44. Darcy

CHAPTER 44

DARCY

A few days later, I'm on my way to Georgia's office at the arena when I hear my name behind me.

"Hi, Darcy." Coach Tate Ward strides at a leisurely pace to catch up to me. He gives me a friendly smile, his eyes crinkling.

"Hi." I blink at him, ready for him to keep passing, but he stops and continues to give me a look I sense is meant to make me feel comfortable.

"Do you have a moment?"

I peer down the hall to where Georgia's office is. I'm a few minutes early. "Yes?"

How does he even know who I am?

"Good." He gestures for me to follow him back the way he came. "Let's chat in my office." At my hesitant expression, he grins. "It won't take long. Dr. Greene mentioned you're going for lunch, so I won't keep you."

My mind flashes to the games this week and how the power play suggestions I made are working for them. They weren't supposed to say it was my suggestion. Who the fuck am I? Just some random girl goofing around on her computer. And now Ward is about to put me in my place .

A cold knot of worry forms in my stomach as I follow him like I'm going to the principal's office.

It's going to be like getting fired all over again. I can't go to games and sit in the front row after this.

He holds the glass door to his office open and waves me inside. "You're an analyst for Eckhart-Foster, right?"

"Yep." I take a seat at one of the club chairs across from his desk, heart starting to pound.

"And a degree in statistics from the University of British Columbia." He sits and regards me with a thoughtful expression. On his desk, there's a framed photo of a little girl with a big smile and pigtails sticking out the sides of her head. "Dean's list."

I swallow hard. How does he know all this? Is he going to sue me or something? "You did your research."

His eyes warm. "That makes two of us. Tell me more about these analytical models."

The best policy is to be as upfront as possible, I think. "They're just for fun, and I told that to the guys. It's all public information from the league's website and data from games. Nothing proprietary. I'm not making a profit off it or selling it or sharing it with anyone else." My face burns, and I want to sink into the floor. "It was never meant to be used. It's just something I tinker with on my laptop. I like using historical data to see if I can predict the future. I never meant for anyone to find out. I told them it hasn't been checked."

Ward's silent as he waits for me to finish.

"I'm really sorry," I add, pulling my gaze to my hands in my lap.

"Why?"

"Because I'm no expert, yet I'm messing around with people's lives and I have no fucking clue what I'm doing. "

He frowns with concern. "It sounds like you do know what you're doing. It sounds like you are an expert."

Is this a joke? We stare at each other, him with a strange expression I can't read, his mouth tipping up into an amused smile.

"I don't follow."

"Come work for the team."

I stare at him for a long stretch of silence. "What?" I finally ask.

He chuckles. "I would love for you to join the Vancouver Storm's analytics department."

I blink again. "Why?"

He smiles. "Because, Darcy, not only are you clearly intelligent and talented, but doing something like this for free and for fun means your heart's in it, and that's an important part of the team I'm building."

I imagine it—working for the team as an analyst and playing with my hockey models every day. Working for Ward already seems so much better than my current boss, who cares more about profits than his employees. I see why Hayden and the guys like this man so much.

And it would be fun, working with hockey stats all day, discovering new patterns in the data.

"Our analytics department consists of three retired hockey players," Ward continues. "No one with your analytical experience. You'd be a huge asset to the team." His dark eyebrows go up. "We could really use you. They're really eager to get you on board."

"I'd be the only stats analyst?"

"Yep." He lists off a generous salary number, but I barely hear it.

"So everyone would rely on my numbers?" Being the only analyst is the exact opposite of what I want. The pressure would be tenfold.

He arches an eyebrow. "The analytics department works as a team."

"But no one could check my numbers." The pressure drops onto my chest like a weight, and it's hard to take a full breath.

Ward opens his mouth to say something, but I'm already on my feet.

"I already have a job." My shaky smile is polite but firm. "But thank you. I really appreciate it."

He studies me like I'm something curious before nodding once. "Alright. If you change your mind, you know where to find me. The door's always open."

"You bet," I tell him, knowing full well I won't be walking through that door again.

Before heading out for lunch, Georgia and I stop by the rink, where the guys are taking a break during practice. She talks with one of the players on the bench about something. Hayden chats with Alexei and Rory on the ice. When he spots me, he skates over wearing a tight smile.

Memories of the other night with him and the toy wash over me, and goosebumps scatter down my arms. I've never come so hard.

When I made a move to touch him after, he stopped me. Because we're not in a relationship. He was just helping me.

"Hey." He skates to a stop in front of me on the ice, eyes moving over me with curiosity.

