Page 83 of Icy Pucking Play

"Don't what?"

"Don't go to dinner with him. Whatever you're hoping to find out, it's not worth it."

"I'm just doing my job."

"No, you're trying to hurt Evan the way he hurt you." He holds up his hands at my protest. "I get it. He pushed you away, made you feel like you weren't trustworthy. But meeting with Clark? That's not going to fix anything."

"Maybe I don't want to fix it." I start gathering my things. "Maybe I just want to do my job and forget any of this happened."

"Sophie. Come on…"

"I have to go." I shoulder my bag. "I need to change before dinner."

"At least tell me you'll think about what you're really doing here."

"I know exactly what I'm doing."

But as I head for the elevator, my phone lights up yet again.

Natalia:Dad's really sad. He keeps staring at that pen you left. The one for important stories. Please come back. You're part of our team now.

The tears I've been fighting all day finally spill over.

Because that's the thing about finding a family—losing them hurts more than never having them at all.

My phone buzzes again.

Clark:Looking forward to sharing some interesting stories about the Daniels family. Especially about what really happened with Chelsea...

I should delete it.

Should cancel dinner.

Should remember that some stories aren't mine to tell.

Instead, I type:See you at 8.

Because maybe, if I understand what happened before, I can understand why Evan pushed me away.

Even if it means becoming exactly what he feared I was all along…

Just another reporter looking for a story.

Even if it breaks my heart to do it.

Chapter 21

Evan

"You're doing it again," Julia says over lunch.

"Doing what?"

"That thing where you grumpily stab your food like it personally offended you." She steals a fry from my plate. "Very Ice Man of you."

"I don't grumpily stab…" I stop, realizing I'm now aggressively attacking my sandwich. "Shut up."

"Very mature. This is definitely the emotional intelligence I expect from a pro athlete and single father."

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