Chapter Forty-Three

Natalie glanced at Raquel, who was pointedly not looking at Darcy. If neither of them was going to say anything, she would. “I’m so glad you could be here to offer suggestions on our show. We’re always looking for ways to improve. Darcy, didn’t your dad have to get his knee replaced? I’m not sure how he’d do trying out all the sports with us.” Natalie hoped her smile was big enough to cover the way her brain was repeating “fuck you” in her head.

Darcy gave Natalie a relieved smile that seemed to break whatever freeze she was in. “That’s right. I’m sure he’d be flattered that you thought of him, but his doctor would probably kill him if he tried half the stuff Raquel has us doing.” Her smile for the group was wide but lacking any real warmth.

Natalie knew that smile. It meant she was ready to kill someone. If she gave you that look before practice you were toast, and if you saw it before a game you were glad to be on her team. Natalie excused them and led Darcy toward the buffet table.

“You okay?”

Darcy smiled for anyone who might be watching them but Natalie knew it was fake. “Of course, why wouldn’t I be?”

Natalie handed her a small plate so it wouldn’t look like they disappeared to gossip. “That guy was out of line. No one wishes your dad was doing the show instead of you.” She leaned closer. “I certainly don’t. I like your dad but can you imagine if they asked me to flirt with him? Ew.”

Darcy laughed so hard it surprised both of them. After a moment, Darcy wiped her eyes with the corner of her napkin. “Thank you for that back there. You didn’t have to stick up for me.”

“Sure I did. You’re my teammate. And besides, that guy’s a dumbass.”

Darcy selected some food from the table and then waited for Natalie to do the same. “I know people think of my dad when they hear my last name. I get it. But...”

“It sucks,” Natalie said.

“My dad’s career will always be bigger than mine, you know?”

Natalie nodded. “That guy may think of your dad but those women were excited to see you. Neither of them gave a shit that your dad played in the NHL. They’re your fans.”

Darcy gave a weak smile and looked back at the group they’d just left. “Thanks. Although the brunette seemed particularly enamored with you.”

Natalie looked over at the group and caught the eye of one of the women. She turned back to Darcy with a wicked smile. “Can’t help it. I’m too irresistible for my own good. Straight middle-aged ladies fucking love me.”

“Is that who you’ve been dating since college, a bunch of middle-aged straight ladies?” Her tone was playful but Natalie could hear the hint of concern underneath it.

She took a sip of her wine. “Nah. Haven’t dated anyone seriously in a long time.”

Since you broke my heart.

“I like to keep my options open.” She sounded like an asshole. But that was fine. Darcy didn’t need to know the entire truth. Natalie could feed her enough to sound sincere without revealing that she’d avoided letting anyone get close to her since college. One broken heart was plenty. She had no desire to risk that much hurt again.

Better to have Darcy think she was a player than pathetic.

Natalie heard the announcer’s voice booming through the arena. They walked toward the glass at the front of the box to watch the player introductions. Natalie focused on covering up her feelings. She expected this hurt but it was worse than she imagined.

The starting lineups skated to the blue lines, followed by the rest of the teams. She could feel Darcy staring at her but forced herself to keep her eyes on the ice. She was supposed to be down there, standing at center ice, not up in the rafters with a bunch of rich assholes who bought their way in.

“It gets easier,” Darcy whispered.

“Easy for you to say, you decided when to quit.” Natalie’s words came out sounding more sad than bitter.

Darcy shrugged. “True, but everyone assumed I got my spot because of my dad in the first place.”

Natalie turned to face her and cracked up. “No one ever really thought that.” She shook her head. “You really think anyone who knows anything about hockey actually thinks you didn’t earn your way onto the team?”

Darcy looked surprised. “How many times have you called me a princess?”

Natalie laughed. “Oh, a thousand times. And you one hundred percent deserved it! But once I met you, there was no way I ever thought you didn’t deserve to be on the ice.” She watched Darcy’s face soften. “But that wasn’t going to stop me from giving you shit.”

