ONLY ONE TOUCH

by Madison, Natasha

  Matthew looks at me. “Did you eat?” he asks, and I nod.

  “Please order the man some food,” I say, and Cooper groans while Matthew picks up the phone and calls an order in.

  “Sorry about that,” he says, sitting down.

  “It’s fine. We can talk until the food gets here,” I say, and Cooper looks at me. “I’m sure you’re wondering why I wanted to sit down with you.” I don’t make him answer. “I mean, getting drafted, there is nothing I can do for you.” I look at Matthew. “There is nothing that anyone can do. I can’t negotiate even the starting salary.” I look at Cooper. “But I’m not just thinking about Cooper, the hockey player. Who is Cooper Grant?” He looks at me, not sure what I mean. “What does Cooper Grant stand for?”

  He sits up, playing with the water bottle in his hand. “Hockey.”

  I nod at him. “Family.” I tap my nail on the table when he looks at Matthew, who just looks at me smirking.

  “Let me tell you what I see when I look at Cooper Grant,” I say.

  “Oh, this is going to be good,” Matthew says.

  “I see the top rookie of the year.” He smiles, his eyes lighting up. “With that comes sponsorships from two, maybe even three sports companies.” Cooper’s eyes light up. “I see the Cooper who works out in the gym. Tracksuit, shirts, shorts.” Cooper looks at his father. “You are talking about sponsorship for even nutrition products.”

  “What about hockey camps and schools?” he asks.

  “The sky is the limit,” I say. “The question is, how much do you want it?”

  “Fuck, Becca,” Matthew says, and I look at him. “I’ve told him that since he was young.”

  “Look, I can’t promise you that it’ll come in six months or one year,” I say. “Let’s be real. When you’re drafted, it’s to a team at the bottom of the barrel. Usually, the team is rebuilding. You aren’t going to be starting with the Stanley Cup champions.”

  “That is what I told him,” Matthew says. “It’s going to be rough.”

  “You are going to be with a team that will probably be shit on day in and day out. It’s going to be a learning curve, especially for you since you’re at the top of the league right now. It’s like when you graduate from middle school. You are the cool kid at the back of the bus, and then you start high school, and you’re in the front of the bus again while the cool kids sit in the back. We all know that sucks. But what I can promise you is that I’m going to work as hard as you do. I’m going to get those meetings for you.” I lean back in the chair. “Your father knows I have the contacts. He also knows how I work.”

  “She’s good,” he says to Cooper, who looks over at him.

  “But,” I say, “if you sign with me.” I look at both of them. “I only give you two passes.”

  “What does that mean?” Cooper asks, sitting back.

  “It means you can fuck up twice,” I say. “You shouldn’t fuck up at all. But you’re young, and well …”

  “She’s talking about the girls,” Matthew says.

  “Not just the girls. The partying, the travel, the fame. NHL is another level. It’s like a rock star going from playing small venues to selling out stadiums. Shit will be thrown at you.” The kid is going to be thrown in the lion's den no matter what family they come from. It’s like taking a kid to Disney for the first time. The lights, the people, the attractions. You want to run in every single direction.

  “Shit you should stay away from,” Matthew cuts in. “Don’t follow in my shoes.” I don’t know the full details of what happened, but he came out swinging and slowly dwindled.

  “You get two passes, and on the third one, I walk away,” I say.

  “Just like that?” he asks, shocked at my bluntness.

  “Just like that.” I sit up, putting my hands on the table. “I can’t stand by if you aren’t going to be the one fighting for you.”

  “I want to be the best,” he finally says. “I know my grandfather is the leader on every single record. I know so is my dad. But I want to be better. I want to be the one kids want to be like.”

  “Then let me help you,” I say. “It’d be an honor to be by your side.”

  “I want it,” Cooper says, looking at his dad. “What do you think?”

  “I’m not going to decide for you, son,” Matthew says. “This is all you. You worked hard to be where you are. You did all this on your own.” Cooper nods his head. “Now if you’re asking my opinion.” He looks at me when he talks. “If you want the best, she’s the best. There is no mistake about it. You can ask your uncles.” I laugh.

