Page 29

"How else does he have to demonstrate that he's perfect for you?"

Beth Bowen

Last night was close. So close. I really thought James was going to kiss me, and if he had, I would have let him.

The fact that he pulled back only made me fall for him a little more.

Frankly, I don’t know why I didn’t just go for it myself.

Fear, maybe? Not of James, or how good we’d be together, because living with him has shown me how compatible we are.

No. My fear comes from whether I’m capable of once again dating a man who’s under the spotlight and playing su ch a grueling game.

In any case, I’m glad I went for the hug.

My first James Adler hug did not disappoint, and somehow, it felt even closer than a kiss. Being in his arms just felt right.

Skincare Night was even more fun with James. It’s refreshing to be with a man who’s willing to try new things and support my passions, not the other way around. Lucas never wanted to do things I liked. It was always about his hobbies, his passions, and me following behind.

But even after last night, I’m still visiting that apartment this afternoon. Who knows? It might be a good fit. The fact that James is tagging along will only make it more fun.

I head to work early to open the shop, and Marissa joins me two hours later.

“Here comes the bride,” Marissa calls out in a singsong voice right as I put a new batch of brownies in the oven.

“Hey,” Hayley chirps from the doorway. “How are you guys?”

“We’re great,” I say, walking from the backroom. “How are you, with the big day coming up?”

“Good. Stressed.” She sighs, rubbing a hand over her pink hair. “Well, as stressed as any bride with a demanding mom would be.”

Marissa winces before grabbing a cup to start prepping Hayley’s usual coffee. “Ouch.”

“Is she still bugging you about the dress?” I ask, leaning over the counter. Hayley doesn't really do dresses. She has some body complexes—who doesn’t?—and wearing dresses only makes them worse.

She sits at the counter. “Nope, that drama is over. Now it's the no-makeup that’s giving her a few new gray hairs.”

“I'm sorry,” Marissa says, placing her coffee in front of her. “You don’t need makeup. You’re gorgeous.”

“Except I actually might budge on that one, which is annoying me even more. Look who decided to show up,” she says, turning her face to show us a large zit on her cheek.”

Marissa shakes her head, giving her a pitying look. “That sucks.”

“Oh!” I clasp my hands in front of me. “Maybe you won’t need that makeup. I have the perfect product, if you want it. That pimple will be gone in a couple of days.”

“Of course you do,” Marissa says with a chuckle. “You could be a beautician at this point.”

I bow, relishing the compliment. “Don't worry, it’s all natural,” I add when I notice Hayley’s hesitation. “James was skeptical too, but I wore him down. We did the full beauty routine last night.”

“Ohh,” Marissa exclaims. “So that’s why you’re glowing! I thought you and James finally kissed or something.”

Hayley’s brown eyes stretch wid e. “What!”

“Marissa,” I scold. “We haven't kissed. Will you let it go already?”

She pins me with a stare. “Beth, the guy did a full skincare routine with you last night. How else does he have to demonstrate that he's perfect for you?”

My whole body is suddenly burning, and my mind goes back to that hug, back to the fire I saw in his eyes, mirroring the one I felt raging inside of me.

“See?” she presses. “You’re not denying it. Trust me on this, Beth. The only person who hasn’t realized James is the man for you, is you.”

My face warms, and I swallow to wet my dry throat. “I don’t—”

“Hey, I get it,” Hayley says. “After dating a hockey player for two years, you’re probably not too eager to date another one. Especially after seeing him injured. I’m equally paranoid about that part.”

“I am too,” Marissa adds, to my surprise. She’s usually the first person to throw her fists in the air when one of the guys bodychecks another player. “But they're professionals. They know what they’re doing, and we have to trust that.”

“Trust,” Hayley repeats. “That’s the most important thing in any relationship, but even more so when your boyfriend is away half the year.” She takes a sip of her coffee, her face pensive. “I had a hard time with the fame and the fans at first, but I know Maxime, and I trust him.”

Marissa twirls the ends of her hair. “Yeah, they’re not all jerks like Lucas.”

