6

Chelsea

“Is there some elitism thing going on in your team?”

I couldn’t help but ask, and his response was to laugh out loud.

“What? I don’t think I said something funny.”

He stopped laughing immediately.

“No, there’s no elitism or whatever, and our team doesn’t care that we have a different road manager. It just works better that way, and everyone agrees.”

“I am sure your team badmouths you guys behind your backs.”

He laughed again, and I decided that I like his laugh.

“That’s okay. We badmouth people too.”

“Even my dad?”

I asked him.

“Yes, especially your dad because he is fucking strict.”

I laughed.

“Not to me.”

“Of course, not to you. You are his little princess.”

I scoffed.

“I am thirty; I am not a little anything.”

I let out which made him laugh.

“But you are so small.”

“No, I am not. You are just huge!”

I argued, which made him laugh even more. I realized I was in a little danger when he moved closer to me.

“Can—can I see the NDA?”

My voice made me sound unserious, and Hayes noticed.

“Don’t.”

I whispered when he got even closer.

“Why? I am just bringing what you asked for.”

It took an embarrassing ten seconds to realize he was holding a paper.

How did I not even notice? I need to get my head out of the gutters and focus. This is my job. I can’t fuck it up on the first day just because my employer is hot and flirtatious.

“Let’s see.”

I said and yanked the paper from his hand. I moved away from him immediately and put enough distance between us.

I read through the NDA and looked at him.

“Really?”

I asked, and his smirk told me he knew what I just read.

“Yeah, really.”

In the NDA, there was a clause about not telling when there’s sexual contact between any of the guys and me.

As if I would let them happen.

“Don’t worry, we won’t tell either.”

He bit his lip as he spoke.

“Dude, I don’t want to have sex with you.”

Liar.

Being judged by your own mind was the worst feeling ever because you can’t lie to yourself.

“You don’t know that, and you are going to be seeing all this goodness for a whole season. Don’t worry, I will let you jump me at any time.”

I shook my head.

“Stop talking like that. I am not your friend, and I definitely will not be doing that with you.”

My voice sounded more professional than I felt, and Hayes finally stopped.

“Sorry. I tend to get familiar really fast. I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.”

I found his quick apology cute, and I wanted to tell him that, but I figured it would be better to maintain professional grounds.

“Thanks.”

I said, and he smiled.

“I should go wear something.”

No.

“Yes, please.”

I said instead of what my inside was screaming. He smiled awkwardly and walked out of the kitchen.

“Great, I made things awkward.”

I whispered to myself and read through the rest of the NDA. I reached for the pen on the counter and signed.

Aside from the sex part, which I am going to have to work extra hard to make sure it doesn’t happen, everything else was pretty easy. I know I won’t be recruited by another hockey team because this is a one-time thing even with them.

So, I won’t be blurting out any team secrets to a new team. I also don’t like celebrity gossip, so there’s not a chance that I would be speaking to any reporters.

I looked up when I heard footsteps and expected to see Hayes back after wearing something, but a very gloomy-looking Beckham walked in instead.

He took one look at me and walked to the fridge. I swallowed and reminded myself that his mood had nothing to do with me.

It didn’t help me feel better. I mean, I didn’t do anything wrong; he shouldn’t be ignoring me like it’s my fault he has such a terrible family.

 Okay, I shouldn’t even be thinking that since I don’t know if he thinks of his family as terrible. Just because they want him to do something he doesn’t want doesn’t mean he hates them.

The kitchen was awfully quiet save for the gulping sound he was making while drinking water, and that sound did not help me at all.

I don’t even know why I found him drinking water sexy. I think I might be going out of my mind.

I was just ogling Hayes some minutes ago, and now, I can’t look away from a very grumpy Beckham drinking water.

“So, are you going to work with us?”

His deep voice and the way he suddenly turned his whole attention to me threw me off, and it took a moment for my brain to process what he said.

“Oh, yeah. I mean I am here, aren’t I?”

He nodded and recapped the bottle.

“You will like working with us. We are very easy to please.”

Some of the gloominess was gone from his face, and I counted that as a win.

“I think I already like it. Jace and Hayes have both been very nice to me.”

If I remove their flirts and the fact that I want to jump their hot bodies, yes, they have been very welcoming.

“I am sorry that I have been in a mood.”

I shook my head.

“Really, I am not usually like this.”

He continued.

“It’s okay, Beck. You don’t have to explain yourself to me.”

I assured him.

“Right. What did you sign?”

He asked, walking closer to me. I smiled at the NDA.

“Oh, I can’t believe he made you sign that.”

Beck said and picked the paper up.

“The things on this shit!”

Beck let out as if it was his first time seeing it.

“Didn’t you know what was on it?”

He looked at me and shook his head.

“Hayes handles these things. Jace and I have no interest. You can say Hayes is the brain of the three of us.”

“And the cook.”

I added.

“Oh, he already bragged about that to you? Well, he earned it; he makes the best food. Better than anything I have eaten, and I have been to the best of the best restaurants around the world.”

The more we talked, the less gloomy he looked, and that made me very pleased.

“I can cook too.”

I blurted out just because I wanted the conversation to continue.

“Really? Your dad is a disaster.”

I lifted my brow.

“He once cooked for us at his house, and it was terrible. Hayes had to step up and save the day, or our whole team would have missed a home game during knockoffs.”

I laughed loudly. I just couldn’t help it.

“It wasn’t funny.”

He said, but he couldn’t hide the laugh from his face.

“Sorry you had to experience that. I learned to cook from my stepfather.”

I told him.

“Oh, stepfather.”

He had the same reaction that Hayes had when I told him about my stepfather, but there was something else in the way he said the word stepfather that just didn’t feel right. I found out when he said his next words.

“I have a stepmother, and she hates me. She would never have taught me anything.”

Second time misjudging this guy today; I need to get my act together around him.