Hot on Ice: A Hockey Romance Anthology

by Avery Flynn

  A stylish woman gave him the semblance of a suit option before deciding on the navy Burberry and Joseph Abboud shoes herself. A tall metro-sexual man threw a few highlights in Cooper’s hair, then styled the blond on dark tips into a sexy mess on his crown. At some point during all that, someone plucked his eyebrows. Cleaned up his tight beard shadow. Gave him a manicure. Whitened his teeth. All to lay the groundwork for the coat of makeup.

  It was moments like this that Cooper Banks couldn’t appreciate the lengths women went to more.

  He forgot all about the poking, prodding, and picking the moment the interviews began. Most of them were for television crews under hot lights. A smaller bunch were for newspapers or website articles. And the reaction to his dad's final wishes was unanimous: Cooper's dad would have been very proud of his son. Some of them even walked away from their interview near tears. With every reporter that passed, Saul gained another spark in his eye.

  Until the final interview of the day, that was.

  “That woman—” Saul fumed on the way into the hotel bar. “Wearing a New York Spartans jersey to your interview is one thing. Handing you a stuffed raisin is another.”

  Cooper had to agree with them there. The thing gave him flashbacks to the series. While the Cajun Rage's fans shouted for the "Rajuns," the New York fans countered with "Raisins," then took to adding props. They'd shown stuffed raisins on the ice after the Spartans won Game 5, taking a 3-2 lead in the series.

  Sighing exhaustively, Cooper stuffed a hand in a pocket and stared blindly over the heads filling every available table in the bar area. “If you think that was the biggest problem with the interview, then we have problems.”

  A staccato laugh jumped out of Saul’s chest. “Obviously her reaction to you taking the Cup to your dearly departed father’s grave was unacceptable.”

  Just the mention set Cooper off all over again. “Taking the Cup there isn’t sacrilegious. In poor taste, for fuck’s sake. Is it?”

  “Well…,” Saul dragged with a small shrug, “the Cup has been the guest of five Presidents.”

  “It’s also been drop kicked across a canal, Saul.”

  “I’m never letting that woman near another one of my players for as long as—” Saul stopped abruptly with his attention on a table to his far right. “She’s here.”

  Cooper had already spotted her. Sarah Murphy. Spartans lovin', smart-ass reporter, and current paramour of Lucifer himself. She stood in a whole group of her kind that he recognized from his interviews today. He'd only finished twenty minutes ago, and the entire group looked as if they'd been at the bottom of their first glass several hours ago. Murphy included, and she'd left thirty minutes ago.

  “She’ll turn the lot of them against you,” Saul said.

  Murphy certainly had their attention. But for all they knew, she was telling the best jokes in the world. Saul was overreacting.

  “Hold it. Hold. It.” Saul swung a hand back and smacked Cooper’s chest. “Isn’t that your prom date?”

  Dread pooled in Cooper's gut as he followed Saul's line of sight. His gaze landed on Savannah wearing pink silk and pearls. Jean-clad legs crossed at the knee, one leg wielding a white heel. Blond hair in large waves pulled loosely over her right shoulder. He'd always thought she was beautiful, but it was different now. The girl he loved didn't exist anymore. This was a woman through and through. Glorious and completely out of his league.

  Not to mention she could finish the job she started last night in the car. In front of the thirsty reporters.

  Saul clapped him on the back. “Let’s go say hi. I have an idea.”

  Savannah entered the hotel bar with an anxious twitter in her belly. She wasn’t sure why, but this felt like a trap. When she’d called earlier that day, her daddy barely let her get a word in edgewise before inviting her for drinks and dinner. He’d even made a big deal about the fact that Helena wouldn’t be there.

  His spur of the moment invitation was supposed to make up for the dinner fiasco, but Savannah wasn’t above using it for her own purposes. She wanted the truth Cooper was so hesitant to reveal, and her daddy was going to give it to her.

