Talk Hockey to Me (Bears Hockey #3) - Kelly Jamieson Page 0,20

are you laughing?” she asks coolly.

“I’m not laughing. I’m impressed. You’re amazing. But then…I already knew that.”

Our eyes meet again, this time with a little crackle of heat between us.

Man, I have to watch what I say. Anything suggestive brings back memories of Cancun.

“Thank you.” Her tone is detached. Professional. She drops her gaze. “I did some research on comparable players.”

I nod. That’s one way agents establish a player’s value—what other similar players are getting paid.

“I see you as similar to a Jönsson. Also Denby. Maybe Girard in Montreal.”

I contemplate those names. “I’m better than Girard.”

“You’re more physical,” she says with a nod.

Oh Christ. She had to say that. Heat flows south, thinking about being physical with her. I battle to maintain my composure.

“I’ve researched the team, too,” she continues. “Whatever Al Feroze gets, you can be sure Cunningham will be looking for something similar.”

“Yeah.”

She purses her lips. “I could see those two eating half the team’s cap space. Let’s say locking up those two costs the team fourteen million. That leave them with twelve million if the cap goes up to its projected levels for next season.”

“That’s not much.”

“Agreed.”

“Have you got thought of other teams that would be interested?”

“Oh yeah.” A little smirk graces her pretty lips. “Have you?”

“Hell. I don’t know. Rumor has it the Golden Eagles are looking for third line winger.”

“Third line.” She taps her lips. “Yeah, I’ve heard that, too.” She tilts her head. “Are you sure you want to work with me?”

I hold her gaze steadily. Things might be a bit weird between us, but there’s nobody I’d trust more with my career than Kate. “Yes.”

“I can give you references. You can talk to some of my other clients.”

I doubt that will change my mind, but it’s probably a good idea to do due diligence. “Okay.”

She sucks her bottom lip between her teeth in a rare display of vulnerability. “Hunter…”

Heat slides through my veins. “Yeah?”

For a long moment she doesn’t reply. Finally, she says, “I don’t know if this is a good idea. After what we’ve discussed today, we should both think about it.”

Shit. I don’t need to think about it. But I don’t want to seem desperate either. Even though I am. “Okay.”

“I totally trust her.”

I’m on the phone with Kevin Beaven, one of Kate’s clients in New York. He plays for the Bears.

“That’s good.” I move to the window and stare out at the Hudson River.

“Yeah. She’s always up front with me. I think she has more integrity than a lot of people in the business. She’s not trying to be all ‘Jerry Maguire’—she’s just herself. She gets the job done. She’s been great for my career. And honestly, she’s been great for my life. She knows hockey and gives me advice on that, but she gives me life advice too when I do dumb shit.”

I smile. “I heard about your dumb shit.”

I sense his discomfort. “She bailed me out of fucking jail, man.”

I chuckle. It’s not funny, but…

“I was an idiot,” he adds. “Don’t be an idiot like me.”

“I’ll try. We all do dumb shit at some point.” Like not entering the draft when you were supposed to go first round.

“Anyway, I don’t hesitate to recommend her to you. She’ll work her ass off for you.”

I won’t mention what a nice ass it is, because that would be dickish. I am, however, thinking it. “Thanks. I appreciate your honesty.”

“No problem. Good luck, man.”

“Thanks.”

I end the call, pull my earbuds out, and drop them and my phone onto the kitchen counter. I’ve called two of the three names Kate sent me. I don’t need to call the third. Beaven and Hulsey both confirmed my instincts about Kate. I want her.

I mean, I want her working for me.

I have to get past what happened between us, though. We were friends. So one night we got a little drunk on a hot tropical vacation with lots of skin showing—holy fuck, she went topless—and got carried away. It didn’t mean anything. It was a bunch of kids letting off steam after a long college year.

It’s like we’re different people now. Back then, Kate was sporty and fun and sort of girl-next-door. She rarely wore makeup, her long hair was usually in a ponytail, her usual outfits were jeans and Chucks. Seeing her yesterday was jaw-dropping. She looks the same…but sophisticated. Professional. And brain-cell-incinerating hot.

I’m different too. I’ve been doing so much better. I still have the occasional nightmare, and it’s only been the past year