Page 26 of Cross-Checked

So while I’m not necessarily spilling any ofmysecrets, it’s nice to spend time with a group of women where I feel like, maybe, in the future, that could be a possibility.

Chapter Twelve

McCabe

Ishow up at AJ’s office the next morning with my metaphorical tail between my legs. I had a good amount of time last night—while Abby was up and fussing because her top front teeth are coming in—to think about my interaction with AJ in the hallway.

Once the infant acetaminophen kicked in, and I’d fed her a bottle and rocked her long enough, Abby fell back asleep. I wish I had as well, but my mind was spinning, wondering why I escalate every conversation with AJ into a fight. Especially after she’d done me such a big favor, and then acted so graciously about it in front of the press. She could have easily turned it back on me, about how I’d been unprepared to play or didn’t do a good enough job lining up childcare for my daughter. But she didn’t.

She’s the consummate professional, always level-headed, impossible to rile. She faces screaming ex-husbands and irate hockey players with the same cool indifference. Maybe I just want to see her have some fucking emotions?

“Come in.” Her voice has the same low, no-nonsense tone it always does. It makes me wonder if she’s ever squealed in joywith her girlfriends, or what it sounds like when she drops her voice even lower...I bet it sounds downright sensual.

Fuck me. It’s been years since I’ve thought about her this way. Seeing her with my kid, and her doing me one favor, shouldn’t have me feeling like this—like I can’t wait to see her, and don’t want to see her, all at once.

“Hey,” I say, pushing the door open. AJ’s sitting at her desk in a pale peach wrap sweater that almost blends in with her skin, her dark hair down in waves that fall past her shoulders.

“Where’s Abby?” she asks, clearly confused that I’ve shown up without my daughter after firing my nanny.

“She fell asleep in the car.”

AJ tilts her head like she’s trying to figure out if I left her there.

“Relax,” I say as I shut the door behind me. “I put her car seat in the stroller and she’s right outside the door, sitting next to Colleen.”

“Ahh,” she says with a knowing smile. “Good luck getting Abby back. Colleen has total baby fever right now.”

“Baby fever?”

“You know,” AJ says, sweeping her hand through the air, “like she really wants a baby. Pretty sure I’m going to lose her as soon as that happens, actually.”

I take a few steps toward her desk right as she stands and starts to move toward the chairs and couch next to the full glass wall that overlooks the practice facility.

We both glance over at the seating area, which I’ve always thought is far too feminine for a GM’s office. There’s a big off-white sofa with a coffee table in front of it, and two chairs flanking that, facing each other. There are throw pillows and decorations on the table, and it’s like something you’d see in a home magazine.

“I wanted to talk to you about—” AJ starts.

“I’m sorry about last night,” I say at the same time.

Her eyebrows dip and she looks like she’s sizing me up, trying to find the lie. “You are?”

“Yeah. I was out of line.”

“You were.” Her voice is firm, but then she drops it lower, and with a defeated-sounding sigh, says, “I don’t like doing this with you.”

I don’t know why I take a step closer. I should be keeping my distance, but somehow, I’m continually drawn to her. Like the other night on the plane, where it took everything I had to close my eyes and pretend to sleep when all I wanted to do was lean closer and ask if it was actually an accident that she moved across the hall from me. I know it had to be—she’d never have intentionally put herself in a situation where she was living next to one of her players. But my damn mind was getting the best of me, so I had to shut that down, quick.

Hating her is the only safe route.

“Doing what?” My voice is as low as hers, but whereas hers sounds downright sexy, I just sound gruff.

“Fighting with you. It’s like you try anything and everything to piss me off.”

“I’m nottryingto piss you off. I can’t help it—you’re infuriating, and I just react.”

Eyes narrowing, she puts her hands on her hips. “Really? Because honestly, Ronan, everyone else likes me just fine. It’s only you who has a problem with me.”

I make sure not to speak any louder when I say, “Yeah, well, you didn’t trade anyone else as a punishment for doing the right thing, did you?”

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