Total pages in book: 89
Estimated words: 83355 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 417(@200wpm)___ 333(@250wpm)___ 278(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83355 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 417(@200wpm)___ 333(@250wpm)___ 278(@300wpm)
“Why not go out with her again?” I muse.
He shakes his head. “Man… it was just too easy—”
“Wait a minute. You mean you’re holding it against a woman for jumping into your bed?”
Rafferty rolls his eyes. “It’s more than that. She just comes on really strong when we run into each other. I don’t necessarily like that.”
I frown. “Here at the arena?”
Rafferty shakes his head. “No. Just out and about. First time was at the grocery store a few days ago, and there she was, in the cereal aisle, looking at Cheerios.”
“Did you say anything to her?”
“Yeah, because I didn’t realize she was interested in another hookup. I mean, when I tell you we went our separate ways, there was no intention of seeing each other again.”
“What did she say?” I ask, now invested in the story.
“She seemed surprised to see me and just point-blank asked me out that night. I actually had plans with North, but I would have said no if I didn’t. When I told her that, she kept throwing other dates at me, but I told her I’d have to get back to her.”
“Should have just told her you weren’t interested.”
“Well, yeah, sure… if I’d been thinking straight, but I was caught off guard by how pushy she was. At any rate, I was running the Three Rivers Heritage Trail yesterday, and there she was again. Running in the opposite direction.”
“Could be a coincidence. It’s a popular trail.”
“Maybe. She didn’t stop this time but sort of yelled at me as she went by, ‘I’m still waiting for you to call me.’”
“Should have told her you weren’t interested,” I say, once again dispensing the most obvious advice.
“No time, she breezed right on. But then this morning, I ran into this coffee shop near my condo and she was sitting in there.”
I lift an eyebrow. “Okay, that’s starting to sound stalkerish.”
“Right?” Rafferty says, stepping back from the barbell. “Total stalker.”
“What did you do?” I ask as he tightens his belt.
“She was staring at me so when I saw her, eye contact was made. She waved me over to sit with her and there was no good way to brush it off. So I got my coffee and went over, and before you say it again, I’d intended to tell her I wasn’t interested.”
He positions himself in front of the weights.
“And…,” I drawl.
Rafferty grimaces as if the memory was distasteful. “She said she wanted to go out again and before I could try to brush it off, she got super aggressive.”
I tilt my head. “Like how?”
“She told me that she thought my playing-hard-to-get thing was cute, but that she knew how hot she was and how good she was in bed, and that I could stop playing games. She even told me she was the perfect catch for a guy like me and she knew deep down I was interested.”
My eyes bug out. “She actually said that?”
“Yeah… like in this super egotistical, I know what I’m talking about way. I mean… King, when I tell you she’s gorgeous, she’s like supermodel stunning, and her body is slamming and she’s actually smart…”
“But…”
“But,” he huffs with a scrub of his hand over his hair, “it was kind of a turnoff how arrogant she was.”
Ironic, because I think that’s kind of how Rafferty is, except he’s also a genuinely good guy too. Cocky, but nice. I’m guessing she’s not giving off genuine good-girl vibes.
Rafferty shakes his head as if to dispel the thoughts. “Anyway, I told her that I was just really focused on the hockey season and super busy, yada, yada, yada.”
“Did she buy it?” I ask.
Rafferty shrugs. “I have no clue. Tansy seems like a woman who’s going to do what she wants—”
“Wait!” I exclaim, cutting him off, holding up a hand. “Tansy?”
“Yeah… cute name, right?”
“Tansy Carmichael?”
Rafferty frowns. “Yeah, do you know her?”
I roll my eyes and shake my head. “Do you not read any of the informational emails that come to you from the organization?”
Unease flickers in my friend’s eyes. “Apparently not.”
“That’s Brienne’s cousin. She was hired this summer as the director of marketing. Worked at some major retail store out in California.”
“Brienne’s cousin,” he asks, skin tinged a little green.
“Yup. On her mom’s side. There was a picture of her and Brienne in the newsletter and I’ll agree… she’s smoking hot.”
“Jesus,” Rafferty mutters. “I can’t believe I banged the owner’s cousin.”
“And now she’s got her eyes set on you. Better play this one careful.”
“She seemed to buy my too busy to date line,” he murmurs pensively. “I’m sure it will be fine.”
“I sure hope so. I’d hate to see you traded to some farm league in the middle of North Dakota because you pissed off the Titans owner.”
“Fuck off,” he chuckles and then takes a deep breath. “Okay… be quiet for a minute so I can knock these out.”