  “He is on the top of the list,” I say of Justin, who is looking for a new agent. I don’t tell them that I’m meeting with him tomorrow afternoon, and if that all works out, I’ll be signing him and Evan also.

  “I’ve had a chance to work with her. She’s made me say not very nice things to her,” Matthew admits, and I laugh.

  “I’m shocked.” I wink at Cooper. “Not really,” I whisper. “It makes me feel even better when they go toe-to-toe with me because I usually win.” Cooper smiles and looks down. “Listen, no one is going to put pressure on you. Take the night, take the weekend. Talk to your father, your uncles.” I start to get up. “Listen to your gut, Cooper.” He nods at me. “Your father has my number.”

  Matthew nods at me a silent thank you for not beating down his throat for an answer. I grab my jacket and put it on. “I’m here until Sunday.” I grab my purse.

  “Let me walk you out,” Matthew says, leading me down the hallway.

  “Thank you,” he says quietly, and I look at him. “For telling him the truth.” I just look at him.

  “I’m not going to name names, but I met with someone today, and they promised him he would be the next big thing. They almost said that they are going to deliver him leprechauns and glitter farts.” I laugh as we stop in front of the elevators, and I press the button to go down. “But you told him that he’s going to go to the last-place team, and it’ll be a while before he ever wins a Cup.”

  “Reality,” I say. “Think about it. Six hundred and ninety players are in the NHL, and only twenty-three players win a ring every year. Some of the best players in the league never win a Cup,” I say, and he knows.

  The ping of the elevator makes me look up, and I come face-to-face with Nico. His face as shocked as mine as he steps out of the elevator. “Fancy meeting you here,” he says, looking at me. His smile forms on his lips, and my stomach does a flip and then sinks. My mouth becomes dry while my palms sweat. My heart starts to beat so fast it echoes in my ears.

  Last night, we shared our first kiss—the most amazing kiss I’ve ever had in my life. He left the box a minute after Francis appeared with the girls. I wanted to throat punch my brother for interrupting us, but instead, I pretended to watch the game. I can’t even tell you if anyone scored during the game.

  I stayed until the second period and then snuck out without telling him anything. I wasn’t ready to talk about it. I’m still not ready to talk about it. I thought I would have the weekend to run through it in my head. I was even staying two days longer than I needed to, just to keep from being tempted to pick up the phone and call him.

  “I was meeting with Cooper Grant,” I say and hold my arm out to stop the elevator doors from closing and leaving me in this awkward place. “My car is waiting,” I lie through my teeth, and I can swear his eyes narrow a bit, calling me out on the lie. “Matthew, thank you so much for taking the time to sit with me.”

  “Thank you, Becca, for everything,” he says, and I smile at them both and walk into the elevator.

  “See you soon, Becca,” Nico says, and I’m not sure if he’s asking me or telling me. His eyes stare straight into mine as the elevator doors close.

  Chapter 12

  Nico

  “See you soon, Becca.” I watch the elevator doors close, and everything in me screams to go after her. Instead, I go with my gut and let her get away. For now.


  I’ve been trying to get in touch with her all fucking day. I’ve called, and it’s gone to voice mail. I’ve sent texts, and it’s been radio fucking silence. When I went to find her after the game, the box was dark and empty. I stood there in the exact place where I kissed her for the first time. Anyone could have seen us, but I didn’t give a shit, which is very unlike me. I don’t give anyone anything when it comes to my private life because it’s the only thing that’s mine, and no one has a say in it. “Matthew,” I say, turning to him. “Thank you for meeting with me.”

  “Of course,” he says, turning around, going toward the conference room. “This is different, isn’t it?”

  I laugh. “Well, neither of us wants anything from the other person, so I guess it is very different.” I’ve been in the game long enough to know that you always want Matthew Grant on your side and you don’t fuck with him. Matthew was the one who alerted me about Ralph. For that, I will always owe him.

