to him. 

His eyes widened slightly for a moment before he smiled. “Okay.”

Realizing what I said a second too late, I groaned and smacked my forehead. “I mean, give them to me so I can blow-dry them. I can do that. If it doesn’t work, I’ll go find you a new pair.”

“I hope it doesn’t come to that because I’m not easy to find a size for and I would really like to avoid coming to the dinner party in my boxers,” he said as he finished unbuttoning his soggy shirt, revealing a strip of muscled male chest lightly sprinkled with some dark hair. 

Aware that I was staring inappropriately, I cleared my throat and looked away. “Well, it would certainly raise the bid for you, if we were actually auctioning off dates with the players.”

The corner of his mouth tipped up. “Would you bid for me?”

My gaze swung back to him at that bold question. For the first time in the last five disastrous minutes, I noticed what he looked like. Built like his two other team mates, he was tall and well-built with massive shoulders. He actually seemed taller than the other two but somehow less intimidating because of his smiling brown eyes. He wasn’t precisely handsome but his features like the strong jaw, the thick brows, the dark curly hair, the slightly bent nose that might have been broken once or twice in the past—they gave him a certain rugged appeal. They also seemed very, very familiar.

My eyes narrowed all of a sudden as everything clicked into place. “Rizzo. Are you Alex Rizzo?”

“Yeah, I am,” he answered, looking a little surprised even as he extended a hand to me. “Nice to meet you, Miss…?”

“Maxine Moss,” I answered, shaking his hand and smiling. “Bartholomew Moss’s granddaughter. Nice to see you again, Alex.”

He backed up a step, turning his face this way and that as he studied me in slight puzzlement. “Wait… Bartholomew…Old Bart’s granddaughter? That Max with the pigtails and the book in front of her face?”

I laughed even as I felt my face flush in embarrassment. “I did have a book in front of my face a lot, didn’t I? Must be why you didn’t recognize me.”

“Well, you’re certainly all grown up that I wouldn’t have recognized you even if you didn’t  always have a book in front of your face back then,” he answered, giving me an appreciative but respectful glance from head to toe. “I left right after high school and you were what then? A junior?”

Alex Rizzo was the son of the couple who owned Rizzo’s General Store and Trade Center in the small rural community of White Pine, Michigan where I grew up. My grandfather worked for the Rizzos as their bookkeeper for over thirty years, looking after the finances of both the store and the farm the family owned. Alex was their eldest child, a couple years older than me. Growing up in such a small community, we knew each other and he was always nice to me even though I was rarely the friendly, outgoing type then. He wasn’t kidding when he said I had a book in front of my face most of the time. He always gave me a chocolate bar whenever he was around the store when I came to visit my grandfather. He fixed my bike a couple times, too. I might or might not have had a small crush on him when I was a little girl. As he got older though, he became more focused on hockey, always practicing with his father who would splash water on an even strip of land in their backyard every winter for a makeshift ice rink.

Throughout high school, he played in the junior hockey league based in the next big town and someone snatched him up for a college scholarship up north in Canada. His family still talked about him fondly and I knew once or twice, he’d been home for the holidays, but really, since he left for college, I haven’t seen him again. 

“Yeah. I left for Ann Arbor a couple years after that, to go to university,” I answered, smiling a little at the nostalgia. “After graduation, I stuck around there doing a couple of small retail jobs until I got hired here by Hedenby Holdings. I’ve been here four months, coming up to five. How about you? When did you move here?”

“Three weeks ago,” he said wryly. “I’ve been with the Montreal team in the last couple of years as the backup goalie until Rocher got injured just before the playoffs last year. It gave me more time on the ice and I was traded here, as the starting goalie which is an amazing opportunity. So I’m really excited about it but I don’t know a lot of people here and it’s a long ways away from home.”

“Join the club,” I said with laugh. “But don’t worry. It’s a great city and you certainly won’t miss the harsh winters—at least not right away. I’m sure you’ll settle in just fine.”

“I’m a lot more reassured now that I know at least one person here who’s not part of the league,” he said with a crooked smile just as he shrugged off his shirt, revealing powerful shoulders that had momentarily disabled my brain from functioning. “You may get fed up with me real fast, Max, but I plan to shamelessly take advantage of our history and sign you up to be my first friend here in Pacific City.”

“Definitely no shame needed. It’s a deal,” I said gamely. “Now, go get out of those pants so I could dry them while you change into a new shirt. Then we have to get you downstairs to the dinner party.”

“Right. Well, come on. I hate to make this sound like a very inappropriate invitation but you have to follow me to my room,” he said, shrugging even though his brown eyes twinkled with amusement. He grabbed his tie and tossed it over his shoulder. “The blow-dryer’s in the bathroom if you want to use it.”

I waited outside of the bathroom until he emerged wrapped in nothing more than a towel around his waist, holding up his pants. “It’s not too bad, I think. Maybe you don’t have to blow-dry it.”

I took the pants and felt the dampness on the upper leg. “It’s not going to show the stain but it will look wet if we don’t blast it with a little bit of hot air. Go change into your shirt and I’ll take care of this.”

I turned my back to give him some privacy while I laid out the pant leg on the counter. Turning on the wall-mounted blow-dryer to high heat, I held the nozzle close to the wet area, wondering briefly how Luke was faring in this night that was starting to become a bit surreal for me. 

