Page 22 of Pucking Your Best Friend

“Oh, God,” Dax groaned, reaching for his helmet. “Stop saying things like that. You’re fucking twenty-three. Every woman isn’t that many, in your brief lifespan! Besides, if you talk to women like you talk to us, you’ll smother any initial flame.”

“Guys,” Matt said, annoyed, “not that I don’t appreciate a nice fire metaphor, but like I said, we’re just friends. It’s not like…”

“Not at all?” Jack asked, raising his eyebrows. “So, you’ve never thought for a second during your friendship about what it would be like to sleep with her?”

Matt’s mouth went dry and he cleared his throat. “No,” he lied.

Although, actually, it wasn’t really a lie. He’d never thought about sex with Maddie during their friendship. Only once, at the beginning, when he met her. When they weren’t friends yet. When he’d believed Maddie was hitting on him, when it turned out all she wanted was for him to carry a bench for her.

That didn’t really count. It wasn’t his fault that his thoughts had wandered into naked territory when Lucy had introduced her to him. Maddie had been funny. And kind. And she hadn’t said yes and amen to everything he said and did, like the groupies. Plus, she’d saved him from a few overly zealous fans and allowed him to have a normal life.

Those were attractive qualities. And it didn’t hurt that she had big, brown Bambi eyes and the broadest, most liberating smile he’d ever seen.Unremarkablemy ass. And her skin was soft and her whole charisma…

Well, it didn’t matter. He’d thought at the time that Maddie felt similarly attracted to him — apparently, he’d been wrong. That happened when his radar wasn’t working properly. It had actually been a rather embarrassing experience for him, except that Maddie had never made him feel ashamed of trying to kiss her. She’d drawn the line quickly and in the end, it was a good thing that she hadn’t been interested, because she’d become his damn best friend and he didn’t want to miss out on that. There was no sexual tension between them; he never even thought that something could happen. So, the sex component wasn’t even up for debate. If it had been, then… Oh, it wasn’t worth worrying about, because it wasn’t.

“She’s a friend, nothing more,” he repeated calmly. “She doesn’t think of me in that way and I don’t think that way about her. That’s why there isn’t a problem.”

“Famous last words,” Leon muttered.

Oh, the kid had no idea. “Yeah, that reminds me,” Matt said slowly, “Maddie wanted me to ask you guys if anyone was looking for a long-term relationship and wanted to be her client. She runs a dating agency down at the Santa Monica Pier and could use the publicity. So, if anyone is seeking true love…”

One by one, the players made a face as if Matt had suggested they use their favorite puck as a bookmark.

“Yeah, I thought so. But make sure if you see her, tell her I asked!”

The others grumbled their agreement as the door flew open and Coach Parker Gray entered. “What the hell are you still doing in here? The game is about to start. You need to warm up! The others are already on the ice.”

“Sorry. Had something to talk about with Matt,” Dax said, straightening up. “We’re ready now.”

Gray frowned and looked at Matt. “Is this about Maddie moving in with you? Seriously, Payne, do you think that’s a good idea?”

Matt groaned. Yep. Dax had toldeveryone.

Chapter 5

“I don’t know if it’s a good idea, but it was the only one I had,” Maddie said with a shrug as she studied the green and red numbers on the screen in front of her. “Lucy doesn’t have a guest room and your fancy tiny house doesn’t either, right? And I’d rather sleep on the beach than move back in with my dad.”

“I guess you’re right.” Hailey leaned back in her chair and rolled her neck. They had been sitting here for five hours, going over their income and expenses to create a battle plan to save Match Me! It was not only tough on their minds and nerves but on their bodies. “It’s also a great way to save money. You don’t pay rent, do you?”

“True,” she admitted. She briefly considered offering it to Matt — but the guy was so rich that it would be rather silly, and he would find it insulting. “Speaking of money, how exactly did we switch topics? Weren’t we about to calculate our chances of survival?” She tapped the computer screen.

“Well, I just meant that we’re unlucky at the moment and then you mentioned your apartment flooded…”

“Oh, yeah, I remember,” she said grumpily. “Never mind. You were about to say what we’re doing wrong according to the numbers?”

Hailey sighed and pursed her lips. “Okay. I’ve drawn up some graphs and gone through the finances step by step and our website is performing okay,” she said slowly, grabbing Eggsy from the floor to put her on her lap. She was a cuddly chicken — and Hailey was a cuddly person. “Not great, but at least some money is coming in. So, that side of our plan is okay. Our problem is the other side. We need exclusive clients that we look after personally. Preferably filthy rich. I mean that was your plan, wasn’t it? In particular, high-end clients who can’t usean app without ending up with a stalker? Otherwise, there’s no reason to keep this office. Actually, we should quit and continue from home…”

Maddie sighed heavily. She knew that. It would be the next logical step. However, they would never get another prime location for so little money again and Maddie had this vision…a vision of people who were tired of apps or were famous and couldn’t use them, and who welcomed the personal touch. She had wanted to give everyone the opportunity to find their true love without having to endure bitter disappointments like…well, like she did. “I don’t want to give up just yet.”

“Good, me neither,” Hailey said, relieved. “So, how do we get a famous client? Couldn’t you…”

“I already tried,” Maddie interrupted. “I begged Matt to become a client. Or even just to play one. He said no and looked at me like I’d lost my mind. Like you are right now.”

“I just look this way because I can’t believe he said no. He should totally step in. Who knows, maybe we’ll find the love of his life!”

“I said that, too! But he sounded like it wasn’t important.”

“Not important towhom?” Hailey asked incredulously.

---