Page 45 of The Game Changer (Knights of Passion #3)

A lex Rasmussen stretched out in front of his sixty-five-inch QLED television and stared at the screen, barely noticing the hockey game.

His mind was on something way more stressful than which team would win tonight.

He still didn’t have a date to the charity gala on Saturday night.

It would embarrass him to go alone, but he’d found himself alone more often than not since he’d struck out with his last relationship.

He hadn’t exactly wanted to get back into the game, despite the many offers he’d received.

He was tired of women using him for his money or name or status.

Tired of girls hanging around the stadium, looking to score.

If he was going to have any kind of relationship at all, he wanted what some of his teammates had—a true partnership and someone who cared about them, not their money or status.

He’d probably wait until retirement, many years away.

Hopefully. Then he would see who really wanted him for himself—rather than for the glory his name and baseball career could give them.

“Heads up.”

A beer landed in his lap, jerking him out of his thoughts. He cracked the top and took a long swallow. “Thanks, man.”

Dylan Prosser, team catcher and his closest friend, collapsed on the love seat diagonally from him.

Now that was one man who had gotten lucky and found a sexy and fantastic woman who had no problem doing her own thing.

In fact, when accused of using him for her own gain, specifically for her charity rescue group, she broke things off and gave up donations rather than hurting Dylan. Why couldn’t he find a woman like that?

As if reading his mind, Dylan gave him the stink eye. “Don’t even think about using my wife as your plus one for that damned charity gala. Besides, Savannah and I are headed out west to see my family for the holidays. Dad’s having heart surgery and I need to be there in case something goes wrong.”

He grimaced, letting Alex know exactly how he felt about visiting his family. Alex sighed. “Are you sure you can’t delay a few days? I’ll be a perfect gentleman.”

“I have the perfect gentleman right here,” Savannah said as she curled up next to her husband, a beer in her hand.

They looked cozy and perfect together, even after two years of marriage. The same closeness he thought he would have by now. But he’d rethought that whole thing. Maybe the life of a major league ballplayer and marriage wasn’t in the cards for him.

His most recent girlfriend had even moved in over the summer, but that was a clusterfuck of the highest order, as he quickly found out when she began using his name for opportunities at her marketing job.

Yeah, he didn’t need that shit in his life.

He had a publicity manager for that, not to mention his own agent.

He was happily—well, mostly happily—single.

Him and his Pittie, Thor, who was eying Savannah, shamelessly begging for handouts and doing his best to look as pathetic and starving as possible.

Savannah, who ran a dog rescue in the area and knew all the canine tricks, wouldn’t openly budge, though he saw her slip Thor a piece of cheese.

Dylan smiled and kissed her. Alex groaned and rolled his eyes. “You’ve been married for two years. The honeymoon should be over.”

Savannah leveled a sympathetic look at him.

Yeah, he hated sympathy more than anything else.

He didn’t need pity. He was a professional baseball player, being paid a ton of money to throw a baseball every four or five days, and then make public appearances and look good.

So many other people had it rougher, while he was whining about needing a date to a charity ball where they’d feed him expensive food and drinks and he’d rub elbows with the city’s elite. Yeah, poor, pathetic Alex.

“You could always go stag,” Dylan said.

Savannah snorted. “Not if Candice the bitch is going to be there, and I’m sure she will. Am I right, Alex?”

He nodded glumly. His ex-girlfriend, the woman he thought he’d marry. Thankfully, he hadn’t gotten around to asking when he found out she was name-dropping and promising he would appear in marketing campaigns to help her get promoted.

Besides, she hated Thor.

As if sensing Alex was thinking about him, Thor hopped up on the couch and laid his head on Alex’s lap, giving him a soulful look.

Alex obligingly massaged his ears until the dog moaned in ecstasy.

“She’ll be there. Probably with her new, upgraded boyfriend.

You can see him right there on television. Star center for the Storm.”

“Isn’t he a little young for her?”

“I don’t think she was checking his license, Dylan,” Savannah chided. “Besides, he’s only a few years younger than you.”

“It’s not about age. It’s all about status for Candice, though she’ll try to tell you that’s she’s in love.” With his name and status. But was Alex bitter? Nope. Okay, maybe a little. Not that he wanted her back. It was just the principle of the thing.

“You already RSVP’d for two, didn’t you?”

“I couldn’t go alone. I thought Madeline would work, but that didn’t last long.”

Savannah rolled her eyes. “Of course it didn’t. Alex, she was just like Candice. You need someone different.”

He took a long swallow of his beer and eyed her balefully. “I’m not really looking for a psychoanalysis. I just need a date. And it’s not because of Candice, not really. I just hate going to these things alone. It’s like a feeding frenzy if you’re single. Do you know anyone?”

Savannah sighed and exchanged a look with her husband, who shrugged and turned his attention to the television. “You could always take Lucy.”

Alex froze. Lucy Monroe. Savannah’s sister.

When he’d first met her, she was flaky and still figuring out what to do with her life.

Bartending, waitressing, and partying a lot.

But there was something about the free spirit that intrigued him.

He saw a lonely woman looking for her direction.

They talked at one of Dylan’s team picnics and she was genuine, not a cleat chaser like so many women he had dated.

He respected the hell out of her for that, but there was no way he was getting close, especially since she was essentially Dylan’s sister, even if it was by marriage.

