Page 19 of My Pucking Perfect Goalie

An athlete willing to give me a testimonial would be something. Would give my website a boost. It could help me reach other clients—the best. The highest paying.

“You’d give me a testimonial?” I ask, slowly, eyes skipping over to Penny’s laptop, my mind already racing through ideas. “Let me record our process? Show you going from now to…wherever you end up?”

Sammy is quiet for a second, and I realize he’s going to say no. Why would he want anyone to know that he needed my help to become great? And there’s also the fact that this testimonial would only be helpful if he shows significant improvement.

If he goes on to win MVP for the championship game. If his numbers improve. If he enters the running for Goalie of the Year…Having him touting my expertise will only work if he’s atrue example of what I can do. And he’s already proven that he’s not interested in giving me his all

I’m already starting to turn away when he speaks again.

“Yes,” he says, and I hear him swallow, his massive hand swinging out and catching my wrist, turning me back around. Electricity zings up my arm, jolting my heart, and our gazes catch for a moment before he releases me, dropping my arm like it’s burned him.

“Shit,” he says, clearing his throat, “sorry, I—”

“We’d record our sessions,” I explain, excitement starting to build. “Show where you’re at now. Really demonstrate that I’ve taken you from nothing toeverything.”

“Well, I wouldn’t saynothing—”

“If this is going to be worth it for me, I need that content. A video demonstrating my process would be unlike anything else I have.” I raise my gaze to his, pursing my lips. “It would make it worth it to stay in Burlington. To change my flight.”

“Fine,” Sammy says, faster than I thought he would. “I’ll do it. I’ll do whatever you want.”

That statement makes my throat go dry, and I make a reminder to do something about this sudden, unwelcomed sex drive that’sbeen rising up out of nowhere. I can’t be itching in my own skin any time a half-decent looking man comes around.

A voice in the back of my mind argues that it’s not just any man making me feel this way, but I push it away.

I’m still looking up at him, trying to figure out what to say, when the hold music suddenly stops and a woman’s voice comes through.

“Dr. Asher?”

“Yes,” I say, coughing and unmuting the call. “Yes,” I say again, trying to switch it off of speaker.

“I am so sorry about your customer experience thus far, please accept my sincerest regret. We do appreciate our Diamond members and would like to offer you a complimentary first-class ticket for your trouble—”

“You can go ahead and send that information to my assistant,” I say, eyes traveling back over to Sammy. “I’ve already booked alternative transportation for this indiscretion, but I’ll consider returning if my future experiences are what I expect. Thank you.”

The woman starts to say something else, but I end the call, never taking my eyes from the hockey player standing in my living room.

“You booked a different flight?” Sammy asks, his voice choked, his face crestfallen.

“No, of course not,” I laugh. “But I’m not telling them that. Let them grovel to try and keep me.”

“Oh.” Sammy chuckles and rubs the back of his neck. “I get that feeling.”

“Well, you did it,” I say, tucking my phone into my pocket. “We’ll continue our work. I’ll talk to Penny about videographers so we can document the process. What do you have tomorrow?”

“Just practice, but Coach wants me to take it easy,” he says. “He thinks I’m sick.”

“Are you?”

“No,” he admits, cheeks flushing a deeper red, “but it’s a good cover for what happened tonight.”

“Okay,” I say, nodding and taking a step back from him, trying to gain the distance I need to clear my head. “Penny will send you the information tomorrow.”

“Okay,” he says, nodding back and taking a step toward the door. He’s halfway out the door when he turns back and says, “Finn?”

“Yeah?” I ask, pausing, my phone still in my hand.

“Thank you.”

---