Page 8 of Not in the Plans (London Lightning #1)

Chapter Seven

TAG

“ K nock, knock.”

Pushing open the door, I find Olivia with her back to me, sitting at her desk, typing away. Her hair is pulled back into a complicated twist at the back of her head. Blue eyes are focused solely on her computer as she continues typing.

“I brought lunch to make this a more productive meeting.”

“We need to get your paperwork done. We don’t have time for lunch.” She doesn’t have to turn around to know it’s me.

“Everyone has to eat at some point.”

I head into her office, uninvited, and set down the brown paper sack on her desk.

“Tag.” Her voice is wary. “I don’t need lunch. We just need to finish your paperwork.”

“I do.” I drop into the seat across from her and take out my sandwich. “Gotta get my energy before practice.”

Olivia spins in her chair, crossing her arms over her chest .

Do not think about how sexy she is.

It’s the very last thing I need to be thinking about as I peel open the wrapper to my sandwich and take a hearty bite. I have no idea what it is, but I love it.

“Are you really going to sit here and eat in front of me?”

“No.” I shake my head back and forth. “I was hoping you would eat with me.”

Olivia studies me then the sandwich. It’s like she’s debating on whether taking the offer will involve something more with me.

“Liv, relax. It’s a sandwich. I’m not asking you to go out with me.”

“What? Why would you say that?” She looks stunned.

And it’s fucking adorable.

“Because you seem to think this is more than lunch. It’s a sandwich, Liv.”

“Olivia,” she corrects, but takes the sandwich. It’s a small victory, but I’ll take what I can get with her. Opening the Kraft paper, she peeks at what I ordered. “Coronation chicken?”

I shrug a shoulder. “Figured I’d try it. I have no idea what it is.”

“It’s chicken in a curry cream sauce. It’s actually one of my favorites.”

“Really? It’s good.”

“Guess you can be considered a Londoner now since you’ve tried it.”

I shake my head. “I’ve got a long way to go before I consider myself a true Londoner. I haven’t even seen Big Ben yet.”

“You haven’t?” That earns me a shocked look.

“Why are you surprised?” I question. “Jet lag kicked my ass day one, and then I found myself enjoying more pleasurable activities on day two.”

“Tag.” A blush fills her cheeks.

Damn. I love that I can get a reaction out of this woman.

“I didn’t say anything else.” I take another bite, wiping my mouth with my napkin as the curry flavor bursts bright on my tongue. This small shop I found near the rink might become a new staple. Especially if it means I get more face time with Liv.

“You inferred it.”

I take a bite of my sandwich, giving her a smug smile. Swallowing, I grab my water bottle and take a swig.

“Back to me being a Londoner. Do you have any tips on how I can become a true Londoner? I don’t want to be stumbling around the city like an idiot.”

Another smile from her.

“To start with, you’ve already been to the pubs.”

“I have.”

“I know the sights are probably cliché for someone like you, but you really do need to visit them at least once.”

“Why would they be cliché for someone like me?” I ask, quirking a brow at her as I take the last bite of my sandwich.

“Well, I made the offer to our old coach and he laughed at me.” Liv looks nervous, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

I know nothing about the old coach, but it makes me hate him. Who would ever turn down this woman, let alone be rude to her?

“I can assure you, Liv, that they are not cliché for me. I want to see everything London has to offer.”

“Good.” She looks pleased with herself. “I can arrange a private tour guide, if you would like. ”

“When are you free?”

“I didn’t say me,” she clarifies.

“What if I want it to be you though? You clearly know what you’re talking about.”

Leaning across the desk, Liv smiles at me. “You know who also knows what they’re talking about? Tour guides.”

“Touché.”

“I’ll put together something for you. You’ll enjoy it.”

“Okay.” Crinkling the wrapper of my sandwich, I toss it into the empty bag. “I guess I’ll take that. Think you could do something about the schedule so I can do it during the day?”

Liv laughs, and damn, if I don’t want to spend the rest of my day sitting here doing it again. “I’m afraid if that were the case, then you wouldn’t be a very good coach.”

“Thus negating the entire reason the Lightning brought me here.”

Wrapping up part of her sandwich, Liv tucks it away. “And seeing as how I like working for the Lightning, I wouldn’t mind seeing the team start to win.”

“I take it you’re a big hockey fan then?”

Liv shrugs a shoulder. “I enjoy hockey, but I wouldn’t say I’m a big fan.”

I throw a dramatic hand over my heart. “You wound me. Not a big fan? That shouldn’t be allowed when you work for a hockey team.”

“I said I enjoy it.” She points a finger in my face. “That’s allowed.”

“Okay. You enjoy hockey. What else do you enjoy?”

“Trying to learn more about me, Tag?” Liv quirks a brow at me.

“Sue me.”

“I like things neat and orderly, Tag. I play the piano, I like Jane Austen books and gin cocktails. What else would you like to know?”

She likes screaming my name, but I don’t say that.

“And you like Coronation chicken.”

“I do.” She smiles. “What about you? What do you like?”

“I like hockey?—”

“That’s a given,” she interrupts.

“Hockey,” I continue. “Trying new things, no matter where I am, and my preferred beverage is beer.”

“New things?” Liv asks. “Isn’t that vague?”

“I tried Coronation chicken. I liked that. I want to do and see things in London, no matter how cliché they might be.”

Liv rests her chin on her fist. “Say someone asked you to go skydiving, you’d do it?”

I nod. “Yes. Why not?”

She shudders. “No, thank you. I do not want to jump out of a perfectly decent airplane.”

“You wouldn’t try something just to say you did it? To face your fears?”

“Did you not hear where I said I like things neat and orderly, Tag? Jumping out of a plane would not be neat and orderly.”

“Doesn’t mean it wouldn’t be fun to try.”

“You are maddening.” Liv says it with a smile. “If you think you’re going to get me to jump out of a plane, you have another think coming.”

I point a finger at her, having her right where I want her. “But I could get you to do other things?”

“Watch it.”

Speaking of watch, I check mine and realize it’s almost time for practice. “Time to hit the ice. Thanks for having lunch with me. ”

Liv goes back to typing on her computer. “You know, if you brought lunch again, I would be amenable to that.”

Damn. That’s practically a love confession from her. “That means I’m winning you over.”

“I will see you around.”

I wink at her before grabbing the trash and backing out. “Not if I see you first.”