“Plus, judging by the way James looks at you,” Hayley adds, “and how he’s been pursuing you from the moment you guys met, I think he's serious. Reliable too.”

“Absolutely.” Marissa nods.

Hayley leans her elbows on the counter, her eyes fixed on me. “Take it from someone who’s about to be married to another cocky, goofy hockey player. It's even more fun once you surrender.”

I open my mouth to reply, but before I can get my words out, a customer enters the store, rescuing me.

Frankly, I’m not even sure what I was about to say.

That they're wrong, and I'm not interested in James? That we're just friends? To be honest, I don’t even believe that anymore. Because friends don’t send your body temperature through the roof or make your heart pound every time they look at you.

James walks over to Warlington La ne to pick me up from work—I ignore Marissa’s obvious looks—and we stroll to the apartment showing together.

“Thanks for joining me,” I say. “I have a good feeling about this one.”

He shoots me a smile. “Of course. Finding a place isn’t easy. I want to make sure it’s perfect for you.”

I clear my throat, Marissa’s words from earlier echoing in my mind.

“Well, the walk was pleasant,” I say when we reach the address. “And short.”

“Right.” James looks around, his eyes lingering on the asphalt. “Lots of traffic, though. I bet it’s going to be noisy.”

I draw my eyebrows together, glancing at the near-empty street. Only a couple of cars have driven by so far. “I don’t—”

“Hi, Beth?” a woman’s voice greets me, and we both turn around. She flashes a winning smile. “I’m Kirsten, the real estate agent.”

Of course she has to be drop-dead gorgeous. She’s almost as tall as James, with long, sleek black hair that looks like something straight out of a sha mpoo commercial. Perfect figure and flawless skin that immediately makes me want to ask her about her routine.

“Hi, nice to meet you,” I say, extending my hand.

“Likewise.” She shakes my hand, then turns to James, the intensity in her eyes doubling.

“And this is James.”

“Oh.” She glances back at me. “I thought you said you were renting the place solo?”

“I am.” I nod. “He’s just a friend, here to help me to decide if it’s a good fit.”

He extends his hand, and she shakes it, her eyes crinkling slightly. “Why do I have the feeling we know each other?”

He smiles, still shaking her hand. “I don’t think we’ve met. But I'm—”

“Oh, the body spray commercial!” she gushes, adding her other hand on top of his. “Seriously—total fake advertising. My ex used it, and his abs didn't look anything like yours.”

They both chuckle, and a nervous laugh escapes me, prompting them to glance at me.

“I’m also a hockey player,” he says, finally dropping her hand. “James Adler. Nice to meet you.”

“Such a pleasure,” she replies in a sickeningly obvious way, although James doesn’t seem to notice. Instead, his eyes narrow at the shop that neighbo rs the apartment building.

“Is that a tattoo parlor right next door?”

“Oh, do you have any?” Kirsten asks, batting her eyelashes.

“Um, how is that relevant?” I ask between gritted teeth, forcing a fake smile.

James shoves his hands in his pockets. “Don’t those places have a tendency to draw in a bad crowd?”

“Oh, don’t worry,” Kirsten says, as if suddenly remembering she has a job. “This is a perfectly safe neighborhood.”

“Right. Should we go upstairs?” I ask, suddenly eager to get this over with.

“Absolutely. Follow me.”

We take the stairs to the second floor, and Kirsten’s hips are swaying so much, I’m afraid she’s going to bump the walls.

“Stairs aren’t ideal,” James says from behind me, and I turn to look at him.

I shrug. “Yeah, I guess that’s true.”

We finally reach the threshold, and Kirsten unlocks the door, inviting us in first.

“So, James,” she says, flicking the lights on. “Which hockey team do you play for?”

“Oh, um, the Raptors,” he mum bles back, examining the electricity panel as if he’s some kind of home inspector. “Is this up to code?”

“Yes, absolutely. Everything is up to code. They just installed new smoke detectors too.”