We haven't talked about what happened, but I'm trying to act normal to show him that I'm not getting clingy .

"Georgia and I are getting lunch and she needed to drop a prescription off," I explain, glancing over at her a few feet away.

"Sure." He nods before his gaze comes back to me. "How's your day?"

"Good. You?"

He nods again, giving me a small smile. "Good."

I think about how nice it felt to wake up next to him the other morning and how well rested I was after sleeping against him all night.

I chew my bottom lip. "Ward offered me a job."

His eyes widen and a proud smile spreads across his features. "He did? That's great, Darce."

"I'm not taking it, of course."

"Why not?" He leans on the boards, focused on me, and my stomach dips. His attention is so intoxicating.

"I just…" I don't want to bring up the past again. "I don't think it's right for me."

Hayden's lips part like he wants to argue, but Alexei skates to a stop beside us.

"Darcy." He dips his chin in greeting, and I relax at the interruption.

"Hi." I give him a quick smile.

"Alright, ready to go. Thanks for waiting," Georgia says at my side before her gaze lands on Alexei. "Oh. You again."

He arches a scarred eyebrow at her. "Is there a reason I wouldn't be attending a regularly scheduled practice?"

She lifts a casual shoulder. "I figured you need more rest than the other players."

The look he shoots her is downright icy before he turns his attention to me. "I'd like to talk to Darcy in private for a moment."

At his side, Hayden's nostrils flare. I don't think I've ever seen that happen. "Why?"

Alexei holds his gaze, and there's a weird tension between them. "There's something I want to ask her."

Hayden's jaw tightens. "I don't see why you can't ask her in front of me."

The guys stare at each other for what feels like an eternity. Georgia and I exchange a bemused glance.

"Fine." Alexei turns to me, and while I wouldn't call his expression a smile, it does soften, like he's making an effort not to intimidate me. He clears his throat. "Darcy, I think we should go out."

There's a stretch of tense silence, and for the second time today, I wonder if I heard right. Georgia lets out a sharp bark of laughter while Hayden glares daggers at Alexei.

"On a date?" I repeat.

"On a date," Alexei confirms, keeping his gaze on my face.

My lips part in surprise, and I stare up at him.

I've always liked Alexei. On the ice, he's fiercely protective of his teammates, but I've never seen an ounce of that male aggression outside of hockey. His demeanor is quiet, watchful, and strong, like a giant fir tree. Beneath his towering exterior and the hard lines of his face, I know he's actually kind, quiet, and loyal to his friends.

I might have told Georgia that Alexei was hot in a scary way, but I don't have romantic feelings for him. I glance at Hayden, but his tight expression gives me nothing.

Again, I think about what we did the other night and how good it felt to wake up with him.

Never get attached, the player rules say. I think I'm starting to, but I don't want Hayden to know that.

Besides, practicing with other people is the logical next step. I can't just go on dates with my wingman forever. That'll only end badly .

"I'm not looking for anything serious," I tell Alexei, meeting his eyes.

"Neither am I."

Georgia mutters something at my side that I can't hear, and Hayden is still as a statue, watching us.

"Okay." I nod at Alexei. "Let's go on a date."

Hayden stiffens and his gaze whips to me. "You don't have to go out with him if you don't want to."

"I know." I give him a reassuring smile to show him I don't feel threatened or intimidated by Alexei. "I'm looking forward to it."

Hayden sucks in a tight breath, and something flashes in his eyes that makes my heart beat harder. It's the same dominance I saw the other night, when he teased me with the toy.

"Let's make it a double date," he says, standing taller.

"You sure you want to do that?" Alexei asks him.

"Positive," Hayden bites out. He glances to Georgia. "Georgia? You want to go on a date?"

Alexei's eyebrows snap together. "It's a conflict of interest."

"She's not my doctor," Hayden shoots back. The players are divided up between the two team doctors. "And she's not yours either. Right, Georgia?" Hayden asks her. "It's not a conflict of interest for you to go out, because none of us are your patients."

Everyone goes quiet, waiting for her response.

"I should say no to this drama," she mutters to me, "but I also feel like it could get interesting." She gives me a sidelong look. "What do you think?"

I don't think she has any romantic interest in Hayden, but there's still a hard little kernel in my stomach at the idea of it. He's not mine, though. "I think it'll be fun."

She smiles at me. "Great." To Hayden, she nods. "You're on, Owens. "

"Great." He glances at me.

Alexei glances between us, expression unreadable. "Great."

"Great," I say, unsure of what just happened.