Page 36 of Make Me Yours (Chicago Railers Hockey #1)

LILAH

T he elevator doors glide open with a ding, and I step out, smoothing my hands down the sides of my coat.

I can’t stop thinking about how good it’s felt to wake up in Steele’s arms these past few mornings.

Each night he pushes my body to the brink, giving me orgasm after orgasm, but he has yet to slide deep inside me.

If the man is trying to drive me insane, he’s doing a damn good job of it.

My heels echo across the polished floors of the Kingston Landry Arena as I head down the corridor to meet Rina and go over Steele’s social media engagement schedule for the rest of the month.

I’ve walked these halls a hundred times, and I still love the sight of the framed team photos and banners that stretch toward the ceiling.

It always fills me with pride to see Steele’s picture and name up there.

“Lilah! Over here!”

I glance up and spot Evelyn and Callie standing near one of the massive windows.

Nora, Callie’s two-year-old daughter, is perched on her hip, her wild curls bouncing as she turns to look at me.

My heart melts instantly. As soon as I’m close enough, I lean in and blow a raspberry against her cheek. She’s the absolute sweetest. With a squeal, Nora buries her face against Callie’s shoulder, making us laugh.

“Hey, girl!” The pretty blonde grins, pulling me into a quick one-armed hug. “How’s everything going?”

There’s a playful yet pointed edge to her tone. It’s obvious she hasn’t forgotten our conversation at Lakeshore Sweets and is fishing for an update.

Heat floods my cheeks, and with a laugh, I hedge, “It’s good.”

“Is it now?” She smirks. “Exactly how good?”

“We’ll talk soon,” I promise. “There’s a lot to tell you.”

Evelyn’s eyes sparkle with mischief. “Is this the part where you confess something scandalous?”

“Nope, not at all,” I lie breezily. At least, nothing I’m ready to share with my godmother. I decide it’s best to pivot. “Actually, what do you think about a girls’ night this Friday?”

Evelyn shakes her head. “I’d love to, but I’ve got a date.”

My brows rise with that information. “Anyone we know?”

A secretive smile simmers on her lips. “Nope.”

“That sounds great,” Callie chimes in, adjusting Nora on her hip. “Let me check with my parents to see if they can watch this little bundle of energy. Are we staying in or going out?”

“I was thinking Steele’s place. We’ll keep it low-key.”

“I’m in. I’ll bring dessert, Rina can grab wine, and Sloane can pick up takeout. And you?” She grins. “You can bring all the juicy details. Just know I’m living vicariously through you right now.”

“I’ll text Rina, and you can check with Sloane to see if she’s free.”

“She probably needs a night off,” Callie says, bouncing Nora gently. “If she’s not working at the bakery, she’s juggling her siblings or cramming for school. The girl’s got a full plate.”

I smile at Nora. “Hmm, kind of sounds like someone else I know. ”

Callie nuzzles her daughter’s cheek. “It’s totally worth it. She’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”

“Yes, she is,” Evelyn says, brushing a hand over Nora’s curls. “We were just talking about how much everyone loved Callie’s desserts at the event. She’s officially our go-to for all Railers gatherings.”

“That’s amazing!” I beam at Callie.

“It is,” she says, though her smile flickers briefly.

I don’t need to ask to know her thoughts have drifted to Zane and the woman he paraded around the other night.

Before I can say anything, she squares her shoulders. “Don’t worry,” she says. “I’m not letting him mess with what I’m building.”

“I’m glad to hear it,” Evelyn says firmly. “You need to do what’s best for you and Nora. That’s what matters.”

“Exactly.”

I squeeze Callie’s arm. “Everything you made was incredible. You should be really proud of yourself.”

She shrugs off the praise, but this time her smile is more genuine.

And because Evelyn can’t help from playing matchmaker, she shifts gears with a wicked gleam in her eyes. “You know, I think it’s high time you got back out there. I’m certainly not saying you need a man, but sharing your life with the right person can be amazing.”

Callie groans. “Do not even think about setting me up.”

“Too late. I already have someone in mind for you,” Evelyn teases. “Beau Masterson, the restauranter. He was blown away by your desserts and even more so when he saw you. I would’ve introduced you if you hadn’t been so busy.”

With a blush, Callie shakes her head and laughs under her breath.

Before she can reply, a deep voice cuts in. “The last thing Callie needs is a rich playboy in her life. ”

We all turn to find River approaching, a frown tugging at his mouth. His gaze sweeps over Evelyn, then me, before locking on Callie and then growing tender when it lands on Nora.

