Chapter 5

Maxine’s POV

It had been two weeks, fourteen days and three hundred and thirty-six hours of carefully avoiding one person in a building that suddenly felt too small for both of us.

Leaning back in my chair, I exhaled slowly as I stared at the stack of files on my desk. 

The fluorescent lights hummed faintly above me, the distant echo of skates against ice drifting through the walls like a constant reminder of where I was.

I was finally living my dream but while I was trying to build something for myself, I had also, unknowingly, signed up for a full-time job of dodging Hex Mercer like my sanity depended on it.

Which, honestly, it did.

If he noticed, he didn’t say anything but I knew he noticed.

Hex had always been observant in ways that were inconvenient.

My phone buzzing softly on the desk was what pulled me out of my thoughts.

Thinking it was a check in text from Adeline, I reached out to it quickly only for a frown to spread across my face. 

It was an unknown number.

For a second, I considered ignoring it but curiosity got the better of me so I picked it up and read the message.

You’re free, let’s have dinner. – Davian

“Davian?” I muttered, my brows furrowing slightly. 

For a second, my brain tried to process the name then it clicked.

It was Davian D’Amato.  

I huffed a small laugh under my breath but then another thought hit me.

How did he get my number?

As if on cue, another message came through.

Davian: Asked Reese for a favor and he granted it.

I blinked as a slow smile spread across my lips.

I gave it to him, he was bold and strangely, I didn’t hate it.

I hesitated for a second, my thumb hovering over the screen.

The same man whose face had been plastered across every billboard, sports magazine, and highlight reel since I stepped foot back into this city was inviting me to have dinner with him.

Since that night with Hex, I hadn't even looked at a man more than another human. And when I was approached for a relationship, I turned them down without a second thought. 

But with Hex here, I have to up my game. I can't have him hovering around me. 

Without a second thought, I typed back.

Me: I will come. 

The reply came almost instantly.

Davian: Parking lot in five minutes.

I grabbed my bag, slinging it over my shoulder before quickly sending a message to Adeline.

Me: Running late tonight. Don’t wait up.

I stared at the message for a second before adding:

Dinner. 

Her reply came in less than ten seconds.

Adeline: WITH WHO???

I rolled my eyes, already typing.

Me: Davian.

Adeline: OH MY GOD.

I could literally hear her screaming in my head. 

Rolling my eyes, I snorted softly, shaking my head as I locked my phone.

Adeline was going to have a field day with this but honestly, I didn’t mind because a small, petty part of me wanted Hex to see me moving on so he would stop looking at me like I still belonged to him.

I wanted him to understand that whatever we had was over.

Pushing my phone into my back, I stepped out of my office, swiping my card to lock the door behind me.

The hallway was quiet as most of the staff and players had already headed home as there was no game tonight. 

When my phone started ringing, my heart skipped multiple beats. I thought I had an emergency somewhere in the building but it turned out to be Adeline. 

 “What?” I huffed, rolling my eyes as I knew exactly what the call was all about. 

“Davian D’Amato?” she screeched into the phone. “The Davian D’Amato?”

“Yes, Addie,” I said dryly, walking toward the exit. “There’s only one.”

“Oh my God,” she repeated, sounding like she might pass out. “You’re going on a date with him?”

“It’s dinner,” I corrected. “Not a date.”

“Please,” she scoffed. “No man like that asks a woman to dinner just to talk about the weather.”

“Can you relax? It's nothing.”

“No, I cannot relax,” she shot back. “Do you have a condom?”

I nearly choked on her question. 

“Adeline!”

“What?” she said unapologetically. “I’m serious. You cannot risk getting pregnant for another jock with NHL inscribed on his forehead.”

My grip tightened on my phone as I replayed her words in my head. 

“Shut up,” I muttered, my tone harder now. “I’m not naive, and I’m definitely not making the same mistake twice.”

There was a brief pause on the other end then her voice softened.

“Hey… I was joking.”

“I know,” I said quietly.

Silence stretched for a moment before she sighed.

“Be safe.”

“Yeah, thanks.”

“And Max?”

“Yeah?”

“Have fun.”

A small smile tugged at my lips as I mumbled, “I’ll try.”

We hung up, and I slipped my phone back into my bag, exhaling slowly.

I turned the corner only to come to an immediate halt. It was crystal clear that the universe had a sick sense of humor.

Hex was leaning against the wall like he had been waiting for me.

Feigning not to have seen him, I turned sharply, trying to walk past him like he didn’t exist.

“Max.” He called but I ignored him.

“Max.” He called again, this time the sound of his footsteps accompanying his words. 

Before I could react, his hand wrapped around my arm, stopping me in my tracks.

Heat shot through me instantly. It was unwanted and infuriating.

“Let go.” I scowled, trying to yank my hand free. 

“You’re avoiding me,” he said, his voice low and controlled. “We need to…”

“I have nothing to say to you,” I cut in sharply, trying to pull free but he didn’t budge.

“Max,” he insisted, stepping closer. “Just listen to me for two minutes…”

“No,” I snapped, my patience snapping with it. “You don’t get to do that.”

“Do what?”

“Act like we can just pick up where we left off,” I shot back. “Like you didn’t…”

“I never said that,” he interrupted.

“Then what do you want?” I demanded, my voice rising despite my efforts to keep it down. “Because from where I’m standing, it looks like you suddenly remembered I exist.”

“That’s not fair.”

Rolling my eyes, I let out a bitter laugh. “Fair? You want to talk about fair?”

“I tried to reach you,” he said, his voice tightening. “You blocked me everywhere.”

“Yeah,” I said flatly. “I did.”

“Why?” he demanded. “You didn’t even give me a chance to explain.”

“You already said enough,” I replied coldly. “You made your choice and I went with it.”

“I didn’t choose…”

“You did,” I cut him off. “You just didn’t want to admit it.”

The silence that fell between us was heavy and suffocating.

For a second, something flickered in his eyes but I didn’t care.

“Let me go,” I said, my voice quieter now. 

“Is everything alright?” Davian's voice cut through the tension like a blade.

We both turned only to see Davian standing a few feet away, his gaze moving between us. 

Hex’s grip tightened slightly before he answered.

“Yeah,” he said, his tone neutral. “Just having a chat.”

Davian didn’t look convinced. His eyes dropped to where Hex was still holding my arm then slowly, and deliberately, he looked back up.

“Doesn’t look like a chat to me,” he said calmly. “Why are you holding her like that?”

Something shifted in the air.

I didn’t wait, I yanked my arm free this time, stepping away from Hex completely and then I did the one thing I knew would make a point.

I walked straight to Davian, closing the distance between us. 

“Sorry to keep you waiting,” I said, my voice was smooth and controlled, like nothing had just happened. 

“Let’s go.”

“But…” Hex started, nodding toward him.

“We’re done here,” I cut in.