Page 24 of Over the Moon (Rosewood River #3)

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Clark

Easton

Are we getting an update on the date, or is it still going?

Axel

I mean, he pulled out all the stops for this one.

Archer

You clearly like this girl. Has Clark ever liked anyone this much?

Rafe

Clark is a lover of hockey. And random women.

Clark can hear you, assholes.

Bridger

He made a movie theater outside. That’s very telling.

Easton

So… still going this morning?

No. I walked her home. She’s not like that.

Axel

Ouch. Did you get a kiss?

A gentleman does not kiss and tell.

Bridger

Is there a gentleman on this group text?

Easton

Easton

Henley said there’s a clause in the contract for the team about not crossing any professional lines. She works for the Lions. You’re a player. I understand why she’s hesitant.

Archer

So why go there at all?

Rafe

Because he likes her. Love does crazy shit to you. I moved to Paris for a few months, remember?

Easton

Love is a strong word. But so is a binding contract.

No one is in love. She doesn’t even like me most of the time.

Bridger

Yet you spent the day yesterday, preparing your backyard for a date?

Rafe

You can’t really have input on this one, brother. Your idea of a romantic date is tater tots and hot dogs.

Bridger

Don’t hate on the tots, dude.

Archer

You obviously like her if you’re willing to even go there. There are lots of women out there who are allowed to date you. There’s clearly something there, seeing as you are choosing the one woman you can’t have.

Axel

The forbidden fruit.

Rafe

I have a new favorite fruit. The mango. It’s spectacular.

Easton

Maybe you go out a few times with her and you both realize you’re better off as friends, and this is done before you head back to the city.

Well, the city is coming to us. I got a call this morning. Coach Gable, our trainer Randall, and Sebastian Wayburn are all coming this weekend. It’s going to spook the shit out of her.

Archer

And you?

It’s not the same for me.

Easton

He’s not the one they will fire. This is pretty black and white. She’s the new hire. She has a position where she can be replaced. She’s also got the pressure of her father being the coach and causing a scandal for the team.

Damn. You sound like Eloise. You’ve clearly thought about this.

Easton

I’m an attorney. I’ve read my fair share of contracts. This would fall on her. This is not an equal risk, so if you really like her, I suggest you remember that.

Bridger

I think scoring the winning goal at the Stanley Cup gives you some job security.

Archer

Could you just come forward? I mean, if it gets to that point and you really want to date her?

Easton

Sure. As long as she’s fine with losing her job.

We went on one date. It’s too early to be having this conversation.

Axel

Why don’t you come take the horses out for a ride? That’s always been where you think best.

Might take you up on that.

Archer

Just take it one day at a time. You’ll figure it out. Mrs. Dowden just got here. I’ve got to make her and Melody some eggs real quick before I leave for work.

Rafe

Axel

I love that you have to cook for your nanny. Wake the fuck up, brother. Time to find someone new.

Archer

Easton

I’ve got a call in five minutes. Let us know how today goes, Clark.

Bridger

Well, Mom has tormented me into going to the fucking eye doctor. I’m sure they’ll try to scam me out of a bunch of money, all in the name of vision.

It’s one of the five senses. It’s kind of important.

Bridger

I only care about the two that count.

Rafe

Taste and smell?

Easton

I would say hearing and touch.

Bridger

Both wrong. My brain and my dick. They both work really well.

Rafe

Mic drop.

My dick is on edge from my newfound celibacy. It’s been too long, and it’s getting hard.

Pun intended.

Easton

Dude.

Rafe

I guess it’s time to decide if you’re going to risk everything and date this girl.

Bridger

He doesn’t want anyone else, so I think his dick better buckle up.

Rafe

The best things are worth the wait.

Bridger

I disagree. Many of the best things I have required very little wait.

Easton

Such as?

Bridger

Mom’s cooking. The new fancy toilet I ordered, like Rafe’s. I overnighted it, and I get it today. My current home closed in less than thirty days, no wait at all.

Axel

That’s because you’re rich as shit, and money talks.

Bridger

Add return on investment to the list. The stock I bought this week just doubled.

Archer

And the man still claims hotdogs are his favorite food.

Eloise just pulled up. This was not helpful at all.

Easton

Happy to help. Keep us posted.

I made my way to the backyard, where I saw Eloise stretching for our run. I walked outside, wanting to feel her out.

See where her head was at.

I didn’t know how she’d act today.

I didn’t know if she’d spoken to her father yet, and if she was aware that all the higher-ups would be heading to Rosewood River in a few days.

I knew she would spiral.

Every time we took two steps forward, it seemed we took three steps back.

“Good morning,” I said, closing the door behind me.

She was bent over at the waist, attempting to touch her toes, but her ass was on full display, and I tried hard not to stare.

But I failed.

Go figure. This woman was so far under my skin I couldn’t see straight.

“Hey, how are you this morning?” she asked, pushing to stand and pulling her foot against her ass to stretch her quads.

“I’m good. How’d you sleep?” I asked. This was maybe the oddest conversation we’d had in a while.

Why were we making pleasantries?

We had a hard time pulling our lips apart just a few hours ago.

“I slept well, Clark. Have you heard from my father?” she asked, her chin tipped up as if she were preparing for my answer.

