“I’m not playing with anything, believe me,” I say, shoving my hands in my pockets.
“But you want to?” He glares at me.
“Collette is beautiful.”
“She is …” Why does that annoy me that my best friend thinks she’s hot? “But there are plenty of beautiful women in New York.”
“We’re friends.”
“You think her brothers are going to let you two become friends?” Evan asks.
“I like her …” Evan’s eyes widen as if surprised that I said that out loud. “Not like that …” I tell him. “Just like … she’s easy to talk to, I like that she pushes back, and doesn’t take any of my bullshit. She’s not interested in me.”
“I should hope not, but you also sound disappointed.”
“I’m not,” I tell him.
He doesn’t look convinced. “Stop flirting.”
It’s banter. It’s for content. The team benefits,” I explain.
“Keep telling yourself that.” He starts walking again. “Just remember I warned you when it blows up.”
“It’s not going to blow up because nothing is going to happen,” I tell him, and it’s the truth. Do I find Collette hot? Yes. But I also love my job and my limbs, and her brothers would tear them apart if I touched her. Which I would never do.
“Famous last words.” Evan chuckles.
Fuck his Russian ass.
After practice,I go in search of Collette. I find her in her office, focused on her screen. Alone.
I lean against the doorframe. “You’re welcome,” I tell her.
She doesn’t look up. “For what?”
That wasn’t the reception I thought I would get from her. “For the content of the year? One point two million views? The strip tease that’s going to get you a raise?”
She looks up. “I don’t need your abs to get me a raise.” She noticed my abs.Focus, that is not the point.
“They sure do help,” I say, cracking a joke, but she doesn’t laugh.
“The numbers are great.” She turns back to her screen. “Renee sent an email about engagement metrics, she’s happy. And impressing a heavily pregnant woman is hard right now.”
I frown. “That’s it?”
“What do you want me to say, Fish?”
“Something. Anything. Yesterday you made me strip on the ice, and now you’re acting like I’ve got the plague.”
Something crosses her face. “Is there something wrong with me?” Her question catches me off-guard. “Because I thought Griffin and I had a great night together.”
Oh. It’s guy trouble. No, this is good, I can do this. We’re friends, I can help with guy drama. “You two seemed to hit it off.”
“You think?”
I shrug. “I mean, you two were kissing all night, so …”
“If a girl says no to going home with you, does that mean you’re not interested?” she asks, and I hate that this guy ismaking her feel vulnerable, but also, thanks, man, because she is coming to me for advice.