I was dressed superbly, fresh from a very satisfying confrontation with Theodora and now drying a beer-soaked pant leg in a bathroom while a hunky, half-naked hockey player I knew from childhood was walking around his bedroom.

I shook my head and checked the pant leg again checking for any remaining dampness.

“Do you think you can help me with this?” Alex asked as he appeared by the bathroom door with his tie draped around his neck. “I usually figure it out after a while but if we don’t want to be any later than we already are for the dinner party, I’ll need some assistance.”

I thrust the now-dry pants at him. “Here, put these on first and I’ll help with the tie. Grandpa always wore a tie to church on Sundays so he’d taught me a thing or two.”

When I made no other move, Alex smiled. “You can watch if you want but if you don’t…”

“Right. Sorry,” I said with a shake of my head before turning around so he could put his pants on. “Again, I apologize for the beer shower. I’m sorry for your ruined shirt. I’ll happily replace it.”

“Don’t worry about it. It’s just a shirt. I have dozens of these although they’re probably still packed in a box somewhere in my new place,” he said. “And I’m glad for the mishap, believe it or not.”

He touched my elbow, prompting me to turn around and face him. 

He was smiling and holding out one end of his tie to me. “I am glad to see you, Max. I never thought I would again.”

My memory served me right. It was always comfortable with Alex, which was a big thing for me because I wasn’t very comfortable around a lot of other people growing up. I was quite overweight then with a horrible fashion sense and even more horrible social skills. He had teased me but he’d never made fun of me, which probably explained why out of all the boys I knew back then, he was the only one I liked and didn’t mind talking to.

Seeing him now, about seven years later, I could still see traces of that boy I knew in the man standing in front of me.

I smiled back as I started working on his tie. “I’m glad to have run into you, too, Alex, although I wish it had been under less disastrous circumstances.”

“Those kinds of circumstances are always the interesting ones,” he said before taking a step back as if to present himself to me. “So, do I look ready?”

I nodded in approval because yes, he looked damned good. “Just grab your jacket and you should be set.”

“I’ll be seeing you at the dinner, right?” he asked as he shrugged his jacket on. “Coach will be introducing us to a couple hundred people but it’d be nice to see a friendly face I recognize.”

“I’ll be busy moving the party along but I’ll be around,” I reassured him with a pat on his back. 

“Good. This night’s starting to look a hell of a lot better than it did earlier.”

He offered his arm and I didn’t think twice to slip mine through it.

We were just walking back to the front hall when the door suddenly swung open.

Luke stood there, brows drawn, shoulders squared.

“Luke? What are you doing here?”

“I’ve come to get you,” he said, his eyes moving toward Alex in a slow, calculated move. “Bryce said he’d sent you to round up the last of the team twenty minutes ago. I just wanted to make sure you weren’t… held up.”

I felt Alex automatically stiffen. 

“Watch it, man. I don’t like what you’re implying,” he said in a low, warning tone. “I wouldn’t hurt Max.”

That was when Luke saw my arm linked with Alex’s.

His face hardened all of a sudden as if it were carved out of stone.

Oh, come on. Not this kind of crap now.

“Luke—Mr. Hedenby—please meet Pacific Pirates’ newest goaltender, Alex Rizzo,” I said in weak attempt to stop a fight that was starting to brew under the surface. “He’s also an old friend of mine from back home. Alex, meet Luke Hedenby—CEO of Hedenby Holdings.”

Alex gave me a dubious side glance which I completely ignored until he turned back to Luke. “Nice to meet you, Mr. Hedenby. Good to know you’re concerned for the welfare of your employees.”

I gently but not so discreetly jabbed Alex on the side. “He’s, um, a friend of mine, too.”

Luke just nodded ever so slightly, his voice chilly when he finally spoke. “Well, if we’re all done here, perhaps we could all now grace the press people with our presence since they’re all still waiting for the entire team to be there so they could begin the interviews.”

Alex gave me another asking glance but my attention was on the stiff, tense outline of Luke’s body as we followed him out to the elevator.

It was awkward as all get out inside the metal box, only the inappropriately cheerful elevator music cutting through the thick silence between the three of us.

Just how much crazier could this night get?

So, what do you think?

Nothing's simple or easy for this two as we shall see in the coming chapters. While they have a lot to realize together, there have to be things they realize about themselves first.

By the way, the song for this chapter isn't from a band I've really listened to in the past but I heard it in an Olicity video (I'm obsessed with these videos by the way) and I thought it was kind of a funny and appopriate song to feature in this chapter.

Vote and comment if you liked this chapter!

 ♪♪♪ Chapter Soundtrack: Steal My Girl by One Direction ♪♪♪

She been my queen
Since we were sixteen
We want the same things,
We dream the same dreams,
Alright (alright)

I got it all
'cause she is the one
Her mom calls me 'love',
Her dad calls me 'son',
Alright (alright)

I know, I know, I know for sure

[2x]
Everybody wanna steal my girl
Everybody wanna take her heart away
Couple billion in the whole wide world
Find another one 'cause she belongs to me

Na na na na na na (oh, yeah)
Na na na na na na (alright)
Na na na na na na
Na na

She belongs to me