I really needed that, thank you. I can’t wait to see you, and your cupcakes.

He couldn’t help but laugh out loud when her text came back, despite the looks from Koey.

I’m not really sure if you are talking about my cupcakes in a dirty sense or not.

Tate bit his lip, his body becoming hotter by the second as he typed back quickly.

It would have been dirty if I asked to eat them off you. Jeez, get your mind out the gutter.

After reading her next text, he was left hiding a hard on.

So asking if you want to would be totally inappropriate, huh?

Tate internally groaned as he typed her back.

You are asking for it.

Asking for what?

You’ll see when I get home, love. It’s been a long week without you.

And it had been. Exiting the team plane, he had come straight to Elli’s office for their meeting, which meant he hadn’t seen Audrey in person, touched her face, or felt her lips in six days. Their nightly chat on Skype wasn’t enough. He missed her. Bad. It was fun getting to know her and watching their shows over the computer together. But he’d much rather have her in his arms. When her text came back, he smiled as he read it slowly.

Seriously, I. Can. Not. Wait.

Just as he was about to text back that he couldn’t wait either, the office door opened and Elli came out with a grin on her face. Tate didn’t know why he always felt impending doom when he had to meet with his boss but he did. He admired her, thought she was gorgeous but she scared the shit out of him. He felt as if Shea Adler was going to appear suddenly and gauge out Tate’s eyes with the butt of his hockey stick every time Elli was around. It was a scary thought, so most of the time because Elli was so beautiful, Tate looked at the ground.

“Janet, hold my calls, please,” Elli said to her assistant before she grinned over at Tate and Koey. “Gentlemen, please come on in.”

Both men nodded, and followed her, taking their respective spots in front of her desk. Even though Audrey had calmed most of Tate’s nerves, he was still sweating like he was in the middle of game seven with a minute left on the clock and the other team had the extra man advantage. He hadn’t been this nervous since he had his first meeting with Elli nine months ago, but that had gone well, so hopefully this would too.

“Mr. Odder I want to congratulate you on your streak. Very impressive, my uncle and I are thrilled with your performance.”

Tate smiled as he nodded, “Thank you.”

“Alright, so we won’t keep you long, Mrs. Adler,” Koey started, handing her a file, “we have four different offers right now. Detroit is offering a salary of eight million a year for five years.”

They are?

Tate had no clue of this, but man, that sounded nice. The only problem was Detroit didn’t have Audrey, but maybe she would go? She could leave here, leave her dad and maybe open her cupcake place in Detroit. It was a thought, but he hadn’t been able to talk to her about it. He couldn’t make that decision without asking her. They had just started. There was no way he could leave.

Looking up, Tate saw Elli giving Koey a very evil looking grin. Tate had noticed that the two had never really gotten along. From what Erik had told him, Koey tried flirting with Elli at first and when she shot him down, he tried to low ball her. Since then she hadn’t been the easiest to work with. Erik was considering going with different representation because of it and with the way Elli was looking at Koey now, so was Tate.

“Now, now, Mr. Lefeber, you’ve been dealing with me for the past year and I think you know by now that I don’t take kindly to being pressured when we have at least four months before Mr. Odder becomes a free agent. Detroit, California, Florida, and even New York will have to wait, or we can do this now, and go into the New Year with our heads on straight, ready to win another cup. Totally up to you.”

Koey’s eyes narrowed before he nodded, “I see you’ve been on the phone?”

Elli nodded, the same grin on her face, “Yes sir and I’m not the least bit worried, for you see, I have a very promising deal here, that my uncle and I feel will be perfect for Mr. Odder.”

Tate looked back at Koey to see him reaching for the file he had given Elli at the beginning, before taking another one. Opening it, Koey nodded before meeting eyes with Tate, “Seven million a year for seven years.”

Confused and shocked, Tate quickly looked up at Elli, “You want me for seven years?”

Elli nodded, her eyes full of compassion as she said, “I would have offered more if my uncle would have let me. You know you’re not only the best goalie in the league, but you are also part of my family. I know that you put your heart out there for our team every game, and I don’t want anyone but you in my goal.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Adler. I wouldn’t want to play for anyone else but you,” Tate said from the heart even with Koey shaking his head beside him. Tate didn’t care though. He had felt like a part of the Assassin family since he arrived. He enjoyed being on the team. He loved the guys like brothers. Elli was a great owner, and even though Coach Baxter scared the crap out of Tate, he was a great coach. But most of all, Nashville had Audrey Parker and that alone was enough to keep him there.

Elli flashed him one more winning smile before glancing back at Koey. Tate could tell she was back to business and with a raised brow, she asked, “So now, Mr. Lefeber, is my deal enough?”

Sounding defeated, Koey nodded as he said, “It is.”