  As part of William’s apology, he’d chosen the nicest place to have drinks near Savannah’s apartment. The jazz bar at Dove Harbor’s fanciest hotel was the least likely in town to cause unwanted rumors. Not his first choice, but rather than making her hike all the way over to the cigar bar he preferred on the opposite end of town, he conceded his home territory.

  Savannah was astonished to find the bar and restaurant packed. Not a Friday or Saturday night kind of full, but there were very few empty seats to be had. She almost missed her daddy standing from a table to flag her down.

  She had definitely missed the man sitting with him. Until it was too late, that was.

  “Tanner Wilson,” William introduced, “I’d like you to meet my daughter Savannah. Savannah, this is the young lawyer I told you about.”

  So it wasn't an apology dinner at all. This was a damn setup. She'd been so wrapped up in her own plan to corner William that she hadn't recognized the scheme afoot. He'd even gone to lengths to make this public, knowing she wouldn't humiliate them. Never mind that it had also been her plan for him.

  Tanner rose to greet Savannah properly and barely stood half an inch taller. Given she was in heels, she supposed that wasn't a problem, but she preferred her dates towering above. Although, Tanner apparently knew the importance of a good suit, and if she didn't know any better she'd have to say it had been tailored to fit. He'd even chosen a rich brown that complimented the creamy tone of his eyes.

  He squared his shoulders very naturally and gave a firm handshake that didn’t crush her knuckles. Confidence filled his voice as he mindlessly performed the ritual greet performed for centuries: pleasantries and a kiss on each cheek.

  Yes, he was perfect. Textbook. She hadn't even taken a seat yet and knew he'd passed all her daddy's tests. He'd be gallant and would know every social cue. He'd have a Five Year Plan, or maybe even Ten. It wasn't like her daddy to put Savannah in the position of someone still working through Year One of said plan. At the earliest, Tanner was in Year Four.

  Tanner pushed Savannah up to the table and lifted an open bottle of Chardonnay. “May I pour you a glass?”

  Smiling politely, she let him pour and tell her about the smooth oak flavor. He suggested a few dishes to William for pairing in the future. All the while, Savannah did what she always did in a situation like this. She put him to a test of her own. Were they picture perfect? Oh, definitely. After a few years of marriage, she’d greet him on the porch every night, accept his chaste kiss on the cheek, and ignore the unfamiliar scent of another woman’s perfume on his collar.

  They’d probably wear matching sweaters for Christmas cards. Have two kids, one boy and one girl, both conceived in the usual missionary style belonging to a couple who never really loved each other. They’d done it for her father and his status. If all went according to plan, he’d run for some kind of important office, and he’d win because it wouldn’t be worth it otherwise.

  As far as Savannah was concerned, Tanner Wilson never had a shot in hell. There was nothing honest about a man who put on airs. Nor did she plan to continue the family tradition of caring more for the family name and tradition over true happiness. What had it gotten her so far?

  “What are the odds?” William said to Savannah. “Running into Tanner here. You and I were just talking about him…when? Yesterday?”

  “That’s right,” Savannah said. “Just last night.”

  Tanner's eyes shone with unawareness, and his dimples turned into fully fledged pools. "All good things, I hope."

  “Yes,” she said. “Daddy seems very fond of you.”

  She shot William a look. Not just any look either. It was a promise, with a capital P. It said Push this any harder, and I'm walking away from this table.

  “William has nothing but good things to say about you,” Tanner said. “And none o
f them do you justice, Savannah. You are stunning.”

  Oh, God. Was he kidding? Flirting in front of her daddy? He had serious nerve. Of course, William was eating it up, damn near turning this into his date instead of hers. And he could have it. Did her daddy honestly expect a few compliments and a lot of confidence would work on her? The man he’d presented to her wasn’t even real.

  Tanner sat forward and turned in a way that removed William from the conversation entirely. “Let me take you to dinner tonight. Cut the old man out of it.”

  He turned to her daddy and guffawed. Full out laughed as if the idea was hysterical. And William joined him. Neither of them even cared what her answer might be. Which happened to be a resounding no. She needed to speak with her daddy alone, and the sooner this clown left, the better.