“I did hear from him this morning. I’m guessing you’re not too happy about their visit?”

She narrowed her gaze. “Gee, let me think about this. My father, Randall—the man I answer to—and Sebastian, who happens to be an owner of the team I work for, are all coming here to see how it’s going.

Meanwhile, we’re making out like teenagers and acting completely unprofessional.

Yes, I’m thrilled they’ll be visiting. Thrilled!

” she shouted, making no attempt to hide her sarcasm.

“The jig is up. I’m going to be fired and shamed and wear a scarlet A on my chest. No, it’ll be a scarlet C, for Clark.

The woman who couldn’t even keep her job for a three-month stint with the big superstar. ”

“That’s very sweet of you to call me a superstar,” I said, trying not to laugh at how dramatic she was being.

“That’s what you took from that statement? My ass is grass, Chadwick.”

I believe my sister, Emerson, refers to this type of behavior as spiraling. And Eloise Gable was most definitely spiraling.

Normally, I’d run from this type of outburst, but I actually found it endearing.

The way she cared.

She was passionate and driven, and it was hot as hell.

And I wanted to fix it. Make everything okay for her.

“Your ass is not grass. We’re not going to be making out in front of them.

They have no idea what’s going on here. They’re coming to check on the progress.

They want to make sure I’ve recovered from my injury and working hard.

That’s it. They aren’t coming because they suspect something.

They’re coming because we just had a winning season and they want to do it again,” I said, motioning for us to start our run, because the girl loved to stay on schedule, and we were already getting a later start than usual.

She was quiet after I responded, and I glanced over to see her deep in thought.

“Okay, that’s a good point. No more funny business.

This ends now. I appreciate the date. It was really great, and yes, you’re a good kisser.

But this cannot happen, and I need you to be on the same page as me with this,” she said, her breaths coming a little faster now.

“In fact, maybe you play it up this weekend. Act like I’m a tyrant of a trainer, and I’m pushing you too hard, and that’s why you’re stronger than ever.

Yes, that’s the plan. You can’t stand me, but if you can toss in a few plugs that I’m good at my job, that would be helpful. ”

“You are good at your job,” I said dryly. “I don’t need to act like you are.”

“Clark. You can’t show them that you like me,” she huffed. “You have to act like it’s painful for you to admit that I’m good at my job because you can’t stand me.”

“Here’s a question for you, Weeze,” I said, as we turned down Main Street. Edith was standing outside the Honey Biscuit Café, adjusting the flower box, and she waved.

“Let’s hear it,” Eloise said as she panted.

“If we hadn’t kissed last night, and we were just friends who were training together, I wouldn’t have to despise you. You don’t have to hate someone you aren’t dating. It’s too extreme. It’s not my personality to be that irritated with someone I’m working with. It will seem unnatural.”

“Says the hotshot hockey player. You don’t have to worry about your reputation. I do. And trust me, if you’re too nice to me, Randall will sniff it out. He’ll think something is going on,” she huffed as we picked up the pace. “The man totally has it out for me.”

I swear, the more concerned she got, the harder she ran.

“What will he think is going on? In the few years I’ve known him, I have not been in a relationship,” I said. “He won’t think anything is going on.”

“Oh, right, because you’re just a playboy who likes a quick roll in the sheets,” she snipped as if it were the most offensive thing she’s ever heard.

“Well, if you want to put it that way, yes. That’s what he thinks. And I was raised to be respectful to women, so I wouldn’t be that hard on you, even if you pushed me. He knows I like to be pushed.”

She let out a long breath as we ran down toward the river. “Okay, so how would you treat a woman that you had no interest in sleeping with?”

“The same way I’d treat a woman that I wanted to sleep with,” I said, without hesitation. “I don’t seek out women and change my personality because I want to have sex with them.”

“Hmmmm… this is going to take some thought,” she said when we crossed onto the trail along the river. “I think you just have to be indifferent. Like I’m a business associate.”

“So let me get this straight. We’ve worked together six days a week, for a minimum of five hours a day for two months, and I’m going to treat you like a business associate? That’s ridiculous,” I said, pushing just a shoulder ahead of her because she was pissing me off now.

“Now you’re annoyed because I’m trying to keep us out of trouble?”

“Correct. You’re so worried about their visit, when nothing has even happened between us.”

Now she pushed the slightest bit ahead of me, as if she wanted to lead. “Right. Because if you don’t sleep with me, it means nothing happened? Are you forgetting the fact that I dry-humped you and had my first orgasm with a man? I am fairly certain that most people would find that unprofessional.”

I barked out a laugh, even though I was breathing heavily. “Yeah, I liked you a hell of a lot better when you were straddling me with your mouth on mine.”

“So you like me better when I’m not speaking?” she asked, as if she were completely offended.

“When you’re being irrational, yes,” I hissed.

That was clearly not the right thing to say. She chose not to speak the rest of the run, even when I asked her random questions.

Silence.

Nothing.

Crickets.

So, I managed to piss her off because I didn’t want to pretend that I hated her.

And this was all happening after the best date I’ve ever had.

Without question, this was the most complicated non-relationship I’d ever been in.

And I still wanted more.