Page 2 of The Christmas Entanglement

Fitzy smiled. "Looks like someone is on a mission."

"I am. You have to make PK stop playing the drums at all hours of the day."

Fitzy laughed as she patted Clarissa's cheek. "Oh, dear, you know he's not allowed to play at all hours of the day."

"So then, why is he playing now?" Clarissa asked. For all the opulence of the complex, there wasn't enough soundproofing to stop the noise of the drums. Hell, she even heard them down at the pool. Then again, that was what happened when both she and PK were only on the second floor and faced towards the pool.

"It's before 8pm. He's allowed to."

Clarissa looked up to the sky in annoyance. "You’re saying I have to wait until 8pm so I can focus on my own work? That hardly seems fair."

"Welcome to life," Fitzy said with a smile. "We all know the real reason you're so pissed off at PK and his drums is because you’d rather have him bang you instead."

Clarissa was so glad she'd never been one to blush much. Fitzy was right. She'd had a few dreams of what it would be like to know if PK could stickhandle his junk as well as he did on the ice. Yet his personality was so infuriating.

"I think you got the wrong intel on that one. Since he's moved in, he's been nothing but insufferable. I don't understand why you put up with his shit."

"He's been nothing but a gem for me. Plus, he's not too bad to look at. He was easy to rent to," Fitzy said with a smile. "It's time to stop acting like a little girl who had her pigtails pulled by a boy who likes her."

She hated how guys could get away with stuff like that. Being insufferable wasn't a way to a girl's heart, nor should it be tolerated. Yet there was nothing she could do right now.

Fitzy smiled and said, "Come on, go get your laptop and come down here to work. Get a little sun. It's good for you."

Clarissa knew that Fitzy was probably right. Besides, with PK pounding on his drums, the only way she would get any work done was to work in the pool area. The noise was tolerable there. Then, who knows? If she got herself in a good spot, she could take a dip in the pool.

She walked up to her apartment and put on one of her favorite black swimsuits. It highlighted all her curves and made her feel so sexy. She wrapped a sarong around her waist that she picked up while she was in Tahiti. The bright blues in the sarong always made her smile. She grabbed her oversized sunglasses.

Then she went downstairs to the pool and got comfortable.

Chapter 2

PK

After a couple of days of practicing, he was starting to think he could rock the toy drive. He still needed to recruit one or two more musicians: a guitarist and bassist. Hopefully, one of them could sing too, but he had time to find them.

His phone rang. He was surprised to see it was his old captain calling. He picked up the phone and said, "Yo, Scotty, what's up?"

"Not too much. We're playing in Texas, and I wanted to see if you were coming to the game tonight."

"Yup. I'm still coming out." PK was looking forward to it. He missed hanging out with the guys. As pathetic as it sounded, he was hoping that just showing up to the game and being himself might create some interest in re-signing him to the Sound. "I wouldn't miss it for the world."

"Great. Looking forward to seeing you again. How's the knee?"

"Feeling great. Been able to play freely again. In all honesty, it's the best it's been in years."

"Is this your way of saying you want to get back into the game again?"

"Hell yeah. I know my agent has been trying to get something, but it seems like teams are set and they all think my knees are shot."

"Well, if I had my way, I would have you with the Sound. We could use a physical guy like you out there again. But alas, I don't get much say in personnel decisions."

"More than most." Scotty was good with the upper management and was even a back-up scout when he got injured. PK still remembered how Scotty intervened with the GM when there was a rumor that they were shopping around Lager and Toli because those two had their beef. "Seriously, I'll take anything. League min, time in the AHL, literally whatever it takes to get a chance to play with you again."

"Well, I'll see what I can do, but I make no promises. So your wheel is truly good? No bullshit?"

"It's good, and I've stayed in shape. I wouldn't risk your reputation if you were to put a good word in."

Scotty chuckled. "Good. I'll see you tonight. Let’s hang out after."

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