Power Play (Nashville Assassins: Next Generation Book 2) Read online

  Ew. I don’t like guys who want to date my mom, but I do want her to meet Posey, so maybe I should agree. “Yeah, I want to meet him.”

  “We’ll get a hotel.”

  “I have a guest room, Mom. It’s fine.”

  “Okay. You don’t know how incredibly happy that makes me.”

  “Good. I want that for you, Mom,” I promise. “And funny thing is, I was calling to tell you I also met someone.”

  I’m met with silence. My heart is frozen in my chest as I wait for her reaction. “Oh?”

  “Yeah, her name is Posey. She’s actually our special teams assistant coach.”

  “Is that smart, to mix business with pleasure?”

  “Probably not, but she’s totally worth it. She’s amazing, Mom. I really like her,” I say with a grin. “I think you will like her too.”

  “I don’t know, honey. After Julia, I don’t know if I can like anyone else.”

  “Funny, I felt the same. But then I met Posey.”

  “I have to say, I’m really surprised by this. I didn’t think you’d want to be with anyone for a long time after her.”

  “I didn’t. I have been single for over a year,” I say softly before taking in a deep breath. “I was ready to swear off all women, but Posey’s different.”

  “How so?”

  “She’s funny and quirky. She’s so damn strong, Mom. Like you. Really independent and doesn’t take anyone’s shit,” I say, and I can feel the grin on my face growing. “We’ve only been dating a few days, but I like her a lot.”

  “Okay, so when do I get to meet her?”

  “I guess when you come down. We can do a whole big awkward dinner of first meetings.”

  She laughs. “That sounds like something I want to avoid. I don’t like awkward.”

  “Eh, we’ll be there. It’ll be a party.”

  “This is true,” she agrees, and then she sighs. “This is good. I was worried when Julia did what she did.”

  “I know you were.” I turn off the car, getting out. “But like you said, I had to figure it out and get back to me.”

  “You have, and I’m glad your happiness wasn’t just brought back by a girl.”

  I laugh. “Nope. It was hockey and Wes. He’s been my best friend.”

  “Lord, you and that boy. Big goofballs,” she teases, and I laugh. “How is he?”

  “Good. Doing Wes things.”

  She laughs. “I love him. Tell him hi for me.”

  “I will,” I say as I head into the building. “I’m walking inside. I gotta go.”

  We share an I love you and then a good-bye before I reach Wes. He stands up from the bench where he is waiting for me. “How did she take it?”

  I shrug. “Sounded good, but I think we were both trying to play nice. Apparently, she’s in love.”

  Wes’s eyes widen. “No shit?”

  “Yup, with that Wilbur dude.”

  His brows come in. “But she thought he was a huge dork.”

  “He’s her dork,” I say in a teasing tone, and Wes laughs.

  “Okay, so what are you thinking? How are you feeling about it?”

  I shrug as we head down the hall. “I mean, after Julia, I realize happiness doesn’t come easy.”

  “That’s the damn truth,” he agrees, and I nod. “I think it’s good for her. She needs someone to grow old with.”

  “Yeah, I think so.”

  “He’ll treat her good. I can feel it.”

  I glance over at him. “How?”

  “He’s a dorky dork. Your mom is fine—hello, he won’t give that up,” he says. I would kick his ass for calling my mom hot, but before I can, he continues, “You know, same with you and Posey. She’s too good-looking for you, so you’d never leave her.”

  But she could leave me.

  No. No, she won’t. We’re good. “Fuck off.”

  Wes laughs wholeheartedly. He doesn’t realize he’s sent my head spinning. “How’s it going with her?”

  “Good,” I say, and I remind myself that things are good. Really good. “She’s awesome.”

  “Still on the down-low?”

  “Yup, it’s for the best right now. I don’t want anything messing up our careers. And you know…there’s Shea Adler.”

  He does an exaggerated shiver. “Ooh, say it again,” he says in his best hyena voice from the Lion King.

  “Jackass.”

  Wes chortles as we head into the locker room. “For real, I think Shea will be cool with it.”

  “You think so?”

  “Nope. I just want to watch you get your ass kicked.” I shove him as he laughs. “I kid, I kid. I do think so. You’re a nice guy, and even though it hasn’t been long, you treat her well. The noises I heard last night make me feel like she is really happy.”

  I laugh. “Shut up.”

  “Just saying,” he teases as he reaches for the door, opening it for me. “So, is she going to be all sweet and loving on the ice?”

  I glance over my shoulder to him. “What do you think?”

  He scoffs. “I think she’s gonna be even worse now.”

  “Yeah, I’m kind of nervous.”

  He waggles his brows. “Nervous? Aww, you like her.”

  I shove him once more as he laughs. But the truth is, I do.

  A lot. But I’m worried I can’t keep my feelings for her off the ice like I know she will.

  So, in all reality, this is either going to be a shitshow or a cakewalk.

  It’s actually option three: a mindfuck.

  From the moment my skates hit the ice, it’s as if I don’t mean anything to Posey. I know for a fact that I do mean something to her. Wes wasn’t kidding when he was teasing me about the noise last night. She screamed my name like a damn opera singer. It was hot as fuck, and when she lay in my arms, her fingers stroking my jaw, she was with me. Truly with me, like a soul-deep connection. But you couldn’t tell that with how she is acting now that we’re on the ice. I don’t even think she’s looked my way.

  Posey stands in her skates in a purple Assassins jumpsuit. Her hair is up in a no-nonsense bun, and under her arm is a helmet. She doesn’t usually have a helmet, so I’m intrigued. But more than that, I’m jealous of her ability to leave her feelings off the ice. I’m over here struggle-busing right now. I want to go up to her and wrap her in my arms and press my lips to hers. I want her to look me in the eye and tell me that my amazing passing is turning her on. I want her to wrap her legs around my waist like a koala and let me carry her so her poor little pinkie toe doesn’t hurt.

  Jesus, mother of God, I sound like a chick.

  Before I can dwell, it’s time for our line to go. We run the play, and it’s successful. I feel good. I feel like I’m actually gaining some ground. I know it’s only against my teammates, but before, I didn’t even feel like I could get one pass by them. I was too shaky, but now I feel like I’m finding my own. I got this. Posey said I did.

  Speaking of her… She comes to the middle of the rink, and I watch as she speaks. She commands the ice, owns it, and fuck if she isn’t hot doing it. She’s so passionate, her eyes so intent on us as she explains what she wants. Jakob stands beside her, nodding. He isn’t good at the explaining, but once we know it, he can encourage and enforce like no other. He’s also the good cop, while Posey has been playing bad cop.

  Hm, I should get some cuffs.

  That would be a whole lot of fun.

  “So, I know our SS 3 play has been a more angled approach, with our center shooting. I want to change it. I want an S-formation, but with the top winger shooting. The reason being, no one has done it. They always have the bottom winger or the center taking the shot ’cause they have a direct lane, and I want to try something new. I think Brooks can handle this shot. A sick wrister or even a toe drag.”

  Aiden nods. “I can do that.”

  “Good,” she says with a nod. “Mac, you’re my bottom, and Hoenes, my center.”

  I almost scream out, “Yay!