Page 77 of The Recovery Coach
Olivia loved Jake’s directness.They’d become fast friends when she’d gotten a job at a sleazy little pub and he’d debriefed her on every regular and all the other employees.He’d trained her, called her out on her bullshit, and made sure she never put her stupid-ass minimum-wage job ahead of her education, even when she decided to quit the nursing program.They’d bonded over a hatred for customer service work, overloaded schedules, and the weight of their own expectations for themselves.
Jake arrived in her life exactly when she needed him, and it seemed history was destined to repeat itself.She hadn’t kept close tabs on him in the years since graduation, but she’d known he had signed an entry-level contract with an NHL team and played in the AHL since then.She had no doubt he would fit right back into her life as if he’d never left.
He was also gorgeous, with deep olive skin, curly dark hair, and the standard physique of an NHL player.When they first met, Olivia hit on him.He shut her down without hesitation, and they never spoke of it again.Great for her because they never would have worked as a couple, but she got a dear friend out of the deal.
The problem with his question was that for the first time ever, Oliviawasn’tcertain.Hazy acted freaking weird toward Jake.She shifted in her seat, crossing and uncrossing her legs.
“Valentine seems to think Connor loves me back, but he’s given me no reason to think so.Beyond the usual lovey-touchy-feely stuff.But that’s just Connor.”
“Girl, I’m pretty sure he was point two seconds away from ripping my head clean off my body if I didn’t stop touching you.”
“Nah, he’s super touchy with his friends.Casual touching doesn’t mean anything to him.”
“Touching means a lot to most people.I wouldn’t be sure it means nothing.”
Jake studied her with raised eyebrows over the rim of his cup as he took a swig of coffee.
Olivia bit a piece of skin off her lip.
“You have got to stop doing that; you’re going to have split lips again if you keep it up.”
She rolled her eyes, but tried to stop.“Can I tell you a secret?”
Jake leaned forward in his seat.“Ooo, tea!Tell me all your secrets.What have I missed?”
She took a deep breath and blew it out to calm her nerves before she spoke.He would either love her plan or think she was fucking stupid.No in-between.“Valentine has this secret plan to get Connor to admit he has feelings for me.We’re fake dating to provoke him.”
Jake covered his grin with his hand but failed to hide his amusement.“That’s the worst idea you’ve ever had.Hazy and Lover are besties.People don’t speak one name without speaking the other.There are hundreds of thousands of fans who ship their bromance.What if it all goes wrong?You might lose them both.Their relationship is part of their career.And Hazy would never steal Lover’s girl.Lover doesn’t date.It’s like a well-known locker-room fact.”
“That’s what I said!”She chuckled at the stupidity of it.“Valentine assured me we’ll end things amicably if it doesn’t work.I want it to work.But if it doesn’t, I’m moving on.For good.I swear.”
“Whatever happened to the guy you were dating?Luke?Lane?”
“Lance.Yeah.My life is a giant fucking mess.”Olivia filled Jake in on all the juicy details of her craptastic relationship with Lance from the moment they met to Valentine punching him in the face.
When she finished, he said, “Yikes.”
She filled her voice with disdain and sarcasm.“It’s honestly just...the best.”
“That might be the worst thing I’ve ever heard.How sure are you that he won’t try to come after you again?If he stole your money and demanded you go back to live with him, who knows what else he would do.”
“It’s not great.But Lance isn’t stupid.I have a restraining order.I don’t think he would risk jail time.It would ruin his image.”
Jake wrinkled his nose.“What’s the plan moving forward?You quit your job.You’re single and ready to mingle.The world is your oyster.”
She shrugged.“I’m kind of winging life right now.A complete rebuild.”
“And you’re doing that while you live with Hazy?”
Olivia popped the ‘p’ when she said, “Yup.”
“You have no backup plan.”
She shook her head.“Homelessness,” she deadpanned.
The answer startled Jake, and he let out a honk before slapping a hand over his mouth.“I won’t let you be homeless.You can stay with me anytime.The team has me in a fancy, soulless apartment.You’d hate it.”
“Thanks, but I won’t need it.I’m not at any risk of actual homelessness.I technically work for Connor for the next couple of months, and he’s paying me a stupid amount of money.”
