Cocky Score (The Hawkeyes Hockey Series)

“I think he could be my soulmate,” Penelope says about the email pen pal that she’s had since college who is now slipping back into her inbox… out of nowhere.

“I hope he is Penelope, you deserve love, but soulmates are too farfetched an idea for me. There are too many damn people in this universe for only one person to be your soulmate,” Tessa says, taking a sip of her raspberry lemon drop.

Although I would tend to side with Tessa on this, I think Penelope truly believes in it, and honestly, I could use a little happily ever after discussion right now.

“If he’s your soulmate, then you need to force him to meet you, once and for all,” I encourage.

Things with Briggs seem to be coloring outside of the lines, and even though I’ve enjoyed every second of it, Erika’s warning has me knowing that this thing with Briggs and I can’t keep going on if I want the promotion.

I should have told him last night when I got home from my apartment, but being locked up in his arms while I slept was too good to let go of. And then this morning… I still wasn’t ready. Then he kissed me before I walked out the door to head to the bar, and I just about texted the girls to cancel so that I could get one more shower sex session in before we have to call it quits, but with my brother in the apartment, and Briggs’s teammates showing up, I lost my chance. I have to tell him tonight that we have to stop the physical portion of this because it could cost me everything I’m working for.

I’m glad to be getting a few hours with these girls to blow off a little stress before heading back to my apartment with Briggs.

Penelope invited Isla to come out with us, and since Kaenan is leaving for a few days with the team, he told her to take the night off. I’m glad she’s here too, but with her here, we can’t discuss what’s happening between Briggs and me. I could have used Penelope and Tessa’s input on what I should do and what they think Briggs wants.

“I agree,” Isla says. “Demand the things that you want, and don’t be scared if stating your true feelings might ruin everything because one day, your ex might drag you back to Colorado.” Isla clinks her glass with all of ours and then downs her drink like a shot.

“Uh, you okay over there?” Tessa says to Isla with concern.

“That was oddly specific,” I say.

“Do you have something on your chest?” Penelope says, “Spill. That’s what girls’ night is for.”

“I don’t think I should talk about this out loud. He’s my boss.” Isla’s eyes go so big as saucers that she just let the cat out of the bag.

The three of us gasp but smile at each other. Tessa called this. Isla and Kaenan have a thing for each other, but they’re trying to hide it from each other because pretty much anyone in proximity to these two can see it.

“We’ve got all night,” I tell her, grabbing her empty drink and heading for the bar to get her a refill. She needs liquid courage. I walk up and set the empty drink on the bar as the bartender walks up.

“What can I get you?”

“She needs a refill.” I toss a thumb over my shoulder. “Liquid courage, please… something fruity that goes down easy.”

The bartender gives me a weird look.

Tessa walks up behind me with two more empty glasses, probably reordering too. She leans in to see what the bartender and I are discussing.

“She’s about to tell us about a secret love affair with her boss, but she needs a little push.” That doesn’t lessen his scowl. “We already know who it is. We just want her to finally admit it and free herself.”

He still seems displeased.

Tessa decides to chime in. “Please, for the love of God and all that is holy in this world, our dear friend needs help, and we need you to wave your magic fairy tequila wand to assist us in unburdening her on girls’ night.”

He takes the empty drink glasses and then looks back over at our table. “Fine, but I’m watching you two.”

It’s good to know the bartender is looking out for his customers… can’t be mad at that.

“Great, now make it a round for the whole table… thanks.” Tessa beams and does her innocent girl head tilt, sliding a black metal card toward him.

The name on the card reads Lake E Powers.

“Lake E Powers?” I ask.

“I know, right? What could the E stand for? Elmer? Enrique?” she says, debating the possibilities. “Penelope won’t tell me. She says it’s against confidentiality policy for her to tell me anything inside Lake’s file.”

“Why don’t you just internet stalk him like a normal person?” I suggest.

“What fun is that?”

“No fun, I guess.” I laugh. “So, why do you have it?”

“Because I bet him that I could pickpocket him without him knowing.”

“Did you win?”

“Well, we’re here, and I’m buying us all drinks with it.” She smirks.

“Does he know?” I ask of my crazy friend.

“He’ll know soon enough.” She gleams.

I shake my head and then take a quick look around the bar, mindlessly looking over the other patrons in the bar, when my eyes catch on a woman in the back.

She almost looks like…

I swear that’s…

She sees me, and our eyes connect, and then she bolts for the bathroom hall.

