Page 43 of The Chemistry Coach
Daisy gave in and grabbed her phone.The texts were from Roxie, of course, asking what she should say.She silenced the notifications without answering.She’d have to admit this eventually, anyway—now they were all suspicious.
After a few minutes Connor returned to the group and held his phone out to Daisy.“Hello?”She could have walked away, but privacy went by the wayside the second she told on herself.
Roxie sighed.“What’s going on?Why is the ex I haven’t talked to in five years calling me in the middle of the night asking about you?I thought you were working.”
“It’s only ten pm,” Daisy pointed out.The boys gave her befuddled looks.
“What are you doing, Daisy?What’s the move?What does he know?”
“Um, not much.”She pressed the speaker into her ear as much as possible to muffle Roxie’s voice.
“Why the fuck not?It’s beenyearsof you following his career and obsessing over him.I broke up with him because you liked him more than I did, and he deserved that level of dedication!You broke up with Patrick because you liked Connor more!”Daisy could tell the boys couldn’t overhear since their expressions didn’t change during Roxie’s monologue.
“I know.But that’s...a lot.And it’s a work thing.”
“It’s not a work thing.It was never a work thing.And even if it were, you hate your fucking job.We’ve talked about this, babe.You have to take a risk sometime.”
Daisy was tired of being told to take risks.She was working toward it.“I know.”
“Make a move.Trust me, it sounds like he cares about you.”
“Okay.”
“I’m going to bed.I love you.”
“Love you, too.”
Daisy hung up and handed Connor his phone.The boys stared at her.Ignoring them, she took a swig of whiskey out of the bottle before she said, “Alright.Truth or dare!Connor, it’s your turn.”
Connor shot a heated look in her direction and sat.He took his time getting comfortable.If he wanted to make her sweat, it was working.
“Okay, Daisy.Back to the game it is.Truth or dare?”
Neither option felt safe.She chewed her bottom lip, wishing she could have asked Roxie what she and Connor had talked about.“Truth, I guess.”
Connor, with the excitement of winning a glorious prize, said, “Tell us about the podcast.”
Daisy froze, unable to speak for a minute.Fucking Roxie.“Okaaay.Um, I have a newish podcast with Roxie.It’s about hockey.We cover the Freeze.We’re both big fans.”There.That should satisfy the rules of the game.“Okay, my turn!Connor, truth or dare?”If he wanted to ask embarrassing questions, she could play hardball.
“Truth,” he said.
She asked, “Why is your nickname Beanie?”
Chapter 16
Connor
ConnorstudiedDaisy,unsurehow to answer.If she were friends with Roxie, she probably knew a lot more about him than he could guess.But the real story happened before he met Roxie.It’s possible she knew, but maybe not.He went with the story he told everyone.
“It started as Greene Bean and evolved from there.”
She shook her head before he finished the sentence.“The real reason.”
He sighed.He must have told Roxie about it at some point.“Fine, I ate too much vegetarian chili at a tournament one time and vomited beans all over the bus on the ride home.Happy?”
Daisy smirked and nodded in confirmation, and then it was Connor’s turn again.His teammates were laughing their asses off, but he didn’t back down when he said, “Lover, truth or dare?”
“Dare.”
