Page 45 of Match Me If You Can (Chicago Stars 6)

“That book was a stinker,” Annabelle said. “I don’t know what Krystal was thinking of when she chose it.”

Heath’s ears pricked up. Annabelle and Phoebe were in a book club together? What other interesting secrets was she hiding from him?

Molly yawned and stretched. “I like Sharon’s idea of giving the guys a book of their own to read when we go on our retreat. Last year, whenever they weren’t in the lake or with us, they were rehashing old games. I don’t care what they say. That’s just got to get boring after a while.”

Every cell in Heath’s body went on full alert.

“Don’t let Darnell choose,” Phoebe said. “He’s hung up on Márquez now, and I can’t see the rest of the men getting too excited about One Hundred Years of Solitude.”

There was only one Darnell they could be talking about, and that was Darnell Pruitt, the Stars’ All Pro former offensive tackle. Heath’s mind raced. What kind of book club had Annabelle gotten herself involved in?

Even more important…Exactly how was he going to use this to his advantage?

Chapter Ten

Annabelle collected a few more paper plates, even though Phoebe had told her not to bother. She dreaded the idea of being closed up in the car with Heath for the ride home. Phoebe scooped a dab of pink icing from the mangled castle cake and popped it in her mouth. “Dan and I are both looking forward to the retreat at the campground. We love any excuse to go to Wind Lake. Molly definitely lucked out when she married a man with his own resort.”

“With training camp coming up, it’ll be the last break any of us have for a long time.” Molly turned to Annabelle. “I almost forgot. We had a cancellation on one of the cottages. You and Janine can share it, since you’re both singles, or would you rather keep your room at the B&B?”

Annabelle thought it over. Although she’d never been to the Wind Lake Campground, she knew it had both a Victorian bed-and-breakfast and a number of small cottages. “I guess I’d—”

“The cottage for sure,” Heath said. “Apparently Annabelle hasn’t gotten around to mentioning that she ordered me to go with her.”

Annabelle turned to stare at him.

Phoebe’s finger froze in the cake icing. “You’re coming on the retreat?”

Annabelle spotted a small pulse beating at the base of his neck. He loved this. She could expose him with only a few words, but he was an adrenaline junky, and he’d thrown the dice. “I’ve never been able to turn down a bet,” he said. “She thinks I can’t go an entire weekend without my cell.”

“You can barely make it through dinner,” Molly muttered.

“I’ll expect an apology from both of you after I’ve proved exactly how wrong you are.”

Molly’s and Phoebe’s expressions were equally quizzical as they turned to Annabelle. Her wounded pride demanded she punish him. Right now. She deserved her pound of flesh for the cold-blooded way he’d fired her.

An awkward pause fell. He watched her, waited, the pulse at the base of his neck marking the passing seconds.

“He’ll fold.” She forced a smile. “Everybody knows it but him.”

“Interesting.” Molly refrained from saying more, although Annabelle knew she wanted to.

Twenty minutes later, she and Heath were heading back toward the city, the silence in the car as thick as the castle cake’s pink frosting, but not nearly as sweet. He’d done better than she’d expected with the girls. He’d listened respectfully to Hannah’s concerns, and Pippi adored him. Annabelle had been surprised how many times she’d looked over to see him crouched down talking to her.

Heath finally broke the silence. “I’d already made up my mind to rehire you before I heard about the retreat.”

“Oh, I believe you,” she said, using sarcasm to hide her hurt.

“I mean it.”

“Whatever lets you sleep at night.”

“Okay, Annabelle. Unload. Get it all out. Everything you’ve been saving up all afternoon.”

“Unloading is the prerogative of equals. Lowly employees like myself pucker their lips and kiss the sweet spot.”

“You were out of line, and you know it. This thing with Phoebe never gets any better. I thought I might be able to change that.”

“Whatever.”

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