Page 29 of Ice Cold Hearts
Up until this point, it’s been little more than an annoyance reinforcing these boundaries with her. Having a good agent in this business is better than having your weight in gold, and she is one of the best. So why does the sight of her with Emily set my teeth on edge?
If we were a committed thing, I’d be able to swoop in and rescue Emily from Liza’s well-meaning clutches. As soon as I set that boundary, Liza will pout, but she’ll get over it when I send her some candy and a note about her being a good agent. She always does.
Except this is our first date with Emily. She’s not even sure if she wants to see us again. Rushing in and pulling her away would send a clear message to everyone here, which is exactly what she doesn’t want.
Being stuck between a rock and a hard place seems like a five-star vacation compared to how trapped I feel right now. I have no idea how to get out of this in a way that keeps everyone happy.
Maybe it won’t be so bad. Our dancing was tame compared to some of the people here, so Liza couldn’t have gotten any ideas. I don't have an unobstructed view of Emily's face, so I can't tell whether she's upset or enjoying herself.
What could they possibly be talking about?
After a moment or two, she saves me from my indecision by meeting my eyes. I don't know her well enough yet to accurately interpret her mood, but the tight set of her shoulders tells me what I need to know.
The relief in her eyes when I wave her over is almost tangible. My jaw relaxes as I see her start to scoot past Liza. I've done it. I've solved the problem without having to deal with anyone's fragile ego and managed it all without leaving my seat. I Inflate with unearned pride like an overstuffed bag of microwave popcorn.
Here's the thing about popcorn. The minute you look away from it and let your guard down is the identical minute it burns or explodes.
I swear I only turned around for a couple of seconds to tell Ian something, and all hell has broken loose. Liza is screaming. Everyone in the club is staring in their direction.
If reading Alexei is like looking through frosted glass, then Emily is a reinforced steel door. It’s unnerving how closed off she looks. When she heads for the bathroom again, I see the violent red splashed all across her dress.
She’s going to run.
The thought pops into my head as soon as she disappears behind the bathroom door. I don’t know how I know this, but I feel in my bones that I’m right.
A hazy image of waking up on the shore of a lake with no shirt in sight lingers at the back of my brain. I know it’s connected somehow, but now isn’t the time for idle musing.
Ian and Alexei are so focused on the bathroom door that they miss my first attempt to get their attention.
“Hey!” I shout, maybe a little louder than necessary.
Ian startles but Alexei just imperiously raises an eyebrow.
“She’s going to try to sneak out of here. If we don’t want to lose our shot with her, we have to try to fix this,” I insist.
“How could you possibly know that?” Alexei demands.
“Do you remember how you blew me off when I said she looked familiar?” I ask.
He nods.
“Well, I’m getting surer by the minute that I know her somehow.” I move my stare to Ian, knowing what’s coming. “Don’t ask because I don’t know yet. What I do know is that we need to make sure we give her a better ending than this or she’s never going to want to see us again.”
Alexei immediately takes charge.
“Ian, phones and wallets,” he barks. “Oliver, the tab. I’m going to use the landline at the bar to tell the driver to start making his way here.”
“Wait.” Ian’s voice stops us mid-motion. “Should we tell them to come around the front or the back?”
“She has to go out the front to get her things,” Alexei answers. “There’s no way she’s doubling back all the way through. Besides, going in the back was just an extra layer of precaution. Astrid’s always clears press from the entire block, and it’s not the usual arrival or leave time, so they’re less likely to try to sneak past security right now.”
At Alexei’s nod, we scatter. No further discussion is needed, and I'm struck with how we're just as much of a team off the ice as we are on it. Even if I had biological brothers, Alexei and Ian would still be superior to them. They're certainly superior to the blood relatives I do have.
The middle child always has to fight for their voice to be heard in any family, but with four high-achieving sisters, I was essentially mute. If I wasn't solving problems to keep the peace, I was causing them so I didn't feel invisible.
But Oliver, surely, that's changed now that you're a famous athlete, right?
Absolutely not.