  It took all of Savannah’s training as a proper lady not to explode. She smiled as if the joke was everything, infusing a twinkle in her eye. Her arms sat loose along the arms of her chair where she mentally ordered her muscles to relax; not a soul would notice how her knuckles whitened. The swing in her leg was the only outward show of her irritation, and she couldn’t do a thing about that. Her aggression had to get out somehow.

  “Excuse me. Hi.”

  Savannah looked up and past Tanner. A complete stranger stared right at her. Older, average height, and decked out to the nine’s. The man’s suit made Tanner’s look like a shabby rag by comparison.

  He reached for her hand with his artificially whitened teeth blaring like a noonday sun. “Saul Avila. We’ve never met, but I believe you’re well acquainted with my client.”

  While Savannah shook his hand and tried to understand where this was going, William decided to find out for himself. “Forgive me, but who’s your client?”

  Cooper appeared at Saul's side, and Savannah nearly swallowed her tongue. She'd seen him in suits before but this one… Wow. The navy color did something fantastic to his hazel eyes and skin tone. The way they shaped over his shoulders heated a small pool in her belly.

  Cooper took the strange man by the shoulder and tried turning him away. “What are you doing? Leave these people to their—”

  “I saw a photo of you just this morning,” Saul said to Savannah. “And I said to myself, Saul, you need to find this girl and get the full story, because—”

  "Saul." Red began climbing Cooper's neck as he cast the group his interview smile.

  Jesus, Mary, and Joseph she hated that smile. She wished she could turn it off permanently. It wasn't him, no matter how much his fans adored it.

  William looked from Cooper to Savannah with accusing eyes. She could hear exactly what was going through his mind. Nothing to worry about, huh? This was most definitely something to worry about.

  “What photo was that?” William asked, never taking his attention off Savannah.

  “Just a prom thing,” Saul responded with a wave of his hand. “But never before have I seen a couple more suited for each other.”

  Oh, sweet baby Jesus.

  Tanner reappeared in her tiny bubble with a snort. “Couple? I don’t think so. I happen to be on a date with this charming young lady.”

  For the love of all that’s holy, no he did not.

  Savannah’s face warmed, and despite the sudden need to staple Tanner’s lips shut, she kept her smile airtight. “Cooper and I dated in school. We’re hardly the first to do that. It was nothing. And nothing it shall remain.”

  Her gaze collided with Cooper’s, hoping he understood every word. His smile faltered just enough to satisfy her need to puncture the personality out of Mr. Southern Charm right then and there.

  Later she’d blame her harsh temperament on the night before and the way he tried to pin his leaving on everyone but himself. The truth was that with this complete stranger throwing their over-simplified history in her face, she had nothing but her bruised ego to blame. She’d chased Cooper like a lovesick, teenaged girl, and he’d turned his back on her long before she even saw it happening. He made her feel like nothing after he spent their entire lives making her feel like everything.

  Cooper's shoulders drew back, and his expression turned damn near taunting. As if someone flipped his retaliation switch. "Come now, Savannah Jane. You make it sound as if we're talking about a couple of months here." He angled toward Saul. "This young lady sent me her first love letter in second grade if you can believe that. She had my heart all the way through college." That's when he returned his attention to Savannah. "Still does."

  Everyone at the table stood for one reason or another. William wanted to put a stop to this charade with a few threats. Tanner wanted to set his place as Savannah’s White Knight in place for all to see.

  Savannah wanted to fight. With gaze squarely on Cooper, she said, “What do you think you’re doing?”

  “Have I told you lately how beautiful you are when you’re angry?”

  She wasn’t falling for that charming bit he’d used on her a thousand times before. She wouldn’t admit to how adorable he was doing it, either. Damn him. He made it so hard to be rational. “An intelligent man might’ve gotten the hint last night. I don’t want to see you anymore.”

  “You know what I think?”

  She ignored William’s shouted inquiry about what happened last night. “I don’t really care.”

  “I think—”

  Somewhere beyond the small roar of colliding voices, Saul hollered for someone named Murphy, and Cooper went white as a sheet.

