17. Sisterly Advice

17

Sisterly Advice

Maxime

My first night in the NHL was the best night of my life, yet somehow, also one of my worst. I didn't expect Hayley to turn me down after surprising me by showing up to the game and the after-party. I know she holds a pretty hard stance against dating, and trust doesn't come easy to her. But I thought she'd trust me enough to at least want to find out where this is going.

I longed to go after her and force her to talk to me, but the look in her eyes was pretty clear. At the time, I was too taken aback to move. So, I decided to give her some space.

I wanted to stay away. I tried. I really tried. But I just couldn't. I needed to talk to her. And when I read in that romance novel that girls like it when guys hint that they're thinking about them, I stopped holding back and texted her.

And as the texting went on, my mind relaxed. Messaging Hayley became part of my daily routine. Bantering with her via text, sharing lines of romance novels, and trying to channel that energy and swooniness. Because, yes, that's definitely a word. Hayley has used it so much since I've known her, it earned a spot in my vocabulary too.

Frankly, I want everything that has to do with Hayley. And hopefully, I've picked up a few tricks while reading. Those characters have a thing or two to teach us about relationships and romance.

I've now read six of Hayley's recommendations, and I'm greedy for more. Because believe it or not, I actually enjoy the books, and also because I receive the Hayley commentary afterwards.

Tomorrow morning is the bookstore's opening day, but there's no way I'll wait until then to see Hayley. As soon as we're dropped off at the arena following our away game, I walk to the store.

Alice and Hayley are both inside, arranging some books on a display table. I push the door open, and a little bell announces my presence. It looks so good now—scratch that, amazing—with all the shelves fully stocked. The charming space really gives off cozy vibes like Hayley intended. They hung up lights over the shelves and on the ladder. The reading area is inviting with cushions, blankets, and a fairly comfortable couch. There are flowers and plants placed all around the room, adding to the romantic atmosphere. Finally, on the desk near the checkout, I notice a selection of bookmarks, stickers, and even a few candles, each bearing the name of a trope.

"It looks great!" I say, taking everything in.

"Max, hey." Alice greets me with a hug, and Hayley just smiles.

I was wondering if this was going to be awkward or weird. Looks like I have my answer.

We chat about everything they've worked on, and they show me all the new additions while I give Mr. Darcy a round of cuddles. They had a last-minute problem with their payment processor, and Emma is apparently fighting a customer representative on the phone upstairs. Aside from that one hiccup, things seem to be going pretty well .

"I'll go check on Emz," Alice says. "I'm a little worried she'll burn the place to the ground. Maybe I'll make her some chamomile tea."

"Good idea," Hayley says with a chuckle. We both watch Alice exit the room, and once she's gone, we turn to each other. Silence settles between us, and I rub the back of my neck, trying to come up with something to say.

"So—" we both say at the same time.

She chuckles, and I revel in the sound.

"How were the road games?" she asks, wringing her hands.

"Good. Lost two. Won two. So, that's not too bad. We're off tomorrow, and then we're back on the road for two more games before the season officially kicks off." So far, I'm happy with my performance. Coach gave me some encouraging words yesterday, and I'm pretty sure I'll make the final roster. There's always a tiny risk that I won't, but I feel confident. Way more confident than I felt before our first game. I'm finding my footing with this team, and I know we can do great things.

She nods before looking away.

"Oh, I almost forgot," I say, rummaging in my back pocket. "I brought you this. Made it on the hotel computer this morning. "

My heart beats faster as I hand her the piece of paper. It's a quarter-page image of Belle sliding on the library ladder with a big red X over it.

Her eyes gleam, and she graces me with a soft laugh. "I love it. Thank you. This should discourage any Belles-in-the-making."

I glance to the left, above the desk, and notice the space is still empty. "So, I wanted to ask you something. There's a charity ball tomorrow evening for the children's hospital. Coach picks four players to represent the team at each of these events to show our support for the cause, and guess who got drafted?"

Her smile tightens, and she balances on her feet.

"As the rookie, I didn't have much hope of being left out. Not that I don't want to support the charity—I do. But it's not exactly my scene, you know? So, I was thinking," I mumble, shoving my hands in my pockets, "um, that maybe you'd like to come with me? Things are always more fun when we're together."

I initially intended to ask her tomorrow at the grand opening, taking advantage of the adrenaline rushing through her veins from a highly successful—I hope—first day. But I've missed her so much, and since I'm not sure we'll have one-on-one time again tomorrow, I decided to switch gears. Judging by the look on her face, I should have waited for that adrenaline boost.

"Oh, um, thanks for the invite, but that's not really my scene either. So, I don't think I can help you out."

My face falls, and so does my heart. "Oh yeah, no problem. I get it."

"Well, Emz hasn't set the place on fire. Yet," Alice says, entering the room. "We're cool. And it looks like the guy on the phone is being helpful."

"Good," Hayley and I both say.

Hayley clears her throat. "Well, I'm going to head upstairs. We're done here for tonight." She's clearly eager to get away from me, and I'm starting to think I really need some coaching on the whole dating thing, because I'm obviously a disaster. The more I try, the more she pushes me away. "Thanks for stopping by."

Alice follows Hayley out of the room with her gaze, and once she's out of view, she sets her eyes on me. She crosses her arms ready for a fight. "What are you doing?"

I frown, looking around. "I'm not doing anything."

"You've always been a terrible liar."

I scratch my head. "Fine. I like her, and I can't get her to date me."

" Pourquoi? Why do you like her? "

A snort-chuckle escapes me. "She's your best friend. You really don't know how amazing she is?"

She crosses her arms tighter. "Pourquoi , Max? I want to hear it from you."

I let out a frustrated growl. "Fine. No matter what I do, I can't get her out of my head. She's all I think about. She's drop-dead gorgeous, funny, kind-hearted, witty. Her smile is to die for, I love the way her eyes sparkle, and her entire body comes alive when she talks about books. Should I go on?"

"You've made your point. But what about hockey? This is your first year in the NHL. There will be a lot of pressure. You have to focus on your career."

"I know," I say, rubbing the back of my neck again. "And I'm not saying that dating during my first year won't be tough, but some of these guys have a family. I'm sure I can figure it out. I don't have a choice, Alice. I'm crazy about her. I need to do something."

"What about all the girls who'll come swarming at you after the games, huh? Why settle down with one person when you can have a different girl every night? It sure was your style before."

"What kind of a pig do you think I am?" Sure, I dated a few different girls in college. And yes, my hockey performance helped with that, but still. I was never the "different girl every night" kind of guy. "That's not me. I did have some fun in college, but Hayley's different. I can feel it."

She eyes me suspiciously. "Fine, but you'd better be absolutely sure."

I look her straight in the eyes. " Oui, je le suis. "

Alice's gaze softens. "She has a hard time opening up and trusting people—especially men. She's been with some serious douchebags in the past, so just take it slow, okay?"

"I've been taking it slow. But it doesn't seem to work. She keeps pushing me away."

"I heard you ask her out to the charity gala. That was lame, mon frère . You can't just approach it nonchalantly like that. You really have to show her how much you're into her."

I scratch my head. "Okay, maybe you're right. I'll regroup and think of a better way to ask her tomorrow."

She punches me lightly in the chest. "And if she's not ready, or you're too chicken to ask again, just play the friend card and be your goofy self. She actually spent some time with you when you were helping out with the store, right?"

"You have a point." Yeah, funny always works. Though for once, I'd love to pull a super swoony card. With that thought, an idea lights up in my brain. "Wait. If you're done for tonight, can you leave me the keys?"