Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 83461 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 417(@200wpm)___ 334(@250wpm)___ 278(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83461 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 417(@200wpm)___ 334(@250wpm)___ 278(@300wpm)
Brienne snorts, and I look her way. I try to hold my laugh, but I can’t, and it comes out with gusto. Sophie joins in and gasps, “That was the best smackdown I’ve ever seen.”
“That was so much fun,” Brienne says as her hand comes to my shoulder, but her expression sobers. “Are you okay, though?”
“I’m totally fine,” I assure her. “I would have been fine had you not been here handing him his ass, but that was icing on the cake.”
“Poor guy,” Sophie muses, casting a quick glance his way. “Replaced by Cannon West.”
“It makes me feel bad in a way.” I chuckle.
“Not me,” Brienne says tartly. “He deserved it for cheating on you and getting you fired. The only thing that would have been better is if you could have somehow slipped in a direct comparison to Cannon’s skills in bed.”
I bust out laughing, shaking my head. “It would have destroyed him to know that Cannon puts him to shame in all ways. Let’s let him leave with some dignity.”
“Speaking of Cannon,” Brienne says, reaching out and stealing a roll off my plate. But it’s okay, we’re dear friends. “His birthday is next Tuesday. Do you have plans?”
“Not really,” I admit a bit glumly. “His birthday is on an away game day, and honestly, I’m not confident about how to even slot something into his schedule because he’s so busy.”
“What do you think of throwing him a surprise party? I can orchestrate it to get him there, and you can help with all the planning.”
“I’d love it!” I exclaim. “I’d never be able to pull it off on my own since I don’t know anyone that well, and I don’t understand his availability half the time.”
Brienne pulls her phone from her jacket pocket and flips through the calendar. “We’re playing away on his birthday… just in DC, so it’s a same-day flight there and back. But the day before is a light practice day and we could definitely work in a surprise party for him that evening.”
“He’s always so busy. The trick will be getting him to stop working and go somewhere.”
Brienne waves me off. “We’ll do it at my house, and I’ll invite him to a dinner for the coaches to get together. I’ll have my assistant connect with you. You work with her to have whatever you want for him, and I’ll foot the bill.”
“That’s very generous, Brienne,” I say softly. Because I could never afford to do something so nice for him.
“It will be a lot of fun, and well…” Her voice takes on a wistful tone, which she plays off with a smile. “I like seeing relationships succeed.”
“Thank you.” Not sure if those words are adequate, so I add, “It means the world to me to be able to help give him this.”
“You’ll just need to get there separately since he’ll think it’s a work event.”
“I can handle that.” And really, that’s about all I could handle for a birthday party for Cannon. I never would have thought it even possible to pull it off, and not just because I don’t know people. My first instinct is that Cannon wouldn’t want to take time away from work, even for his own birthday party. And even if I could pull off the organization and invitations, I’m not sure I’d want to risk him being mad at me for it.
Or maybe he wouldn’t be mad. Maybe he’d love it.
It’s so hard to tell. I thought the boundaries were clear, but they seem pretty muddy right now.
“Excuse me, Brienne.” We all turn to a woman wearing a Titans’ polo, an iPad in hand. “Let me get a picture for IG.”
Brienne gathers me and Sophie to her, one on each side. We smile for the camera, but not before my gaze flicks over to see Derek watching us with a confused look. Poor guy… not sure he’ll ever understand how I landed here.
“Can I tag you?” the woman asks me, before cutting a look to Sophie with a grin. “I already have yours, Future Mrs. Baden Oulett.”
I assume she must be responsible for the team’s social media, and I think about the fact that Derek still follows me on IG, even though I never post.
“Sure.” I smile and give her my handle.
CHAPTER 21
Cannon
I open the door to Mario’s, and Baden precedes me in. The place is packed shoulder to shoulder, due solely to the 4–0 ass-kicking we just handed to the Arizona Vengeance.
We wind our way back to a reserved area that is always set aside for the Titans. Normally, coaches don’t party with the players, but tonight is monumental enough that we’re going to have a few beers to celebrate. Sophie and Ava came here directly after the game and should have a table for us.
While not as widely recognized as some of the star players on our team, Baden and I get a ton of back slaps and cheers as we walk through. The Titans’ fans are beyond crazed to beat the defending Cup champions and with a shutout, no less.