  5

  This day was turning into a complete nightmare. Even as he’d baited Savannah, a little voice in the back of his head warned him to shut that shit down pronto. The look on Savannah’s face confirmed he wasn’t getting anywhere good. Red dotted her cheeks, and she’d never looked so pissed. At this point, she was likely to say anything.

  Then there was William to contend with. The last time the two men spoke… Let’s just say William never expected Cooper to turn up announcing his love for Savannah again.

  But Cooper never anticipated that the happiest moment he'd had in recent history meant nothing without her. He'd somehow expected to see her behind the glass following the final game of the championship series. But she wasn't, and he never wanted to feel that sense of loss ever again.

  All that was bad enough, but now Sarah Murphy was introducing herself to the entire table. Knowing her, she sensed the animosity toward Cooper and was salivating for their story. All courtesy of the one man who was supposed to have Cooper's best interest at heart every second of every day.

  Murphy got to Savannah, and Saul said, “Isn’t she the prettiest thing you’ve ever seen? This here is the girl that got away from my boy Cooper.”

  Savannah looked at Cooper, exasperated. She was a live grenade, and Coop had inadvertently pulled the pin.

  “No kidding,” Murphy said, smile growing. “How far away did you get, exactly?”

  Savannah’s jaw tightened momentarily as her heated gaze traveled away from Cooper. “Very.”

  That was just the opening Murphy needed to spike her interest, and probably not the angle Saul had planned. If this continued much longer, he wouldn’t have a romance to sell the media as a dessert to Coop’s day with the Cup. He’d have a huge mess to clean up instead.

  The strange guy with Brad Pitt dimples reached out for Savannah. “Why don’t we go ahead and get that table.”

  The poor guy probably thought he was saving her, but instead of Savannah looking relieved, it appeared he would be sitting it out in the penalty box with Cooper tonight.

  “No,” she clipped, but managed a polite smile. She was pure ice on fire. “I don’t think so. Actually, Daddy, could I have a word with you? Alone?”

  It struck Coop suddenly that she hadn’t yet asked her dad to fill her in on the rest of the story yet. Hell if he would let William give her some twisted version to make Cooper look bad.

  “If this is about what I think it’s about,” Cooper said, “I want to be there.”

  S
aul bent close to him and whispered. “What the hell is going on, kid?”

  William, oblivious to everything and everyone but Cooper, was beginning to lose his patience. “How dare you presume you’d ever deserve even a moment of our time after what you did to my daughter?”

  Cooper’s mind exploded in a frenzy of furious retorts, none of which he could utter. Not here, and definitely not now. Not with Sarah Murphy hanging on to their every word. He wished she’d make like a lemming and jump off a cliff.

  “Mr. Scott,” Murphy said, “mind if I ask you a few questions about Cooper?” She turned to Savannah. “You too if you don’t mind. How do you and Cooper know each other? I’m sensing a pretty disastrous history here.”

  And a disastrous future if Saul didn’t get her the fuck out of there.

  “If you want the story,” Cooper told her in a last ditch effort, “I’ll be happy to tell you everything.”

  Murphy laughed. “If I wanted the romance-infused bullshit you’re sure to tell me I’d take you up on that. But I want the truth. Something tells me it’s a little grittier than that.”

  Saul finally stepped in. "Let's put a pin in this for a day or so, all right? I put the young lady on the spot, and she clearly doesn't like this sort of attention."

  Now he saw the error of his ways? It only took Cooper's repeated warnings, and Savannah on the threat charged defense to put this entire fiasco into perspective. Saul may have just put the spin of all spins on Cooper's story, and not in the way he'd been hoping for. This was a full-out backfire.

  When Coop turned his attention back to the table, everyone stood stone still. Silent as death. All their eyes on him.

  “Well this was fun,” Dimples said abruptly.

  He swallowed the remains of a white wine then swept Savannah’s hand toward his mouth. The moment his lips pressed against her knuckles, Coop had the urge to make his Greek nose look a little more Roman.

  "Lovely meeting you," the man said to Savannah. "I'll call you about that rain check."