Page 27 of Shot Through the Heart

A glass of champagne is shoved in my hands the second I find my seat, something I’m immensely grateful for as Greyson slides in beside me. I don’t plan to finish the whole thing, but a few sips hit the spot for a perfect distraction. The warmth of his body beside me only makes the lingering impression of his arm around me harder to put from my mind. Luckily, the entire ride to the venue is filled with Ari and Dean’s endless stream of banter. Even as I watch them with an amused smile, I continuously find my focus drifting back to the man beside me.

The limo stops in front of a gorgeous hotel downtown and I stare down at the still half full champagne flute in my hands. What I wouldn’t give to throw the rest of it back in one simple chug. However, I remind myself I am technically working right now,andI haven’t eaten since breakfast. Adding alcohol to the mix right now would be a horrible idea.

Landon opens the door, stepping onto the waiting red carpet with ease before turning back to offer a hand to his sister. The sound of the waiting crowd and the flashing lights flow in and suddenly, I’m back to wondering who the hell I thought I was to agree to this.

Everyone else slowly files out, giving time for the couples and Dean to be photographed one by one instead of in a group. When it’s time for Greyson to go, my hand flings out to his arm, stopping him from leaving. He turns back to me, eyebrows drawn in confusion.

“I just…I need a second.”

Greyson nods, twisting in his seat to block the view of the open car door. I close my eyes, attempting to tune out all the noise and ground myself. I really should have suggested sticking to smaller events or games until I was confident that I could handle being in front of the press like this.

“Hey.” Grey’s low rumble pulls me from my thoughts, and I slowly peel my eyes open to look at him. “It’s a quick two minutes. We get out, take a few steps, pause for a beat to let them get their pictures, and then we’re inside.”

My head bobs up and down but neither of us moves until Dean’s face pops up over Greyson’s shoulder.

“You two coming?” Dean throws an arm around Grey’s neck and smirks at me. “If he’s trying to hide you away, just say the word and I’ll gladly escort you in. A beauty like you should be shown off.”

Suddenly, Dean grunts and his arms slip from Greyson as his face contorts in pain.

“Fuck, man, no need to get so touchy. Just making sure you’re not trying to hide her away.” Dean groans and flashes me a pained smirk before ducking out of sight.

All I can do is stare at the spot Dean vacated, letting the subtle compliment sink in. Deep down, I know Dean wasn’t truly trying to hit on me. To him, he was just baiting his teammate with what he saw as a truth.

Greyson tucks his chin to his chest and grumbles something under his breath. After a couple seconds, he finally straightens out and extends a hand toward me.

“Ready?”

With my shoulders squared, I carefully take his hand and slide out from the safety of the limo. With both my feet planted on the velvet red carpet, I focus on making sure my dress is straight while letting the humid air seep into my lungs. Most people I talk to will complain about the stifling air here but having been born and raised in the Southern heat, it’s a welcome comfort. After living up north for almost five years, you’ll never hear me say a single thing against the warm weather. Especially when it means I don’t need to add a thick layer over a beautiful dress like this.

Feeling more confident than I had a minute ago, I’m about to retract my hand from Greyson’s when he gently guides my hand to rest in the crook of his elbow. My head tips back as I’m about to ask him what he’s doing, but he takes a step forward and suddenly, everyone is shouting his name while cameras in every direction flash repeatedly.

The next sixty seconds happen in a blur. All I can do is hold on to Greyson’s arm with a smile and follow his lead. With the one heartbeat of awareness I do have, I sneak a glance at Greyson, shocked to find that stoic look of indifference on his face. My chest aches at the realization that the only time I’ve seen him smile was the forced fake one he gave the two girls at his first game.

If someone had told teenage me that Greyson Moreno would be most known as the grumpiest professional hockey player, I would have laughed in their faces. Greyson was my ray of sunshine throughout high school, seeming to find a friend in every single person he met. Even when I did have moments of weakness and crept on him over the last few years, I never truly believed the articles that painted him as a frigid man. While I still can’t fully believe those to be entirely accurate, seeing him up close like this, I can’t help but wonder if they do hold some truth.

I know all too well just how much can change in five years.

I’m pulled from my thoughts as we enter the venue and for the next two hours, there’s barely even a second to remember to drink water. Everyone that has anything to do with the Bobcats’ hockey team makes their entrance and mingles with each other while slowly finding their dinner tables. Outside of the players themselves, Lilly, Ari, and my bosses, any name I learn goes in one ear and out the other. Since Garrett owns the team, the small reprieve of having a conversation with people I do know was very short-lived since he had so many other people to greet.

By the time we finally sat for dinner, my feet were practically screaming to be out of the new heels. The three-course meal was filled with mindless chatter at our table, where we luckily sat with the group we arrived with. While entrées are cleared from the tables, I can’t help but be grateful for the limited one-on-one time I’ve had with Greyson.

After being alone with him for the car ride to the arena at the last event, I knew without a doubt that we were a spark waiting to ignite. And once that match was lit…I knew just how easily this false peace we have found would burn to the ground. So for the sake of both our jobs, it was for the best to never be left alone.

The room simultaneously goes quiet as a familiar-looking man steps up to the podium on the stage at the front of the room.

Ari must notice my confusion from where she sits beside me because she leans closer to whisper, “That’s James Matthews. Head coach and Lilly’s dad.”

My eyes widen, snapping to where Lilly sits across the table beside Dominik. I definitely need to find out how those two got together. Wasn’t dating your coach’s daughter some unspoken rule of things not to do?

“Thank you, everyone, for taking the time to be here. It is an honor to be able to stand before you all once again and kick off our biggest event of the season where all proceeds will be donated directly to the organizations who support those battling the disease every day and to help those working to end childhood cancer. Before I go into details for the silent auction tonight, I want to take a second to remind everyone how you can go about donating throughout the year, and not just tonight.”

Coach James continues letting everyone know the simple ways they can help. A sense of pride washes over me, knowing that the city I now live in has a team that is so involved with something of this magnitude. I make a note to look into the other events and themed nights that were listed on the team’s website to learn more about how they help and even what I can get involved in once my contract with Greyson is up.

“Now, for the next hour, the adjacent ballrooms have been set up with tables that are filled with over a hundred donations. There are things like sunset kayaking tours, winery tours, and weekend getaways. We have paintings from local artists, gift cards to restaurants here in Tampa, and so much more. All proceeds from every single bid will go directly to the team at Strike Cancer Down. Once the hour is up, the night is over. Winners will be contacted via the information that is filled out over the next twenty-four hours, so there is no need to hang around.”

James pauses, casting a glance in our direction where the majority of his players are seated. “We have an early morning for the fishing tournament, so it’s best to be well rested.”

Laughter erupts from around me as James finishes up and announces to get to bidding.

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