Page 39 of My Pucking Perfect Goalie

“Just becauseyou’rewith me?”

I give him a stare, and his cheeks redden. “That’s not what I meant.”

“I know.”

“Should I…?” Sammy asks, his eyes wandering over to her table.

“What?” I ask, almost laughing. “No. She may have a very questionable sense of style, but she doesn’t seem like a bad person. If you abandon your current date to go and talk to her, what will that tell her about how you treat women?”

“I didn’t think about that.”

“That’s what I’m here for.”

“When I’m with you…” Sammy says, his hand coming to his chin. “Harper is more interested in me.”

“Duh.”

“So,” Sammy concludes, eyes lifting to mine, his face eager and serious. “That means we should get together, right?”

Sammy

It sounds stupid even as I’m saying it. Like something out of a movie. But I like this. I like being here, with Finn, and spending time with her outside of our strict, agenda-directed meetings.

I liked seeing the look on her face when she saw the silly pizza flavors. When I brought back the drinks. I like having her here, relaxing into the slightly greasy seat, a little bit of that ever-present worry melted off her face.

Though the worryisback, her expression shifted to surprise and trepidation at my last statement.

“What—?” She coughs, shaking her head and taking a sip of her water. “What are you talking about?”

“Harper likes me more when she thinks I’m with someone else,” I say, the argument coming to me as I rationalize it. “Sure, tonight was good—but what if she loses interest the moment I call her? What is it people say—to play hard to get, right?”

“Sammy, we can’t…fake date. God, I can’t believe I said that phrase out loud. Penny would be rolling with laughter.”

“Why?”

“Because it’s completely ridiculous! Because I despise those romance books she’s always reading. Every time she gets me to read one, my major take away is that they never end up being anything like real life. All these fake scenarios. Fake dating especially.”

“It wouldn’t be ‘fake dating,’” I say, trying that phrase out on my tongue. It feels weird, and Finn’s eyebrows raise a fraction, like it’s particularly funny coming from me. Big hockey man, throwing out romance terms.

I push forward. “It would just be…an extension of what you’re already doing. You think mything, my block, or whatever, has to do with Harper. And if us spending more time together, pretending to be a couple, is going to help her along in liking me, then so what?”

“So what? It’s so unprofessional.” She’s blushing. “…Dating a client.”

“But you wouldn’tactuallybe dating a client.”

“Sammy, people would think that, though. I’m a woman. I don’t have the luxury of sleeping with anyone I want and expecting my professional life to remain intact. If word got out that I waswitha client, my credibility would be gone. Even worse, other clients might expect the same treatment.”

The moment the words are out of her mouth, I grimace. Of course, I hadn’t even taken a second to consider what a situation like that might mean for her. At once, I feel a little ashamed that I said something so self-centered and inconsiderate.

I frown, take a drink, and meet her eyes. “Sorry, Finn. I didn’t think about it like that.”

I’m prepared to move on and try to salvage what’s left of the evening, but something flashes over Finn’s face then, her expression changing. She purses her lip, taps her chin, and looks out into the large area between the booths, where some people are dancing.

“Everything I said about my professional credibility is true,” she says, slowly. “But I suppose if my clients never found out…maybe this could just stay in a little bubble. Me, you, and Harper. Just nudging her in the right direction.”

“Finn,” I say, shaking my head, “I wouldn’t ask you to—”

“I want this to work.” Her eyes blaze when she swings her head around to look at me again. “I haveneverfailed to bring someone to their full potential, and I’m not about to let it happennow just because your roadblock is a girl who is more interested when you’re with someone else.”

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