Chapter 17

SEVENTEEN

Saylor

Having Stevie helping out at the shop has been a good thing. She's a quick learner, and all the years of modeling and acting make her perfect for sales. She knows how to smile, even when she doesn't want to, and seems to genuinely enjoy my art so I'm hopeful this works out. For both of us. Her continued sadness is almost palpable, and I hate what she's gone through, so this is a good distraction for her. She has the opportunity to talk to clients all day long, which I think is exactly what she needs.

Not that there's much to sell right now.

The gallery is embarrassingly bare.

My bank account is full, but people will lose interest if I don't have anything to put up on the walls sooner rather than later.

That's why Stevie and I started brainstorming about doing art classes. One for kids and one for adults. It's not about the money so much as keeping people interested and making the gallery look busy.

"I set up an online form on your website," Stevie says after she'd been at the gallery for a week.

I'd come in this morning to pick up mail and check on things, and to find her doing something on the computer. "And you've already got three people signed up for the adult class…" She pauses dramatically. "And eight for the kids' class!"

"Eight!" I gape at her. "Oh my God, Stevie, I thought this was hypothetical."

"Hypothetical? I told you I was doing the forms. They're six-week classes, just like we talked about, once a week. The kids' class is for ages ten to fifteen and starts in two weeks. The adult class starts next week."

"Only three people?" I ask, staring at the form she just pulled up, showing me the list of students.

"Of course, Bertie signed up." I shake my head fondly.

"I might take it too," she says quietly. "I need to keep busy and something creative might be beneficial. At least, that's what my therapist said. Yoga doesn't seem to be cutting it, but I'm trying."

"You've had a rough few months," I assure her. "You're doing great."

"My agent wants me to go back to work," she admits.

"And?"

She lifts one shoulder. "I don't know. The idea of going back to New York is terrifying. I guess I'd do something here if it came up, but so far, it's all either in New York or Europe, and I don't want to travel that far yet."

"You do what feels right," I say gently. "Don't push yourself unless you need the money."

She shakes her head. "No, I'm good in that department. That's probably the only area of my life I'm not struggling."

"Be grateful for that. Imagine if you were broke on top of everything else."

She makes a face. "Ugh."

"Anyway, so you took the lead on this project and now I have to come up with a class," I say, laughing.

"I also made the price a little higher than we talked about, but it didn't seem to deter anybody."

I eye her. "Who are you and what happened to sweet little Stevie?"

She blinks, as if startled, and then gives me a wry smile. "I guess they took her out along with my uterus. Sweet Stevie is gone forever. This new Stevie is hardcore."

I want to protest that she's perfect the way she is, but a customer has come in so that conversation has to wait.

"Are you going to the game tonight?" Stevie asks me once the customer is gone, since there's nothing for her to buy.

I hesitate.

I've tried not to let Canyon's disappearance upset me, but it's hard not to be offended that he basically ghosted me. We didn't have a commitment or anything, and I know he's got a lot going on, but he could have sent a text. A quick call. Just to check in. Even just to tell me he doesn't have time.

That's probably too much to ask for.

He doesn't owe me anything.

"I'll probably go but cut out early."

"Why?" She cocks her head. "Because of Canyon?"

"If he can't be bothered to send me a text, I'm not going to chase him."

"You're not chasing him; you're just living your life. Don't let a man dictate your social life. Your friends are all going. You're a season ticket holder. You shouldn't have to keep your distance because he turned out to be a dick."

I want to be offended by the name-calling, but he kind of is.

I'd heard from him once since the text canceling our date, and it had been another brief text simply saying he had a lot going on and would get in touch as soon as he had a chance. That had been a week ago and there had been crickets.

Of course, I have no idea what's happening with his situation. There have been a lot of rumors going around, but until I hear from him, I'm keeping an open mind.

"Look, we only hooked up a couple times," I say with a shrug. "He doesn't owe me anything."

"Seriously?" She glares at me. "When Damien was treating me that way, you guys jumped all over my shit."

I open my mouth but then close it, choosing my words carefully. "You and Damien were in a serious, committed relationship. Canyon and I had a couple of dates and slept together a couple of times. That's it. It's not the same."

"You're right." Stevie sighs. "I guess I'm a little overprotective of my friends now. After the way I was treated, I might hate all men. Just a bit."

I smile and give her a quick hug. "I totally get it. And having friends who worry about me is awesome. But really—Canyon isn't a bad guy here."

Maybe a little.

But I don't want my friends' group talking shit about him and it getting back to him. We have too many mutual friends and our paths will inevitably cross, which would make everything uncomfortable and that's the last thing I want.

Because I've just decided I'm going to the damn game.

