Page 72 of Hockey Player Seeking Fan

“But tonight, let me show you my side of the coin.”

“Didn’t you show me your side of the coin when we went to the Brooklyn Bridge and then went to that penthouse?” I say, laughing slightly.

“No. I showed you lovemaking, but that’s not necessarily my side of the coin in life, in courting, in dating.” He pauses. “Please, just meet me tonight.”

“Fine. I’ll meet you tonight if that will get you off my back.”

“It will,” he says, sounding happy. And for some reason, my heart flutters. “I’ll text you a place and time. Be there. Sit at the bar. Wait for me.”

“What do you mean, sit at the bar and wait for you?”

“Do as I say, Erica.”

“Fine. Whatever.”

“Good. I’ll see you later.”

“Bye, Tyler.” I hang up the phone and stare at Sabrina.

There’s a twinkle in her eyes as she stares back at me.

“Why do you look like the cat that just ate the cream?”

“Because he’s so into you.”

“What do you mean, he’s so into me?”

“He’s into you, Erica.”

“He doesn’t love me.”

“I didn’t say he loves you. I don’t know him well enough for that. And generally, it takes men more than one night of lovemaking to fall in love. But whatever’s going on between the two of you—he’s intrigued by you. He likes you. Maybe it’s because he can’t have you. Men love the chase. I don’t know. But go tonight. Have fun. See where it goes.”

“Remember what you’ve been saying for the last couple of weeks on WhatsApp? You’ve been saying that you want to be different. You want to change your life. You want to have fun. You want to stop being so inside your head—and you’re doing that, right? You’ve started looking for places to volunteer. You joined the board of that women’s shelter. You’re getting involvedin nonprofits. You’re using your life for good. Well, maybe it’s time to start making changes in the personal realm, as well.”

She grins at me. “Maybe this is exactly what you need.”

I stare at her. “Really?”

“I don’t know what he has planned. I don’t know him. Go and have fun.”

I say, “But if it’s crazy, I’m blaming you.”

“If it’s crazy, film it.”

“Now, what do I wear?”

“I dunno… Wear something that makes him stop dead.”

“Again? Really, Sabrina?”

“What, you’re telling me you just want to hook up one time?”

I stare at her.

“I mean, if it were to happen again, I wouldn’t say no. But I mean, I haven’t even spoken to him in weeks. It’s very unlikely that he’s going to be like, ‘Would you like a repeat performance, Erica?’”

“Girl… do you know men? Trust me, if you’re open, he’s open.”