Page 7 of Second Chance with the Enemy CEO (Second Chance Hockey Players #1)

“It’s none of your business,” I snap, “just like what you’re doing here is none of mine.”

“It is my business,” he says through gritted teeth, “when I see an uninvited and unwanted human in my company.”

His company?

I stare at him, stunned. Seriously, fate? Again?

Before I can retort, a voice cuts through the tension.

“There you are!” Brooke calls from down the hall. “The meeting’s about to start. Let’s go!”

“Excuse me, sir,” I say, my tone laced with politeness. “And sorry again for the inconvenience.” Without waiting for a response, I stride past him toward Brooke, who raises an eyebrow as I approach.

“Who was that?” She asks.

“Nobody,” I replied breezily, even as my pulse pounds in my ears. “Literally nobody.”

****

The meeting room is massive... Liam sits at the head of the table, his posture commanding, his eyes scanning the room with the sharpness of a hawk.

The media team begins the presentation, showcasing pictures taken by each photographer. Mine comes up alongside the others, and there are murmurs of approval around the room.

Ah, music to my ears.

After that, we discussed the job description. The photographers will shadow the team, which Liam is a part of, and scratch that, the star of, during practices, games, and events. More and more talk. Yada, yada, yada.

Great. More encounters, I mutter under my breath.

“Do you have something to say, Miss McKee?” Liam’s voice cuts through the room.

I blink. “Excuse me?”

He leans forward slightly, his gaze pinning me to my seat. “I said, do you have something to say? You seem to have an opinion that you are muttering under your breath. Care to share it with the room?”

The room goes silent, all eyes darting between us.

I hold his gaze. “Since when has muttering become a crime?”

“Since it’s about my company,” he replies, his tone like ice.

I smile sweetly. “Well, I was not aware I needed a permit to breathe in here. Should I bow down, too?”

The room collectively gasps. Liam’s jaw tightens, his knuckles white as he grips the edge of the table.

Before he can respond, one of the media team members awkwardly clears their throat, breaking the tension. The briefing continues, though the energy in the room remains thick.

After what feels like an eternity and Liam silently throwing daggers at me, the meeting finally ends. I say goodbye to Brooke, Lydia, and Landon, then make a beeline for my rental car. Once inside, I sit back and take a deep breath.

“What the hell,” I mutter, resting my head on the steering wheel.

Why his company, of all companies? Why his team, of all teams? And why - why, why - was he looking that handsome?

My mind flashes back to the sharp cut of his suit, the way his hair - thicker and darker than I remembered - curled slightly at the nape of his neck.

I groan, shaking my head. No. Absolutely not. Liam Callahan does not get to occupy space in my mind like this, not after everything.

But then his words echo back to me, his cold, biting tone cutting through my mental defenses. " Uninvited and unwanted humans. "

Uninvited? Sure, whatever. But unwanted? That stings more than I want to admit, even to myself.

No, Hazel. No. You do not allow that. You do not give him that space or chance to hurt you with his words or actions.

After a few steadying breaths, I start the car. It is time to visit some friends and distract myself from this whirlwind of a day.

Fate sure has a twisted sense of humor.

Pulling into Grace’s driveway after a 20-minute drive, I take a moment to soak in the view.

Her house looks exactly as I remember it - cozy and inviting, with a porch swing gently swaying in the breeze and adorned in fall decorations - pumpkins, hay bales, and a wreath made of orange and gold leaves.

Warm light spills from the windows and the faint sound of laughter reaches me even from the car.

I grab my bag and step out, the cool evening air nipping at my skin. The second I ring the doorbell, I hear a shout from inside…

“Pizza is here…! Luke or Grace, bring the money out…, and maybe, just maybe see if the delivery guy is a hot one…”

I smile to myself, shaking my head. Typical Maya.

The door swings open, and there she is in all her radiant glory, Maya Bennett.

The excitement in her big brown eyes shines so bright it can act like a torch in the dark.

Her caramel-toned skin glows under the porch light, her glossy black curls framing her face perfectly.

She is wearing an oversized gray sweater paired with ripped jeans, effortlessly chic, and simple.

Her bright red signature glossy lipstick catches the light as she stares at me.

“You…! You're not the pizza guy… You are,” her jaw drops in dramatic fashion. “As I live and breathe! What on earth - Hazel?” She breathes, her brown eyes widening.

“In the flesh. Uh, surprise!” I say, throwing my hands up in a half-hearted ta-da gesture.

Then her eyes widen even further, and she lets out a high-pitched scream that could shatter glass.

“Maya, what’s wrong?” Grace’s voice calls out, and moments later, she appears in the doorway, wiping her hands on a towel.

She freezes mid-step, her blue eyes going wide.

Her soft blonde hair is pulled into a loose braid, and she is in a casual cream sweater and leggings that make her look cute. “Hazel? Is that really you?”

Before I can answer, Luke shows up behind Grace, towering over her with his broad shoulders. His sandy hair is tousled just enough to look deliberate, and his green eyes dart to me and widen in surprise, his mischievous grin faltering.

“Well, I’ll be damned,” he says, “the prodigal Hazel McKee returns.”