She’d been off limits to him for so many reasons.

First, because she’d been a hot mess and he’d been dating someone else.

Then, things slowly changed between them as they’d spent time together and he’d gotten to know her and see the woman beneath the shell she presented to the world.

Now she was off limits for a whole new set of reasons.

Dylan was understandably protective of her, treating her as he treated his own sister.

He looked out for both of the girls around the guys on the team.

Dating the sister of a teammate and friend was never a good idea. No matter how sexy he found her.

The last time he saw her, they had been at a pet adoption event over the summer, and Lucy had been taking pictures of the event for Savannah.

They cleaned up after the event together and talked about her business.

She sounded so focused and sure of herself for the first time in a long time, passionate and excited.

Combine that with her love and gentle care of the dogs, and her playful nature, and he suddenly realized she was a complete sexy package.

One he found hard to resist, especially once she spilled a big bowl of water down the front of herself, turning her thin tank top transparent.

He’d barely restrained himself from kissing her.

Instead, he’d abruptly left, muttering about needing to be at the park for a game.

And now Savannah suggested he take her to the gala? Where he would put his hands on her and pretend to date her? After the way he walked away and avoided her ever since, would she even consider it?

Dylan and Savannah were staring at him, and he realized he’d been awfully quiet for a while. He cleared his throat. “Do you think she’d want to go? She’d need a fancy dress and shoes and all that stuff.”

Savannah laughed. “What woman doesn’t like to play dress up? And she can wear one of my dresses. I actually had one for the gala but, with Dylan’s dad having health issues, we decided not to head west early instead. I’ll ask Lucy.”

Savannah’s fingers flew over her phone and Dylan sighed, shooting him a look that told Alex he wasn’t fooled by his casual tone. “Just remember. Lucy is just getting her shit together. She’s got a lot going on and doesn’t need any complications right now, okay?”

Savannah frowned briefly, then smiled at him, a little too brightly. “She’s in. I’ll get her up to speed.”

Why did that feel like a lie?

“ A bsolutely not. No way will I be Alex Rasmussen’s date for anything.”

Lucy straightened the child in the image to make sure she was balanced.

Thank God for Photoshop. Sure, she loved using real film for some of her projects, but those were more art projects.

When taking portraits and other paying gigs, she used digital cameras and then touched them up on the computer.

And lightened them and got rid of imperfections to show the darlings in their best light. Not faking the image, just enhancing.

Savannah perched on the stool next to her and let out an exhalation of frustration. “Come on, Lucy. He’s a good guy. You liked him. Hell, maybe even crushed on him a bit. What happened to that?”

Lucy paused and gave her sister an arch look. “Nothing.” But even she heard the frustration and confusion in her voice. “He doesn’t like me. He won’t even talk to me these days. It’s clear he doesn’t want to spend any more time in my company.”

Savannah frowned. “When was this? Did something happen between you two?”

Lucy rolled her eyes and hunched over the computer screen.

She wished she had a Mac. They were supposed to be outstanding with graphics.

Maybe if she could bring in a steady gig for her photography business, she could afford it.

Right now, she was supplementing with waitressing jobs and catering, where she tried to make connections for her business.

So far, catering one, photography zero. Even her catering company wouldn’t put in a word for her, but that was more because they didn’t want to lose a waitress.

“Lucy? Did I lose you? What happened between you and Alex?”

Yeah, she sometimes got absorbed in her work. She sighed and faced her sister. “It’s in the past, Savannah. We spent some time together. I thought we had a moment, then he took off like the hounds of hell were on his heels.”

Sympathy crept in her sister’s gaze. “Aw, Lucy. I’m sorry. I think he was going through a rough time.”

Lucy barked a laugh. “Come on. What does Alex Rasmussen know about a rough time? The man is the Knights’ golden child, well, except for Cody Patterson. The two of them are the kings of the diamond.”

“Do you remember when we were in high school, and Pete Cormier invited you to the prom?”

Lucy started swearing immediately. “You promised you’d never bring up that low-life ass to me ever again.”

“It was a joke, right? He was stringing you along, trying to embarrass you. He was really taking Rina Cosgrove to the prom. What did you do?”

An evil grin crossed Lucy’s face. “You asked one of your friends to take me to the prom, that sexy singer from that band. Older than me. Almost gave the principal a heart attack because he wasn’t in high school. But it was worth it.”

Savannah smiled triumphantly. “Revenge always is. You never thought about staying home, did you? You refused to let him embarrass you.”

Shit, she could see where her sister was going with this. “Okay, how does this relate to Alex?”

“His ex-girlfriend is going to be there with her new boyfriend, center for the Savannah Storm.”

“Reid Gale? Damn, half the women in the city want to date him. Is this that Candice witch? I swear, I’ve met her a half a dozen times and every time she asks me, have we met ?”

Savannah nodded. “Yup. So, will you help him out? Besides, this could be a great networking opportunity for you.”

She sighed. Damn it. She had really liked Alex and when he ran from her, as if there was something wrong with her, it had hurt. And he was so damned sexy. Seeing him in a tux might do her in. And leave it to Savannah to dangle the one carrot she couldn’t refuse, well, besides the sexy man in a tux.

But she had her pride and tried one last Hail Mary. “I don’t have a dress or shoes.”

“Leave that to me.”

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