Page 13 of Offside Attraction

Penny jumped and grabbed her purse. Rhonda took another drink, then leaned over and set her glass in the sink. They walked together behind Brett and watched as he opened the door.

"Sorry I'm late, I got held up at the site.” His voice was deep, but Rhonda couldn’t get a good look with Brett standing in the way.

Aaron stepped through the doorway, and suddenly, the room felt smaller. He was tall, with dark hair that was still damp from his shower. Without permission, an image of Jordan standing in his hotel room popped into her head.No, thank you.Rhonda stood a little taller, willing herself to focus on the man in front of her. He had a strong jaw, broad shoulders, and a very nice lopsided smile.

“Hey, I’m Aaron.” He put out a hand, and Rhonda shook it. His fingers were rough, his eyes a deep, rich brown. He wore a simple button-down shirt and jeans. Yeah, he would do. He would do nicely.

Rhonda slipped back into her heels and the four of them walked out to the driveway. Brett pulled his truck out of the garage, and she slid into the back seat with Aaron, the scent of the leather seats mingling with the faint aroma of coffee from a travel mug in the cupholder.

Another flash. Jordan’s hand behind her head as he lowered her to her back, her feet pressing against the door as he?—

“So what do you do?” Aaron asked.

Rhonda swallowed hard. She hadn’t thought about Jordan in weeks, and tonight was the night her brain decided to take a trip down memory lane? “I’m a pharmaceutical rep. I work for Cantra.”

“She doesn’t just work for them,” Penny added. “She’s their top sales rep in the Calgary region.”

Rhonda grinned. “Thank you for that.”

“It’s true!”

Itwastrue, but her experience was that most men didn’t love hearing about her accomplishments right off the bat. They wanted to know she was successful but only to a point. Especially when they worked in corporate sales.

Aaron shifted on the seat, and their legs brushed. “That’s impressive.” Rhonda was about to smile and shrug it off when Aaron asked, “Are you happy in that role or do you want to move up?”

It was a simple question, but Rhonda had never once been asked that by a member of the opposite sex. Usually when they heard about her work, they jumped into stories about their own job, levelling the playing field a bit.

Rhonda paused, not sure if she should answer honestly or say something safe.What the hell, right?Reason number one hundred why not getting into a serious relationship was less stressful. She could say whatever she wanted, and if Aaron didn’t like it, he could move along.

“I want the regional sales manager position. I’m hoping to hit some sales goals by the end of the quarter that should solidify my application.” Rhonda watched him for his reaction.

Aaron nodded. “Would that be better pay or a better work-life balance?”

Okay, so this guy was good. She caught Penny’s eye and noticed her friend already grinning. “Both, actually. It would mean less travel. I could manage a team mostly remotely, and the pay wouldn’t necessarily be more, but it would be similar and guaranteed, not totally commission-based.”

Aaron leaned back in his seat. “Guaranteed income. What would that be like?”

Brett laughed from the driver’s seat. “Don’t give me that. You like the risk.”

“When it pays off.” Aaron grinned.

Brett pulled into a parking spot outside the restaurant, and they all climbed out of the truck. Part of her wanted to pull Aaron aside and ask if he wanted to skip the whole date thing and just head back to her place, but that was also something men didn’t like. They wanted to feel like they’d earned something—like they’d put in the effort and won. They didn’t want to feel like they were the ones being used, and Rhonda had gotten good at playing the game their way.

Aaron held the door for her, and they entered the restaurant, the rich aroma of spices and grilled meat enveloping them. They were seated at a table near the back, and Rhonda slid into the booth next to Penny. Aaron sat across from her, and Brett took the seat next to him. The waiter handed them menus, and Rhonda scanned the options, her stomach growling.

"I think I found my happy place.” Penny sank into the booth.

“It smells really good,” Rhonda agreed.

Brett looked pleased. "You haven't even tasted the food yet." He leaned back in the booth, stretching out his legs as he looked over the menu. “So, Canucks game tonight. You think they’ve got a shot this season?” he asked Aaron, who was still shrugging off his jacket.

Aaron snorted, shaking his head. “They’ve got a shot, sure, but it’s probably not a great one. New coach, new system—it’ll take a few more months to settle into anything that looks good.” He slid a hand over his arm as he leaned over the table.Tight T-shirt. Tattoo sleeve.

She was back in that sports bar in Okotoks. What. The. Hell. “I’m going to the washroom. I’ll be right back.” Rhonda flashed a smile as she slid out of the booth and walked toward the only obvious hall at the side of the restaurant.

All of these flashes of memories were probably just because she was meeting someone new. She’d been slammed with work and had spent as many nights in hotels as she had her own bed in the past two months. Her body remembered him. That was normal, and of course, she was excited at the prospect of connection.

She loved the game, the chase. It was a rush, and she hadn’t made time for any of it as of late. While she didn’t want to admit Penny had been right, she would eventually thank her and admit she clearly needed a break.

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