They recover quickly, rushing to envelop me in a chorus of hugs and exclamations. Grace’s embrace is warm and comforting, Maya’s tight and full of energy, and Luke lingers a second longer than the others, his arm brushing mine as he steps back, a lopsided smile on his face.

“You guys are acting like we haven’t seen each other in a decade,” I laugh as they pull me inside and practically dump me on the couch.

“Five months might as well be ten years!” Maya exclaims.

“When did you get here?” Grace asks, her eyes scanning my face.

“Yesterday.”

“Yesterday?!” Maya nearly shrieks. “And you didn’t tell us?”

“What kind of surprise would that have been,” I tease, shrugging off my blazer. “And I did say I had a surprise for you.”

“Yeah, but we didn’t think it’d be this!” Luke says, leaning against the doorframe with an amused look.

“You have got some explaining to do. We need all the details, now.”

Grace shakes her head, laughing softly. “We never thought… No, we knew we would never see you back in Autumn Cove, Haze. Not after…!” Her voice trails off, but I know what she means.

“You and me, both.” I wave a hand, brushing it off. “I am here now. That is what matters, right?”

Maya gives me a suspicious squint. “Okay, spill. Why are you back?”

I sit and lean back on the comfy sofa, eyeing the assortment of baked treats on the coffee table. “Work, and I have Lady Fate to thank for that. Got a gig with NextPhase Performance Technology.”

The room goes silent for a beat, and then Maya gasps. “Liam Callahan’s company?”

“Yep,” I say nonchalantly, reaching for a cookie.

“And?” Grace leans forward, curiosity lighting her gentle features.

“And what?”

“Did you see him?” Maya’s voice drops conspiratorially as if this is the juiciest gossip that she has heard all week.

I shrug. “Yeah, we met.”

“That’s it?” Luke says, coming out from the kitchen. His blue eyes twinkle with amusement.

“What else?” I quip, popping the cookie into my mouth. “There is no catching up for us to do. Right now, he is my boss, and I’m his employee. End of story.”

Maya whistles. “Wow. Talk about awkwardness. Are you okay with that?”

“It’s fine,” I reply firmly, though the memory of Liam’s cold gaze flashes in my mind. “I’m here to work, not dwell on the past.”

Luke sits beside me, his expression filled with concern.

“Seriously,” Maya presses, eyebrows raised. “No sparks? No drama?”

“None,” I lie, forcing a casual smile. “What is there to catch up on? It is ancient history.”

“Wow,” Grace murmurs, clearly unconvinced but polite enough not to push further.

“You sure know how to keep things interesting, Hazel.”

“That’s me,” I say with a grin.

Grace, bless her heart, redirects the conversation. “How long are you staying?”

“Six months. And I am staying in this beautiful guesthouse on one of the estates. You all have the pleasure of basking in my presence for that long.”

“Lucky us,” Maya quips, her grin wide, passing me a slice of pie.

I glance around the room and notice the absence of Grace’s usual entourage. “I don’t see the two troublemakers,” I say, referring to her twin girls. “And where’s Ryan?”

Grace beams at the mention of her husband.

She is one of those people whose love for her family radiates from her like sunshine.

“Ryan took the girls to visit his parents for the weekend. They were supposed to come back yesterday, but the girls convinced him to let them stay an extra day with their grandparents. They will be back tomorrow.”

Her smile softens as she talks about him, and I cannot help but smile too. Grace and Ryan’s love story is the kind you only read about. High school sweethearts who made it work despite the odds.

“I miss them. I miss Ryan, my cuddle-bunny,” Grace beams, her cheeks tinged with a light blush.

“No…, not again. You caused this dreamy look on her face. You know how much I am a sucker for dreamy looks. Yet, some of us are still stuck in the ‘ what romance department ?’ phase,” Maya adds with a dramatic sigh, earning a laugh from all of us.

Just as Grace is about to respond, the doorbell rings again.

“Alright, I’ll get it this time,” Luke says, pushing himself up from the couch. “Let’s hope it’s the pizza.”

As soon as he disappears toward the door, Maya leans in close, her eyes dancing with mischief. “You know,” she says in a conspiratorial whisper, “he still has a crush on you.”

“What?” I blink, caught off guard by the sudden shift.

“Oh, come on,” she says, waving a dismissive hand. “Don’t act so surprised. He’s been sweet on you since forever. The second you walked in, his whole face lit up like a Christmas tree. Poor guy - still carrying that torch after all these years.”

I roll my eyes, brushing off the comment. “That was ages ago. We were kids, Maya. I’m sure he’s long over it.”

“Uh-huh,” she says, smirking. “Keep telling yourself that.”

Before she can respond, Luke returns with two large pizza boxes in hand, grinning. “Pizza’s here.”

“Finally!” Maya says, clapping her hands. “Now, while we eat, let me tell you about my sister Alicia running away from her wedding last week.”

The room erupts into laughter as she recounts the tale, complete with dramatic gestures. Luke chimes in with his own commentary. Aside from the fact that she’s a great baker, owning one of the best bakeries in town, Maya is the town’s unofficial gossip queen.

I roll my eyes, grabbing a slice of pizza to hide my grin. If nothing else, it is nice to know some things never change.