  The meeting lasts a whole two hours. Only when I’m in the elevator and pressing the lobby button do I take out my phone and see that she still hasn’t called or texted me. The doors open, and I walk across the lobby, calling Lizzie.

  “Well, look who it is.” She answers the phone, and I stop walking when I hear her giggle. “Were your ears ringing?”

  “No, why?” I ask.

  “I’m having lunch with Laurene, and she was telling me how she’s been texting you, and you haven’t replied.” She’s texted me four times, the last text letting me know she was coming back home from Europe.

  “Shit,” I say, stepping out into the cold New York afternoon. It’s almost five, and the streetlights are already on. “Tell her I’m going to have to take a rain check for dinner.” We were planning on meeting for dinner tonight, but then I saw Becca, and all plans were cancelled.

  “She says that you better have a good ass reason for blowing her off, and it better not be for another debutant.” I laugh because she knows full well that I never dated a debutant. They were interested in one thing and one thing only. Marriage.

  “She knows full fucking well I don’t date those women,” I tell Lizzie, and I hear her moving, so I know she is walking away from the table.

  “Are you having dinner with Matthew?” she asks, and I can hear the smile in her voice. The voices and glasses from the restaurant are quiet, so I know she stepped away.

  “No. Actually …” I say, and then she shocks me.

  “Would you be having dinner with Becca?” she asks. I see the town car drive up to the curb. The driver gets out of the car and comes over, but I open the door myself.

  “How do you know Becca is in town?” I ask, closing the door. “The hotel,” I say to the driver.

  “Well, I saw her coming out of the building when I dropped you off,” she says. “So we shared a ride over to her hotel.”

  “Where is she staying?” I ask, and Lizzie laughs.

  “I knew that is why you were canceling with Laurene,” she hisses out. “I knew something more was going on there. I knew it, I knew it, I knew it! I should be a private investigator.”

  “I had no idea she was in town,” I answer honestly. “Not for a minute,” I tell her.

  “Yeah, right.” I can see her rolling her eyes.

  “I swear to you, Lizzie. I was shocked when I saw her with Matthew. I had no clue.” I wait for her to listen to me. “So where is she staying?”

  “Are you going to show up at her place like a freaking creepy stalker?” Lizzie says. “Listen, I don’t date often, but if someone just showed up at my door, it would send out alarm bells.”

  “You live in a gated community,” I inform her,“with a twelve-foot wrought-iron gate. If someone did show up, it would definitely set off alarm bells.” I laugh at her.

  “Touché,” she says. “She’s staying at our hotel.”

  “By any chance …” I say, but Lizzie already knows the question I’m going to ask.

  “You think she would give me her fucking room number? What is wrong with you?” she asks. “Nico.” Her voice goes low. “Listen, I don’t think you showing up at her door is a good idea. What if she’s with someone?” The minute the words come out of her mouth, a whole bunch of emotions run through me. I feel like someone kicked me in the balls. My stomach suddenly feels like I’m going to be sick. My palms are clammy, but the worse one is the fucking anger I feel. It’s almost as if I see black. I can’t listen to the words Lizzie is saying because I hear nothing. The sound in my ears is ringing as we pull up to the hotel.

  “I have to go,” I say and walk into the private door. “I’m looking for someone who is staying here,” I tell the doorman who just listens to me. “Becca.” I don’t even have to say her last name for me to know that he knows exactly who I’m talking about when his face goes to a sly smirk. The look I give him stops him from making the smirk go to a smile.

  “She’s staying on the eleventh floor,” he says, and I want to laugh since I’m staying on that floor also. “Eleven twenty-two.”

  “Thank you,” I say, getting onto the elevator and pressing the button to the eleventh floor. I walk down the plush carpet to her room and knock on the door. I hear her yell that she’s coming.

  She opens the door, and I know I’m not the one she’s expecting to see standing here. “Nico,” she says, her voice almost low. She’s dressed in the same outfit she was wearing when I saw her, but with the jacket off, I can get my fill of her. Her beige pencil skirt hugs her hips. The same hips that my hands squeezed twenty-four hours ago. Her long-sleeved sweater is pulled up to her elbows.