And if Harper brings me down to the family lounge, well, he's just going to have to deal with it.

* * *

To my surprise, I get a text from Canyon late in the afternoon.

CANYON: Hey. I know I've gone radio silent—I apologize. It's been…a lot. It wasn't personal. I really want to see you, but getting my eleven-year-old niece settled has been all-encompassing. I have a lot to tell you. Are you coming to the game tonight?

SAYLOR: I'm almost always at the games unless I have to work.

CANYON: My niece will be with me—I have nowhere else to leave her until I find a nanny. It's a school night, but she doesn't start at her new school until next week, so I was thinking a group of us would go get some food after the game. You want to come? I really want to see you.

My gut squeezes with a combination of excitement and annoyance.

Excitement that he reached out.

Annoyance that I'll have to share him with the team and…his niece.

His niece.

Not his child. His niece .

For some reason, that makes me feel better.

Not that I would be angry that he'd unknowingly fathered a child sometime in the past. It just would have further complicated something that's already complicated.

How do you continue a friends-with-benefits arrangement with an eleven-year-old in the mix?

I should walk away.

This is more than I bargained for.

But I don't want to.

The memories of his lips on mine make me shiver with need.

My nether regions clench with arousal just thinking about him being inside me. His touch. The way it felt when he covered my body with his and rocked my world.

Incredible sex is apparently capable of making me less cautious. So my fingers type out a response even while my heart and mind continue to war about what to do.

SAYLOR: I'll come down to the lounge after and we can figure it out. I'm anxious to meet her.

CANYON: Well, don't say I didn't warn you. She's ornery as fuck.

SAYLOR: Just like her uncle?

CANYON: LOL She's ten times worse than me. And that's saying something.

SAYLOR: Damn. Well, I guess I'm going to find out. I'll see you later. Have a good game. Don't get hurt.

CANYON: Thanks, babe. I'll do my best. See you later.

I put my phone away and do a mental head shake.

What is it about this guy that makes me want to be stupid?

No-strings sex?

Sure.

Ghost me for a week?

Understandable.

Introduce me to his niece?

Why not?

Ugh.

He makes me feel like a teenager, all giddy because the cute boy at school is paying attention to me.

I'm not like this.

Even at thirty-one, I can date almost anyone. Great guys are hard to find, but dating in general isn't hard. Instead, deep down I'm holding out hope for the younger man who's been very honest about not being interested in a relationship.

I'm a dumbass who's going to get her heart broken.

I'm well aware of that, and yet, heading straight for the danger without even pausing to slow down.

I pull on my Phantoms jersey and slide my feet into a pair of low-heeled boots as I call for an Uber on my phone. I figure someone will bring me home, even though it probably won't be Canyon. His car is a two-seater, so I'll have to ride with someone else no matter what, but I'm not worried about it; Harper, Autumn, Bailey, and Stevie will all be there.

I grab my purse and step outside to wait for my ride.

Joel is just pulling up, and he waves as he gets out of his car.

"Hey! Going to the game?"

"Of course."

"Gina and I aren't big on sports, to be honest."

"Hockey's exciting," I say with a grin.

"Especially when you're dating someone on the team." His eyes gleam, and I can't tell if it's mischievous or somehow condescending.

What is he insinuating?

"I was a fan long before I met Canyon," I reply, keeping my tone neutral. "I've had season tickets for years and have watched hockey since I was a kid."

He must catch something in my voice because he quickly back pedals. "Oh, I didn't mean anything bad," he says quickly. "I'm just assuming it must be a lot more fun when you know people on the team."

"Of course it is. But I'm friends with the owner, so that started long before Canyon."

"Hey, honey!" Gina comes out her front door and calls to us. "Hi, Saylor!"

"Hey, Gina."

"Have fun at the game!" she says with a smile.

"Thank you."

Luckily, my Uber pulls up and I don't have to make small talk anymore.

They're fine as neighbors and tenants, but we've never been overly friendly. I've always felt keeping some distance makes it easier in case there are ever issues with payment or repairs. We've never had any problems, but it feels like they're friendlier than usual lately, and I can't help but wonder if it's because of Canyon.

Are they suddenly enamored with the idea of me dating a professional hockey player?

It doesn't make sense, this is all so new, but they've definitely been making more of an effort to talk the last few weeks, which coincides with my starting to spend time with Canyon.

"Going to the game?" The Uber driver asks as he pulls down the street.

It feels like I've answered this question a hundred times today.

"Yup." I nod politely and stare out the window as he rambles on about the last game he went to and what a big fan he was.

Hopefully, traffic will cooperate, and I won't be subjected to this much longer.