Shoot, it is. But how does she know who I am? I only know who she is from the photos that I’ve seen of her from the surveillance photos from Erika and Sam Roberts. Maybe she recognized me from gossip magazines or social media.

“I’ll meet you back at the table. I need to use the restroom,” I tell Tessa, and then speed walk to the restroom.

I push through the bathroom door but don’t see anyone at first.

I walk through the line of bathroom stalls until I find the only one closed. I consider it a strike of luck that no one else is in here.

“Dixie?” I say softly.

I’ll be embarrassed if it’s not her, and I came in with guns blazing.

“Dixie, I know you’re in here.”

Still no response.

“I just want to talk to you.”

“Are you going to hit me?” she asks, her voice echoing in the metal stall.

She thinks I’ll hit her? Well, yes, actually I’d like to, but I won’t. I don’t want to spend the night in jail for assault, and I still don’t even know the real story because Briggs is tight-lipped about it all.

“No, I’m not going to hit you.”

Still no movement.

“Okay, how about if I just ask questions and you answer them? I just want to know what’s going on. Briggs seems to think this whole thing is out of character for you. I just want to know your motivation for doing this to him.”

“He said that?” she asks.

“Said what?”

“That he thinks this is out of character for me?”

Yes, but he has to be wrong.

“He did. He wanted to talk to you, but the franchise won’t let him.”

“This is all so fucked up.” I hear her voice break as she seems to start crying.

Who blackmails someone and then cries about it?

“What’s fucked up?” I ask.

“Briggs is a good guy. This shouldn’t be happening to him.”

“I agree. So why are you doing it.”

“Are you wearing a wire?” she asks.

What the hell?

“No. Why?”

I hear the sound of the metal lock sliding loose, and then the door opens slowly.

She opens the stall door and then looks at me, her eyes red and blotchy like she hasn’t slept in days, and I can see new tears that have fallen. What is happening to this woman?

She walks over to the sink and washes her hands even though I don’t think she used the restroom, but bathrooms are dirty, so washing her hands is smart.

I watch her meticulously wash them, and the silence is killing me.

“Dixie—”

“My name isn’t Dixie. That’s just my stage name.”

“Okay…”

“It’s Samantha.”

“I’m Autumn.”

“I know. I’ve seen pictures of you and Briggs online.”

That’s what I figured.

“As his girlfriend, I just want to know why you’re blackmailing Briggs but crying over the injustice of it. I don’t understand.”

“It’s not me.”

“What do you mean it’s not you?”

She looks around the bathroom to make sure we’re alone, but right as she’s about to say something, two women walk in. They both smile at us and now it’s my turn to pretend that I’m washing my hands.

The two women are chatting about the scowling bartender while they reapply lipstick. Well, at least it wasn’t just me that had him frowning. He just does that, it sounds like.

After a minute or two, they turn to leave.

I step closer to her. I want to get this information before the next person comes in to use the facilities.

“Someone else is blackmailing Briggs?”

“Yes. My boss.”

“Who’s your boss?”

“The owner of the club.”

“I don’t understand. Briggs is a big client. Why would he want to lose out on business?”

“He thought it would be a big enough payday. He has a drug habit, and he said he’ll lose the club if I can’t get a cash infusion.”

“So he came up with the idea to blackmail Briggs?”

“Yeah. He’s been seeing the lap dances Briggs has been paying me for and figured Briggs wouldn’t miss the money.”

I want to ask her about the lap dances that it seems Briggs pays for but doesn’t use. However, that’s more of a personal question, and I need facts about the blackmail portion. I’ll ask about the lap dances if I get the time.

“But when Lake Powers came in with Briggs, he thought he could sue the franchise instead and get more money.”

“But Briggs wasn’t involved?”

“No.”

She hesitantly looks around the room again.

“What’s wrong? Why are you so anxious?”

“I need the money from my job. If my boss finds out, he’ll fire me and blackball me from all the other clubs. I have a little girl to look after. I need that money.”

“I’m not going to tell anyone. Then did you send the surveillance photos?”

“No. My guess is that Tyler did. The guy who used to bartend for the club. He likes Briggs. The owner fired him because he said he wouldn’t lie about seeing Briggs and the other players walk into the back room with me.”

“What’s the club owner’s plan now?”

“He gambled all the money away, so he plans to sell the story to a gossip magazine next week.”