  “I guess you were expecting someone else?” I ask. Walking into the hotel room, I look around to see if anything indicates she is with someone.

  “I was expecting my room service,” she says, closing the door and walking over to me. “How did you—”

  I cut her off when I grab her face and kiss her lips. Her mouth opens for me to slide my tongue in, and I can taste her sweetness. I thought kissing her last night was a dream. It almost felt too fucking perfect, but with my hands on her face again, this time feels even better than it did last night. Her hands go inside my jacket to my waist, and I can feel her nails digging into me when she pulls me closer to her. I turn my head to the other side as our tongues duel—neither of us giving in.

  The knock on the door startles us, making us jump apart. Our chests are rising and falling as if we just sprinted over the finish line of a marathon. She puts her shoulders back and walks to the door, opening it for the room service. The man smiles at her as he pushes in the cart. “Would you like it in the living room?” he asks, and she nods.

  “Thank you,” Becca says, looking at him and then at me. “I’ll pour the tea myself.” He smiles at her and walks out.

  “Tea?” I ask, smiling.

  “It’s ginger tea,” she says, walking over to the tray. “And it was cold outside.”

  “Did you order food?” I ask, knowing full well she didn’t.

  “It was too early to eat. I had a late lunch,” she says, pouring herself some tea.

  “Have dinner with me,” I say, and she looks up. “Unlike yesterday, when you hightailed it out of the arena without seeing me.”

  She sits back on the couch. “I didn’t hightail it anywhere. I was just done for the day.”

  “So you didn’t run off because I kissed you?” I ask, and I have to put my hands in my pockets.

  “Let’s just get one thing straight. We kissed each other,” she says, crossing her arms over her chest.

  “I’m the one who kissed you,” I say, and when she’s about to argue, I put my hand up. “Doesn’t fucking matter who kissed who. Bottom line, we kissed, and you ran away.”

  “I didn’t run away.” She smirks at me, and I see that her lipstick is still on. “I walked.” I just watch the twinkle in her eye. “Fast.”

  I throw my head back and laugh. “Be ready at seven,” I say, turning around and walking out of the room. My hand grabs the d
oor handle.

  “What if I had plans?” she asks, and I know that she doesn’t because she’s asking.

  “Do you?” I look over my shoulder as I open the door.

  “I don’t make plans on the same day I fly in,” she says, and I want to laugh because I do the same. “So …”

  “See you in three hours,” I say. “Dress casual.”

  “If I say no?” She tilts her head to the side. I stand here, and I wonder if what I’m going to say next will scare her off. But with that look in her eyes, I can’t help it.

  “If you say no, then we are just going to have to stay in and eat each other.” Her mouth opens. “I, for one, am famished.” I look around. “You’d look good lying on that table with my mouth buried between your legs.” I point at the table and smirk when I see her cheeks getting just a touch pink. “Fuck it, let’s just stay in.”

  “I’ll be ready at seven,” she says, and I roll my lips. I’m about to close the door when I hear her call my name. “You might want to save room for dessert.” She gets up, walking to the door and grabbing it, pulling it open as my hand slides down. “I know I will,” she says before she closes the door in my face, leaving me with my mouth hanging open.

  Chapter 13

  Becca

  My hand trembles as I tie the belt to my red wraparound dress. I look at myself in the mirror as I put on the red lipstick. I had about thirty minutes to get ready, and I took out the sexiest thing I brought with me. I didn’t think I would wear it because it’s a bit shorter than I’m used to, but it looks good with the thigh-high black boot stilettos. I turn to check and see how it looks from the back, and the gold heel from the shoe makes it even sexier. The sleeves are also long and flowy, and the silkiness to it makes it even feel sexy.

  I make sure everything is in place when I hear a soft knock. “Here goes nothing,” I tell myself, turning off the light and grabbing my black purse. I pull open the door, and I know I made the best choice when I see that his mouth is hanging open. “I didn’t know where we were going,” I say to him.