Page 97 of Beauty
The kid is incredible on the ice, but his hair has made him famous. It’s wild how often SportsCenter plays clips of him walking out of a game shaking his damn head.
Gavin chuckles, but Ezra’s not listening. He’s too focused on Sienna. “What do you think about his dangle?”
She grasps her right wrist and rubs her thumb over the inside of it, staring Ezra down. She doesn’t cower. I’ll give her that. “I’m unfamiliar with that term.”
The GM’s smarmy smile makes my hackles rise, so I jump in to play down her response. “That’s understandable. I doubt any of us could tell the difference between shantung and silk. We’ve all got our strengths.”
The moment Ezra chuckles and says, “Yeah, I definitely know nothing about fashion, so it’s in my best interest to stay outof the industry altogether,” my gut plummets, and I know I’ve fucked up.
Sienna offers a fake-ass smile. “Then I guess it’s a good thing no one hasaskedyou to, then. Now,” she says, straightening in her seat, “if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got to use the bathroom.”
Fuck.
Ezra gives us a halfhearted wave, then shuffles back to his seat.
Across from me, Gavin puts a hand on his sister’s forearm and lowers his head. “Just stick to the plan.”
She stands and crosses her arms, silently waiting for him to move out of her way.
I should go after her. Apologize. Fix this. Tell her the truth about Ollie.
But a plane full of our coworkers and peers is not the place.
Then again…I take in my son, who’s enraptured by the video game he’s playing, headphones on, then study Gavin.
As if he can sense that I’m itching to get up, he nods. “You can walk around. I’ve got him.”
I’m not sure he’d be so keen to offer his help if he knew that my goal was to seek out his sister.
Rather than allow the guilt to settle in my stomach, I stand and dip my chin, then stride for the back of the plane.
Halfway there, Aiden catches sight of me and lights up. “Miss us?”
I roll my eyes. “Yup. Couldn’t go five minutes without you.”
Brooks opens one eye. “Shh, sleepy time.”
I mimic zipping my lips and walk away, happy to be given an out to go wait for Sienna. Once again, not only is the universe helping me, but her own damn brothers are too.
The guys have all settled in, most sleeping or watching a movie, noise-canceling headphones in place. With as little downtime as we get, players tend to use flights like thisto recharge. Whereas the people up front, the coaches and managers and owners, use the time for business, going over lines, discussing trades, and in some cases, showboating.
Fuck, it guts me that I helped Ezra do just that.
The door to the bathroom swings open, and I use Sienna’s momentary surprise to my advantage and grasp her elbow, pulling her to the back galley and out of sight.
“What the hell are you doing?” she hisses.
I place my hand over my lips to quiet her.
Her eyes go murderous. “You going to try to kiss me again? Get my panties wet?” She scoffs. “I’m not interested. In case you couldn’t tell out there”—she flings an arm out—“I’m fighting for my job, and I’m failing at it. The last thing I need is for word to get out that I’ve slept with a player.”
“I just want to talk,” I urge. “I want to explain my history with Jen.”
She huffs, and I swear steam comes out of her ears. “I don’t care.”
She’s so freaking gorgeous, even when she’s pissed off and pushing me away.
But I can’t get lost in our chemistry. Not now. Not when I have important things to say.