“Next week!? But you signed a document that says you won’t sell the fake story. the Hawkeyes are going to sue you for breach of contract.”

She starts crying again and stares down at her shaky hands.

“I know. I’m scared. I didn’t know about his plans to sell to the gossip magazine. But he said there’s enough money to protect me as long as I go along with everything.”

“And you believe him?”

“What other choice do I have? He says no one will believe me. I have a daughter I have to think about. I need the job, she’s sick, and I’m all she has.”

“Cancer?” I ask softly, not completely sure if I should even utter the words.

She nods. The lap dances Briggs didn’t take. Is it possible he was helping her? His dad had cancer once, years ago, when I was still in high school. Luckily, he beat it. I see why Briggs would want to help Samantha’s daughter.

“What about the money that the Hawkeyes sent you?”

“It went to an account that the bar owner set up. I never saw a dollar of it. He said he needed it all to keep the club going and keep me employed.”

“What happened to the bartender?”

“He quit when this was all happening. I think he moved to Portland, Oregon.”

I think for a second.

“Samantha, are you willing to help Briggs if I can find a way for you to do that?”

“Yeah. I’ll do whatever I can,” she says adamantly.

“Give me your number, and I’ll text you mine. We’ll stay close. I know a new charity that could help you with expenses for your daughter.”

“Really? You think they’d help me with everything I’ve done in my past?”

“I know the president, and I think you’re the perfect family for this.”

She smiles at me, wiping her tears.

She and I walk back out of the restroom, and I head back to the table, trying not to race right out of the door, and head directly home to tell Briggs what I found out. To tell him what’s on its way. It turns out Briggs was right. He should have gone to talk to Dixie… er, Samantha. Maybe this could have all ended without Briggs and I having to fake date.

That thought hits me. Suppose the owner hadn’t decided to blackmail Briggs. In that case, my PR company might never have been called, Briggs wouldn’t have needed a fake girlfriend, and I would probably still be dating Derek instead of heading home to Briggs.

What an odd turn of events.

“OK, I’m back. What did I miss?” I say, sliding in next to Isla on the bench.

“We thought maybe you got a job in the back,” Tessa jokes. “You were gone forever.”

“I’m sorry. I ran into a friend,” I say, looking over to find that Samantha isn’t here anymore. She must have gone home.

“Recap!” Penelope declares. “Tessa wants to find a way to get rid of Lake’s body without anyone tracing it back to her. Isla wants to rip Kaenan’s clothes off with her teeth…”

“Whoa, I didn’t say that,” Isla interjects.

“…And I have met the man of my dreams, but I’ve never met him. The only one we’re missing is yourself, so now stop holding back and give us all the juicy details.”

I glance over at Isla and then at them.

“Penelope told her,” Tessa smirks and takes a sip of her drink.

“Well… she’s a part of our core group. It was essential.”

“I wish I had your logic when I asked the Hawkeyes if I could avoid lying to my own parents and my brother… who, by the way, hit Briggs when he found out we are dating.”

All three of them echo an “Ooh.”

“I’m sorry.” Penelope sinks into her chair and gives a pitiful smile.

“It’s okay. But I should probably go. Briggs and I are supposed to have ‘the talk’ when I get home about where this is going, and I have to tell him that my boss just told me I have to choose between him or my promotion.”

They all gasp, and Penelope reaches out to stop me from standing up.

“You can’t drop that on us and then leave,” she says.

“I’m sorry, but I have to.”

I look toward the door as I make plans for an escape through the crowd when the door opens, and a familiar man walks through it.

“Uh-oh,” I say as I watch Lake scouring the bar. I’ve got an idea of who he’s looking for.

“What?” Penelope perks up, looking around.

“Someone’s in trouble,” I say, glancing away from Lake and looking at Tessa.

“Who… me?” she says with confusion.

She follows my eyes and sees Lake. His eyes latch onto hers, and his face turns dark.

“Welp, that’s my cue to go,” I tell them, grabbing my purse and slipping back out of the bench seat.

“This was fun. Another night next week?”

They all nod, and I pass by Lake.

“Go easy on her,” I whisper to him.

“Like she does to me?”

Okay… good point.

I look back just as I exit the bar to see Lake hovering over Tessa; his hand outstretched as if telling her to give him his card back. He must have had a notification that told him someone used his card at the bar.

Dang, I wish I could stay to hear this. Oh well, they’ll have to give me the details at our next girls’ night.