Page 10 of Offside and Off-Limits (Love in Maple Falls #2)

Just like when we did our TikTok dance, Clara’s in a navy pencil skirt and a pair of heels, this time with a long, pale blue winter coat over a white shirt, her blonde hair tied up in a modest bun at the nape of her neck. She looks like a hot librarian, only she's a hot social media manager.

At least I hope she still has the job.

She freezes for a moment before she regains her composure. “I’m sorry, did you say ‘triple threat’?”

“That’s what I’m calling you.” I begin to count them off on my fingers. “Mom, social media manager, and, if you don’t mind me saying, all ’round babe.” I pause, hoping I haven’t overstepped the mark. She doesn’t want to like it, but the glint in her eyes says otherwise.

“You are still our social media manager, right?”

“I am.”

“So, the livestream wasn’t an issue?”

“It turns out my boss wasn't at all worried about me being on the video because it got so many likes, comments, and reposts. In fact, she wants more content with me with…well, with you.”

“Me?”

“She thought we had ‘chemistry,’” she replies, as though saying the word is physically painful for her.

“Chemistry. Yup, I’ve heard of that,” I tease.

She shifts her weight. “The comments reflected that perspective.” She sounds all formal and librarian-y.

Totally on-brand for her.

“Did they now?” I’m playing dumb when the fact of the matter is I watched the video more than once, and I read some of the comments.

A lot of them focused on how romantic it was when I looked at her when she landed in my arms (from a chick), right through to how this isn’t a freaking romcom movie, and where’s the freaking hockey? (from a guy).

At the risk of agreeing with @GoalieGirl23, her landing in my arms like that did look pretty freaking romantic.

And it felt pretty freaking romantic, too.

“So, Ms. Reynolds can see what I can see, huh?” I say, but all she does is tighten her lips. “Hey, do you wanna come in? It’s cold out here.”

Her eyes skim over me and she tightens her lips. “That’s because you spend most of your life shirtless, it would seem. You know it’s fall, right?”

I look down at the now goose flesh of my chest as though just realizing my current state of shirtless-ness. “I guess you're just lucky you caught me, Triple. Come in.” I stand back for her to walk inside and close the door over behind her.

“So that nickname is a thing now? What’s wrong with ‘Clara’?”

“Not one thing,” I say, enjoying the way my comment makes her squirm.

How’s the turning over of a new leaf coming along, Cade? I can almost hear Jamie’s voice in my head .

I gesture behind me with my thumb. “I can go throw on a shirt.”

“It's fine,” she says stiffly, pulling her lips into a smile that tells me it’s anything but. “I thought your Player Assimilation Liaison the Ice Breakers gave you to settle you in would be here. I was told you were at the gym.”

So she checked to see I wouldn't be home before she dropped by. Perhaps she thought it would be easier not to see me, what with all this chemistry between us.

Yup, she feels it, too.

“My gym is here at the house,” I explain. “And Damian’s done for the day, so you’ve got me. I was just working out in my gym with Hayes and Crane, but we’re almost done.”

“Which explains why you look like,” she waves her hand over me, “that.”

I can't help but smile at how uncomfortable my naked torso is making her. Her eyes flick to mine and she raises her brows as though I've been a naughty kid. I bet she uses that look on her own kids all the time.

“It's nice to see you again,” I say.

“Thank you,” she replies, and I wonder if she thinks it's nice to see me again, too. “Actually, I’m a little flustered today. I just found out that our town is in jeopardy. There’s been an emergency town meeting and everything.” Her face is stricken, and concern leaps in my chest.

“Threat? What do you mean?”

“Apparently, some heir no one knew about is claiming our town and all the land around it, and he wants to redevelop it.”

“Wait, what ?”

She shakes her head, her features taut with tension. “Some guy called Alexander MacDonald. Everyone is saying he’ll ruin Maple Falls, putting in all the big city stores and the like. People are freaking out.”

“I bet they are.”

“We’ve been told that he’s instructed his lawyers to move ahead, and everyone is riled up, holding our proverbial pitchforks following an emergency town meeting a bunch of the townsfolk attended a couple days ago.

We’re not taking this lying down. We’re going to fight it by raising money to save our town. ”

Her firm tone and commitment is impressive, her pretty face flushed with passion. It only makes her all the more attractive.

“What will that mean for the team, I wonder?” I say to myself more than anything.