Darcy hid her smile behind her glass and took a sip. “God, you’re a pain.” Her words may have been teasing but her tone told a different story.

Natalie finished her drink. “Come on, I’ll buy you another and you can tell me about your sad-sack love life.”

Darcy followed her to the bar. “Who says my love life is sad?”

Natalie pointed to the wine bottle and gave the bartender their glasses. “Okay, fine. Wow me with the serious girlfriend you have and tell me tales of all your adventures.”

Darcy took the now full glass. “You are such an asshole.”

“I’m not and that’s why you like me so much.” She clinked her glass against Darcy’s. “To two sad-sack retired hockey players.”

“Cheers,” Darcy said, her eyes locked on Natalie’s.

Maybe the wine was working too much, but Natalie was overwhelmed with the desire to kiss Darcy. Not in this room full of people, obviously. But her entire body warmed at the thought. Before her thoughts could get any more interesting, Raquel appeared with another man, this one a bit younger and fitter than the last group.

“Natalie, Darcy, I’d like you to meet Todd Johnson. Todd works for All Sports Network.”

Natalie and Darcy shook his hand in turn. “Nice to meet you, Todd.”

Todd smiled, his teeth aggressively white. “Likewise. You two have quite a thing going on Wake Up, USA .” His tone was friendly, but Natalie caught a hint of something else. “You girls sure look like you’re having fun, together, on-screen.”

There it was. He was practically leering at them over the thought that they were more than colleagues. What was it with dudes and lesbians? Natalie tried to keep her face neutral, but by the way Darcy jumped in, she must have been failing.

Darcy tucked her arm into Natalie’s. “We’ve known each other for a long time and we always have a good time together.”

His eyes lingered on Darcy’s arm and the spot where their hips touched. “I’ll bet you do.” The look on his face made Natalie’s skin crawl.

She opened her mouth but closed it when she felt Darcy’s fingers press into her forearm like a warning. “So nice to meet you, Todd. Excuse us, we’re going to try to catch a little of the game.” Darcy practically ripped Nat’s shoulder out of the socket dragging her away from Todd and his disgusting smirk.

“Oh my god, what a fucking creep,” Natalie said into her glass when they were far enough away not to be overheard.

“I was pretty worried you might throw him through the window.”

Natalie considered it. “Not the worst idea you’ve ever had. But it would probably cost us our jobs. Thanks for keeping me from getting us both fired.” The action on the ice continued without her really seeing it. She turned to Darcy and found her staring back at her.

Natalie’s eyes followed the line of Darcy’s shirt collar down to the deepest spot of its V. There was the slightest hint of cleavage but it was enough for Natalie’s heartbeat to accelerate. Darcy caught her looking and quirked an eyebrow. As if it were connected to the corner of her mouth with an invisible string, her mouth followed in a similar arch at the corner. Natalie wondered what those lips would taste like and was overcome with desire to get the hell out of the suite and back to the hotel.

“How long do you think we have to stay here?” Darcy asked, her voice raspy.

Natalie looked around the room for Raquel. She found her talking to yet another group of bigwigs. “We’ve only been here for like an hour. I think she’ll kill us if we leave now.”

Darcy huffed out a breath. “Fine. But I want to be out of here by the end of the second period.” She fixed her eyes on Natalie. “We have to be up early tomorrow.”

Natalie shrugged. “If we leave then, we’ll be in bed before eleven. It will be rough but not too...” Darcy’s eyes moved to Natalie’s lips and Natalie understood what Darcy wasn’t saying. “Oh.” She swallowed but it did nothing to stop the wave of devastating desire flooding through her veins. “Right. You’re right. We need to be sure we don’t stay out too late. We gotta be fresh for the morning.”

Oh fuck. Staying here, talking to all these people, was going to be impossible. All she could think about was stripping off every piece of impeccably tailored clothing Darcy had on and running her tongue over every square inch of her body. Instead, she drained the last sip of her wine.

“Thirsty?” Darcy said, biting her lower lip.

“You have no idea.”