Page 98 of Over the Moon

“Ack! Why do they print this crap?” Emilia grumped. “I’m sorry, Ells.”

“You don’t have anything to be sorry for. You didn’t write it.” I sipped my bubbly. “Well, it makes sense why Oscar snipped atme when I came in. I’m sure he didn’t appreciate the dig about the menu,” Emilia laughed.

“Well, then he should take it up with your parents, not you,” Henley said. “And the good news is, no one suspects anything with you and Clark.”

“Yeah. That’s a relief. But also, it’s super awkward that they’d insinuate that about Sebastian. He’s the owner of the team that I work for. Talk about a power imbalance right there.” I shook my head in disbelief. “I don’t know why everyone thinks he was interested in me that way. Clark has been over-the-top ridiculous about it, and now this. I didn’t get that vibe from him. I think he’s just a super flirty guy.”

“Girl,” Lulu said, as she set her mimosa down and quirked a brow. “That man might be flirty by nature, but he was definitely looking at you like he wanted to see you naked.”

The table erupted in laughter.

“I noticed it when you came by the flower shop. He just stared at you when you were talking to me,” Emilia said.

“I could feel Clark’s irritation during dinner. I mean, even though I had whiskey oozing out my pores because I drank so much, I noticed all of it. And Sebastian Wayburn is definitely interested in you, and it’s not in a professional way.” Henley waggled her brows.

“Well, I didn’t notice it, and hopefully, I don’t see him very often when we go back.”

“Speaking of that… You’re down to ten days until you guys head back to the city. How is this all going to play out?” Lulu asked.

I fidgeted with my napkin.

“I just don’t know. I thought it would fizzle. I actually hoped we would not be into it and lose interest, if I’m being honest. But it hasn’t. It’s good. No, it’s great. It’s the worst-case scenario.” Icovered my eyes with my hand because the stress was definitely getting to me.

“Why is it the worst-case scenario? You like him. He likes you. You can keep it between the two of you and just see where it goes.” Emilia squeezed my hand.

“I didn’t expect to like him this much,” I whispered. “And there is no way this works when we leave here. I cannot date a player on the team.”

“Listen, I went through something similar with Rafe. I moved to Paris, and we called it done. We couldn’t date and live on opposite sides of the world. Yet here we are. It all somehow worked out,” Lulu said, her eyes filled with empathy.

“But you guys made it work because he moved to be with you, and then eventually, you both came back here.” I shrugged. “We live in the same city. We work for the same team. I would lose my job, which would mean disappointing my father and moving to a new city for a new job, if anyone would even hire me after a scandal like this. Clark’s name is one of the biggest names in professional hockey right now. This would be big news. My reputation as a professional in this industry would be ruined.”

“Why couldn’t you fall for an unknown, unimpressive player?” Emilia teased.

“I mean, the owner of the team is clearly hitting on you. How would that be okay and this be a problem?” Henley asked.

“I don’t think he was actually hitting on me. But that wouldn’t be okay either,” I said.

“I’m sure he’d make it okay and bend the rules if he wanted to. He owns the team. He makes the rules.” Lulu arched a brow. “Maybe they could do that for you and Clark.”

I shook my head. “I don’t think so. It would be bad, and we both know it. I feel like a black cloud is hanging over my head, reminding me that there is an expiration date soon. And I’m not ready for it to end.”

“Listen, speaking as someone who had a workplace romance with my mentor, at a company owned by my father, it will all work out the way it’s meant to. Just enjoy these last few days, and when you go back, you can keep it a secret for a few months and see how things are once you’re back in the city. Back in your regular lives. If the feelings are still there, then you come up with a plan,” Henley said.

“That’s a good idea. And Clark might just want to call it done when we leave here. He’s got his superfans back in the city, and he’ll be getting a lot of attention. He might be over this quickly.” I reached for my drink because I needed a distraction.

The thought made me sick to my stomach.

I knew in my gut that this wouldn’t end well.

And my heart ached at the thought because I never wanted it to end.

twenty-three

. . .

Clark

“I love comingto Uncle Clark’s house because that’s where I get my big muscles. The ladies love the muscles,” Cutler said, and I barked out a laugh.

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