“It could mean the team has to move to another town. Spokane or Seattle. Somewhere else within the state. That’s what people are saying.”

“I’ll help in whatever way I can. Just say the word,” I say without a second thought.

I might not have been here all that long, but I’ve made this town my new home for the season.

The last thing I want is for it to lose its small-town charm and turn into one of those bland places with zero appeal.

And if the Ice Breakers have to move to another town, not only will that affect me, but it’ll mean Clara would have to move, too. Either that or lose her job.

“Really?”

“Of course. This town matters to me.”

Her features relax a notch. “Thank you,” she breathes. “I’ve got some ideas.”

“I bet you have, Triple.” I give her a smile and enjoy the way the pink of her cheeks deepens.

“Lennox? Who is it?” Jamie’s voice says behind me.

“It's Triple Threat,” I call out, not pulling my eyes from hers, because I think Clara Johnson might have the most beautiful eyes I've ever seen. Big and blue and judging me. Really, it would be a crime not to look at them as much as humanly possible.

She rolls those beautiful eyes at the mention of her nickname.

“Who?” Jamie appears beside me “Oh, hey, Clara. Good to see you again,” he says .

“It's good to see you again, too, Mr. Hayes,” she replies.

“It’s Jamie. Or Captain, if you’re so inclined.”

She scrunches up her nose. “I think I’ll go with Jamie.”

“Clara was just telling me about how Maple Falls is under threat from some heir to the town who wants to develop it,” I explain.

“I heard that, too,” Jamie says, which surprises me, but then he is the captain so maybe someone from Management thought he ought to know.

“Is that what’s in the envelope?” He gestures at what Clara’s holding in her hands, which I hadn’t even noticed, I was so busy being entranced by her gorgeousness.

“Actually, this is some information for the upcoming social media campaigns,” she says, holding out a brown envelope for me.

“This is all the stuff you and I are going to do together?” I reply as I take it from her.

She pulls her lips into a line. “There are some general ones for volunteers, as well as the ones Veronica and I worked on this week for just you and me.”

“Well, it's super nice of you to deliver it personally,” I say.

“Oh, I live nearby. It's no bother.”

“You live on my street?”

She gives a reluctant nod, and I bet she hadn't planned on sharing that particular piece of information with me.

“Which direction? East or west?”

“I live at the old end,” she says, and I know it’s a comment about the difference in our financial status more than anything geographical.

According to the realtor, the house I’m renting is one of a few new, larger places that have sprung up since the town’s fortunes changed following the first Ice Breaker team.

“I’ll be sure to swing by for coffee sometime,” I say, and she shifts her weight, looking embarrassed.

Oh, yeah. She’s definitely feeling this thing between us.

I couldn’t stop my smile from busting out if I wanted to. And I don’t want to. Clara Johnson is one hundred percent my kind of woman. She’s smart and ambitious and sexy as all get out. Who am I to fight destiny?

She ignores my suggestion. “Have a look over the ideas and let me know which activities you would like to be a part of. The same goes for you, Jamie. There’s an envelope being delivered to your place, with info on a bunch of initiatives, too.”

“Thanks,” Jamie replies.

“All of them,” I say without even opening the envelope.

She pulls her brows together. “Excuse me?”

“Sign me up for all of them,” I repeat.

“But you don't even know what they involve,” she protests.

I shrug. “The dancing on the ice was fun and I'm happy to do whatever the team needs me to do.”

“You are such a team player, Lennox,” Jamie says, slapping me on the bare shoulder.

“That I am, Captain,” I reply, ignoring his sarcasm.

“Even the one in which you showcase a non-hockey talent?” Clara asks with a look that tells me she doesn't think I have a talent outside of hockey—or possibly outside of parading around bare-chested.

“Bring it on,” I say, my smile not wavering.

“I look forward to that,” she replies tightly.

I lift my lips into a grin. “I promise you, you won't be disappointed.”

“Oh, good grief,” Jamie says with a shake of his head.

But I don't care. Standing here, talking to this gorgeous woman, I could flirt my butt off all day long, and I know she'll do her best to bat each and every comment away.

It's like a game.

A fun, sexy game.

A game I intend to win, because I’ve turned that new leaf and have become a new man—a man who wants just one woman.

And she’s standing right in front of me.

Who knows? Clara Johnson might just turn out to be my Hallmark movie happily ever after.