Page 24

Everything is back to normal between Lincoln and me.

No more awkwardly avoiding his gorgeous green eyes.

I am free to stare and get lost in them all I want during our meetings and practices.

I mean, not that I’m making a habit of doing that.

Nope, definitely not.

I can’t be doing that because it’s clear Lincoln is absolutely correct when he called our moment in the coaches’ room a mistake.

Our team is on a five game winning streak ever since we declared a “truce.” If that’s not proof that our almost-kiss was a mistake, I don’t know what is.

This job is the greatest thing that has ever happened to me and that one moment of weakness kept me from doing my job to the best of my ability.

I’ve never let a man stand in my way before, and I sure as hell am not going to start now.

Especially when that man is Lincoln Scott.

What the hell was I even thinking?

It doesn’t matter.

We’re past it and the team is winning.

That’s all that matters.

That’s also why I’m currently getting ready with Sadie to go out with Hunter and celebrate our winning streak.

Hunter and Sadie met after one of our games last week, and they’ve basically been attached at the hip ever since.

They finish each other’s sentences, do daily yoga together, they even watch shows on FaceTime together like Sadie and I used to do when we were living apart.

I’m still not convinced they weren’t separated at birth.

They’re so similar, it’s freaky.

We’re heading to a dive bar a little bit outside of Green Bay.

The extra twenty-minute drive is totally worth it to avoid any of our players or press.

Especially the press.

Luckily, there hasn’t been any other attacks on my character or qualifications since opening night.

I’m not sure if that’s due to Lincoln’s threat at that first press conference or due to our winning streak.

Either way, I’m extremely thankful I can focus on my job and answer questions about the game rather than questions about my worth.

Sadie interrupts my thoughts.

“Ellie, you are not wearing yoga pants to the bar. I draw the line at leisurewear,” she says while applying her cherry-red lipstick.

I plop down on her bed and take a long sip of my margarita.

Celebrating a winning streak is the perfect occasion for margs.

I mean, any occasion is a good occasion for a margarita.

“Come on, Sades. We’re going to some dive bar in Pulaski. I’d rather be comfortable than dress to impress no one.”

Sadie turns from where she’s sitting at her vanity, and I already know I’m going to have to change my clothes.

I’m not sure why I bothered arguing in the first place.

“We don’t get dressed and dolled up for anyone other than ourselves, Ellie. Look good, feel good, right? You’re the one who taught me that.”

Damn her for throwing my own words back in my face.

“Now go put something on that makes you feel good. Who cares if we’re the only people at the bar. You deserve to feel sexy once in a while. You’re in skates six days a week. ”

I mock offense and put a hand to my chest.

“Are you saying skates are not sexy?”

Sadie laughs and turns back to the mirror to finish her makeup.

“No, Ellie. The skates themselves are not sexy. Now, the people wearing them are a totally different story. Speaking of attractive men in skates, is Lincoln joining us tonight?”

I choose this moment to down the rest of my margarita.

It’s strong and burns on the way down just the way I like it.

“Hunter didn’t mention him tagging along, but I’m not sure,” I say while making my way across the hall to raid my own closet.

Sadie trails behind me and vetoes every option I try to pull out to change into.

In her defense, it was more yoga pants that I thought could pass as “dressy” but comfy.

Can’t fool the yoga instructor.

She continues to riffle through my closet until she finds something she’s satisfied with.

“Ah ha!” she exclaims, holding up a sleek black jumpsuit I bought this summer for a wedding, but didn’t end up wearing.

It has thick straps at the top and a V-neckline with a cinched waist.

But my favorite part is the low-cut back, which cuts down to my mid-back and shows off my tattoo that trails down my spine.

“How am I supposed to go pee in that thing? I’d have to get practically naked in the bathroom!”

Ignoring my protests, Sadie lays the jumpsuit down on the bed.

She turns to me and puts her hands on her hips.

“Strip.”

Okay, that’s not what I thought she was going to say.

“I’m not going to strip with you standing there. I’m a big girl, I can get dressed by myself.”

She doesn’t move a muscle besides the eyebrow she now raises at me.

“I know you can, but I don’t trust you to put this on. Besides, you grew up changing in a locker room full of women, don't act like this is weird. And need I remind you that I saw you passed out in nothing but a bra and thong in your bathtub on your twenty-second birthday? ”

Gee, how could I forget?

“So now, strip and get dressed so we can have one more margarita before Hunter gets here to pick us up.”

Throwing my hands up in the air, I give up and start undressing. “You are infuriating sometimes!”

She tosses me the jumpsuit and I quickly get dressed. Nothing like a margarita to get my ass moving.

I pull the last strap over my shoulder and throw my hands out wide. “Happy?”

She looks me over, assessing my outfit. “Yes, I am. And for the record, you look fabulous. I wish I had an ass like that. It’s totally unfair to the rest of us,” she says while pointing to my butt in the mirror that's behind me.

I look over my shoulder to see what she means and she’s got a point. My ass looks great in this thing. Hockey butt for the win. “Learn how to skate and then do a million down and backs on the ice and you can have an ass like this.

”

“Eh, that’s too much work. I’ll stick with my squats and yoga.”

We make our way to the kitchen and refill our glasses with the rest of the pitcher of margaritas we made before getting ready.

Sadie’s phone buzzes, and she quickly glances at it before flipping it over.

That’s weird.

My curiosity gets the best of me and I nod at her phone and ask, “Was that Hunter?”

“Oh, nope. Just a dating app I joined to pass the time while I’m visiting,” she says while looking anywhere else but at me.

A knock on our door interrupts me before I can take our conversation any further.

I don’t believe her for one second and I make a mental note to pester her with questions tomorrow when she’s hungover.

Hopefully she won’t be thinking clearly and will spill the beans .

“That must be Hunter,” Sadie says while looking more than relieved for the change of subject.

“I still have to put on some mascara, can you let him in and tell him I’ll just be a minute.”

Downing the rest of my margarita I tell Sadie I got it and make my way to the door.

The knocking continues as if Hunter is getting impatient, even though it has barely been ten seconds since he knocked the first time.

“I’m coming, I’m coming! Don’t get your panties in a twist!” I yell while jogging to the door.

I pull the door open and I think I may have pulled a muscle from how fast my jaw drops.

Because standing there with his hand up, ready to knock for a third time, is none other than Coach Lincoln Scott…

and he looks freaking delicious.