Page 74 of Rebel Bride
“And today I know you a bit better. And tomorrow I’ll know you a little more. And the only way that’s going to happen, properly, is if we continue to get to know each other. But I understand that this is a confusing time for you. You need time to think. To figure out your game plan.” He took one of my hands and placed it against his chest. His heartbeat thrummed under my fingertips, vital and life-affirming. “Let me tell you mine. You. You’re my end game here.”
My pulse hammered wildly. I couldn’t think straight around this man. It had always been like this. He confused the hell out of me with his coldness one minute, and his intense, scorching heat the next. I was a bird in the vortex, buffeted by the wind, trying like hell to survive.
I resolved to stay firm, though part of me wanted to surrender.
“I need to sort things out.”
“Got it.” He still held my hand, and the sight of his big one around my smaller one did strange things to me—as if I needed more strangeness! Raising my hand to his lips, he pressed a sweet kiss to my thundering pulse.
Not. Helping.
“I should go.” Before I cave to the shelter of you.
I wouldn’t say “see you later” because the look on his face made it clear.
Later was just a heartbeat away.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Summer
* * *
Ryder Calloway was a very handsome man. Close to forty, he was young to be a general manager, but the Chicago Rebels had a history of taking chances on newer talent both on and off the ice. He had been in this role for three years, and the most recent season saw the Rebels get to the Cup finals. He must have been doing something right.
Today, he sat behind a large oak desk, the perfect picture of the franchise executive. I had known him in a professional capacity as his assistant for the last two years, and the day I quit my job was sadder than the day I jilted my fiancé.
At this point, the red flags were practically slapping me in the face.
“I’m glad you’re safe, Summer. You had us worried.”
“I’m sorry about that. I wasn’t exactly thinking straight.”
He waved it off. “You don’t owe me or anyone here an explanation. So how are you? Really.”
“I’m … figuring stuff out. Dash and I still need to talk properly, but until that happens, I’d like to get my life back on an even keel. Getting a job is number one on the list.”
He nodded, tapped the desk. “Well, as you know, we’ve filled your position.”
“Right. I was hoping to be considered for an internship, maybe in scouting. For the last year, I’ve been creating asset packages and reports of franchise prospects?—”
“You have? I know you’ve done some of the slide decks for the talent meetings, and your work has always been excellent. Which reports are we talking about?”
“This was on my own time. I gave them to Scott Kincaid. Creating a portfolio, if you will.”
He frowned. “Why didn’t you talk to me about them?”
“I mentioned the idea to you once and you didn’t seem all that interested. One day I was talking to Scott, and he said he’d love to see what I had to offer.”
He took a moment. “I wish you’d come to me, Summer. I know you said you had, but maybe you caught me on a bad day because I don’t recall.”
“I didn’t want to nag you about it. Scott was kind enough to offer to read them.”
He didn’t look pleased. I should have run it by him, at the very least clued him in that I was providing this data for Scott. Now it looked like I’d gone behind his back.
“Be that as it may, Summer, I’m not sure we can offer you a position here, internship or otherwise.”
My heart sank. “Because of Dash?”
