Page 66 of Score Her Heart

He shook his head. “I DO NOT want details. Okay, let’s talk about negotiations I want to put in front of the Bulldogs in the postseason.”

“I want to stay in Philly.”

“Okay, I figured. So here’s what I’m—”

I cut him off, “No, Steve. I have to stay in Philly.”

“Riley, I get it. We’ll put numbers in front of them, and if they don’t bite, we can consider our options. You could make a lot of money in a different city.”

I shook my head. “I don’t care if I have to take a pay cut. I literally do not give a shit about how many zeroes are on my check. I want to play hockey, but it has to be for the Bulldogs.”

He frowned. I frustrated him all the time because I played hockey for love of the sport. But there was no way I was going to a different city when my marriage was still so fragile. I couldn’t tear Fiona from her home or her friends.

“Riley, you’re the weirdest client.”

“I can’t do that to her,” I admitted.

“To who?”

“Fiona.”

“Oh.”

I nodded. “Do whatever you can, but I want to stay in Philly. I have to stay here for her, for my marriage.”

His eyes widened, and he nodded in understanding. “Okay, I get it.” He took a swig of his beer. “You really love her, don’t ya?”

I nodded and twisted my ring around my finger. “She was the one that got away. I need to prove to her that this thing between us is real. I can’t do that if I have to move to a different city come next fall.”

“Okay. I’ll get it done, but don’t say I didn’t warn you when it’s not enough money.”

“I don’t care about that. I only care about her.”

He shook his head. “Christ, kid, you’re lovesick.”

I gave him a dopey smile. I was, and I didn’t fucking care.

Chapter Twenty-One

FIONA

“Do you think you could talk to Dinah?” Riley asked me as he stood at the door about to leave for another game on the road after only being home for two days. This hockey wife thing was harder than I wanted to admit. Having him home for a few days for him to only be back on the road again did kinda suck.

I sighed and ran a hand through my hair. “I’ll try. Is Noah really torn up about her breaking up with him?”

He grimaced. “She did it via text.”

I cringed. “Oh, that’s bad. I liked them together. I’ll see what I can do.”

Riley smiled at me and leaned down to give me a long, lingering kiss goodbye. I was starting to wonder why my heart fluttered whenever he kissed me or why it banged deep in my chest whenever he left me.

“Please don’t hole yourself up here when I’m gone,” he told me sternly. His hands gripped my waist and pulled me flush against his chest.

“I have to work on edits!” I exclaimed.

He squinted his eyes at me. “I better not hear from Katie while I’m away again.”

Damn her. I rolled my eyes at him and shoved him away. “Go on, get out of here.”