James runs a hand along the edge of the panel, his brow furrowing, like he has a personal stake in this decision. He glances at the ceiling. “I’ve heard these new smoke detectors are sensitive. Wouldn’t want them going off every time someone makes toast.”

“Oh, I’m sure they work just fine,” Kirsten reassures him, stepping closer to James. “They’re top of the line.” She grazes her fingers along his shoulder. “And let me know if you ever need recommendations for good places to eat around here.” Her eyes linger on him a second too long.

Thank goodness those detectors don’t get triggered by flirting.

“Can we see the kitchen?” I ask, plastering on my fake smile again.

“Certainly. Right this way,” she says, leading the way.

James makes a beeline for the cabinets, opening each one and checking the hinges. Kirsten watches him, her gaze flickering between him and the appliances he’s now examining. “The appliances are in good condition,” she says, clearly hoping to steer his attentio n back to her. “Pretty modern, right?”

“Yeah. They look great,” I exclaim, even though I barely looked.

“Oh, and the kitchen’s close enough that you could bring your breakfast straight to bed!” She sneaks a glance my way, adding quickly, “If that’s something you’re interested in.”

I grind my teeth. “Great. Should we see it, then?”

“Sure. It’s the most important room of the house, after all,” she adds, winking at James. But he doesn’t notice, too busy studying the ceiling with a deep frown.

“Are the vents in good shape? A place without proper ventilation is a nightmare.”

“Everything’s up to code,” she assures him again as she saunters to the bedroom, hips still swinging like a pendulum as she describes the “charming character” of the older building. I’m not sure if she’s talking to me or James at this point. Probably James.

We reach the bedroom, and James marches to the other side, squatting to check the baseboard heater while muttering something about potential air leaks from outside.

“It sure is a big bedroom,” I say honestly, looking around. “I love that.”

“It is.” She nods before givi ng me a rundown of the closet space and the lighting. She tries to re-engage James every few seconds, but he’s busy tapping on the window frames, checking for drafts.

He hums in thought. “This insulation feels thin. That could mean higher heating bills, Elizabeth.”

Kirsten waves away his concern. “Oh, it’s nothing you couldn’t fix with some cozy blankets, right, James?” She smiles, but he doesn’t seem to notice.

“Right,” I say, struggling to keep my frustration in check. “Well, thank you, Kirsten. I think we’ve seen enough.”

Her eyes widen. “Oh, but you haven’t seen the bathroom.”

“No need to waste your time any longer,” I say, trying to be polite. “I already know this place isn’t for me.”

Her smile fades. “All right. Well, maybe I can tempt you, James.”

“I’m not looking,” he says, seeming more relaxed now. “We’re only shopping for Elizabeth, but if she says it’s not for her, then we’ll keep looking.”

“Thanks for your time, Kirsten,” I add.

“Of course. I’ll let you know if anything else in your price range opens up,” she says. “And James, maybe our paths will cross again. Go Raptors.”

He chuckles. “Yeah. Have a good one.”

We walk back downstairs, and if I could run to the sidewalk, I would. We need to put some distance between James and Kirsten before she literally jumps him.

“Sorry it was a bust,” James says, hands in his pockets as we’re trudging back down the pavement.

I release a quick breath. “It’s okay. I’ll find something else soon enough, just not from her .” I glance over my shoulder to make sure we’re not being followed.

He frowns. “Why not? She seemed all right.”

“Of course you’d think so,” I scoff, rolling my eyes. “She was flirting with you since the moment we got there.”

He blinks, a confused look scrunching up his face. “No she wasn’t.”

“Um, yeah she was,” I breathe out, my voice sharp with irritation. I hate that I’m this transparent. “She was more focused on getting you to notice her than actually selling me the place.”

He rubs his fingers along his stubble. “Really? Well, she didn’t do a very good job. I didn’t even notice.”

I press my lips together, but my grin breaks through. Because no matter how obvious and gorgeous Kirsten was, James wasn’t the least bit interested. And that’s the best news I’ve heard all day.