“Hey there, sweetheart,” he murmurs, reaching out to brush Nora’s curls.

Callie immediately takes a small step in retreat, and his hand drops awkwardly back to his side.

Evelyn waves toward the petite blonde. “You don’t think it’s time Callie moved on? She’s young, beautiful, and has a lot of life to live.”

River’s eyes find Callie again. His voice is quiet but certain. “Of course she does, but another womanizer isn’t the answer.”

Callie’s chin lifts. “That’s not your call to make,” she says, cool and steady.

“I never said it was?—”

She cuts him off, turning back to Evelyn with an overly bright smile. “Actually, you’re right. If Beau’s interested, give him my number.”

Evelyn claps her hands together. “Wonderful! He mentioned the possibility of featuring your desserts at his restaurants. This could be a huge opportunity for Lakeshore Sweets.”

“Thank you,” Callie says, voice steady even though her arms tighten around Nora. “I appreciate you always looking out for me.”

“Of course. You’re like family.”

River shifts his weight before running a hand through his blond hair. “Callie, can we talk?”

She takes another step in retreat. “Sorry, I need to get back to the bakery. Sloane’s probably swamped with customers by now.”

Without waiting for a response, she turns and heads toward the elevators with Nora still clutched tightly against her .

River watches her go, frustration radiating off him in suffocating waves, but he doesn’t follow. Instead, he forces a smile. “Guess I should get going. I’ll see you both later.”

And then he’s gone, disappearing down the hall.

Evelyn watches him retreat with a speculative look. “Seems River’s got his heart set on someone.”

“Yeah,” I say. “Not that she’s going to make it easy on him.”

Evelyn’s smile is slow and knowing. “Maybe she just needs a little nudge in the right direction.”

I narrow my eyes. “If you’re plotting something, you might want to rethink it.”

“Oh, but meddling is half the fun,” she says with a mischievous grin.

A laugh bursts from me before I can stop it. “Which brings us back to your date on Friday. Come on, I need details.”

She waves a dismissive hand. “If he earns a second one, we’ll talk.”

Before I can dig for more, she changes the subject. “Are you here for Steele?”

“Actually, I wanted to run his calendar by Rina in person.”

“Oh, you just missed her. She had to clean up one of Oliver’s messes. I believe she said something about being five seconds away from strangling the man.”

I laugh. “Yeah, that sounds about right. Steele and I went to college with his brother, Hayes. He was the same way until a feisty ice skater straightened him out.”

“Isn’t it amazing how the love of a good woman can work miracles?”

“We’ll see about that,” I tease. “If Oliver ever finds one who can keep him in line.”

Evelyn’s eyes twinkle like she knows a secret. “Yes. We will definitely see.”

I glance at my watch. “Hmm. Maybe I’ll wait around for Steele to finish up. ”

I take a step back and immediately slam into a solid chest. Strong hands catch my shoulders, steadying me. For a second, my heart leaps, thinking it’s Steele, but then the unfamiliar scent of expensive cologne hits me, and I turn to find Knox McNichols flashing a sheepish grin.

“Sorry about that,” he says. “I didn’t mean to startle you.”

“It’s fine.” I adjust my footing, noting how close he still is.

The man is attractive, for sure. But his brand of handsome doesn’t stir anything inside me.

He shifts. “Actually, this is perfect. I was hoping we might run into each other.”

I lift a brow. “Oh?”

“If you’re free, do you want to grab lunch?”

Before I can answer, Evelyn jumps in. “Why, Knox, what a fabulous idea. Lilah would absolutely love that.”

I blink. “I would?”

“Of course.” The older woman beams before turning to Knox. “Didn’t you mention the other day that you needed a new assistant?”

Knox’s smile fades slightly. “Yeah. I had to fire the last one after I found out she was selling stories to that Railers gossip site.”

“Well,” Evelyn says breezily, “you couldn’t find someone more trustworthy than Lilah.”

I glance between them. “I’m not sure I can juggle two players’ schedules.”

“Well, there’s only one way to find out,” Evelyn says, already dismissing my concerns.

Knox grins. “We can talk about it over lunch. I know a great spot nearby.”

I open my mouth to argue, but Evelyn’s already glancing at her watch. “Perfect! There’s no time like the present.”

As soon as her sparkling eyes meet mine, I realize I’ve been Evelyn’d .

Knox gestures to the elevator, oblivious to the older woman’s machinations. “Come on, I’ll fill you in on the way.”

As I fall into step beside him, I glance back at my godmother.

“Have fun, you two!” she says with a wink. “And don’t worry about Steele. I’ll fill him in.”