Page 108 of Ice King

“Just stop.” I snatched it back, offering a growl that usually brought a smile to his face.

Not this time.

“Every headline is absolute bullshit,” Ford growled after I highlighted the article I’d found online earlier than morning.

“Does that mean you haven’t had a discussion with the Vancouver team?” I slipped my phone into my purse, noticing a business card. When he backed away, I pulled it into my fingers. It took me a few seconds to realize the card was the one the reporter had left in the Velvet Roast six weeks before.

“Hell, no. I don’t know what they’re waiting on unless it has something to do with the Portland franchise.”

I thought I’d tossed the card, certain the man at the coffee shop had been a nosy reporter. Exhaling, I read the information a second time before shoving it back into my purse.

Uh-oh. I think I’d screwed up.

Oh, this was bad.

What did you do, girl?

“You need a new agent,” I told him, wincing as soon as the words slipped from my mouth.

“It’s not that easy, little Miss Know-it-all. With no offer on the table, there isn’t a chance in hell I’d get an audience. I need toface it. I’m done.” While he was teasing me, I bit my cheek to keep from making a sound.

What if the right moment had been tossed out like yesterday’s news? All my fault.

“Now I call bullshit.” My skin crawled while an idea formed in my brain. What if…

I’d need to do a little investigation, but what if the situation was accurate? Hmmm.

I gripped his arm, pulling him closer. Even a gorgeous, very hot July day hadn’t put him in a better mood. I could understand why. The Hellions had yet to extend an invitation to him and from what I knew, Vancouver hadn’t made any overtures either.

No matter what the reporters had insinuated.

That didn’t mean the regional newspapers hadn’t exacerbated the near frenzy surrounding the upcoming hockey season.

“Yeah, well, I know an end when I see one, so fuck this shit,” he gritted out before taking a long pull on his beer.

“No cursing, honey,” Margaret told him, her eyebrows raised. She’d appeared out of nowhere, although she was certainly one of the most gracious hosts I’d ever experienced in my life.

“Sorry, Mom. Just frustrated.” Ford wasn’t merely frustrated. He also wasn’t sleeping very well. I should know. I spent every night languishing over being next to his hot body.

A portion of my body shuddered in thinking about our raging passion. We definitely couldn’t get enough of each other.

“Try and enjoy the party. Please?” Everyone was frustrated now that the dog days of summer had hit the area. Not only becauseof the excessive heatwave but also since the entire family seemed to be walking on pins and needles. “You’ve earned a bit of relaxation.”

“You mean because my taskmaster here has taken a day off of torturing me.” He elbowed me in the side. I could tell he was doing his best to maintain some sense of a decent mood.

“Do you really want me to talk about torture?” I threw back. In the last few weeks, I’d become immersed in the world of hockey and with Ford’s family. They’d been nothing but gracious and not only because I continued to work with Ford in requiring him to take care of himself.

I chuckled inwardly from the thought. I’d even had him swimming laps at the local YMCA.

“I can always take your beer away and make you run laps.” When I reached for his beer, he pulled me closer, enough so he could whisper in my ear.

“If you do, I guess I’ll need to punish you tonight. In fact, you are overdue for a nice… long… spanking.”

Having his mother within hearing distance created a wave of embarrassment.

“Don’t you dare mistreat her, Ford. She has you in tiptop shape.”

“Thank you very much,” I told her. “Your son can be difficult.”