Twisted Collide: The new sports romance in the Redville Saints series
Twisted Collide: Chapter 42

“Josie, could you meet me in my office?” My father holds up a finger when I try to bullshit my way out of any one-on-one time. “I have a list of potential brand collabs.”

I frown. “Can you email it?”

“It’s handwritten.”

“You came up with it?”

I’m well-aware my doubt bounces from my face like a pop-up book, but c’mon. The guy probably thinks all-you-can-eat shrimp is the peak of advertising.

“Yes.” He arches a brow. “Is that so hard to believe?”

“Well…” I make a show of checking the time, cringing internally. “We should head to your office now. I have a meeting soon.”

I do not, in fact, have a meeting soon. I’m pretty sure I’m not important enough to have a meeting soon. After all, I put the un in unpaid intern.

My father leads me into his office and gestures to the chair. I sit on the very edge, taking in the place. Dozens of playbooks sit in militant stacks at the edge of his desk. Trophies line a floating shelf behind it, coupled with a photo of… I squint, trying to make out the contents of the gold leaf frame. Is that…me? No way.

When I finally return my attention back to my father, he has an unreadable expression etched across his face.

I cross my legs, playing it cool. “The list?”

“Doesn’t exist.” He has the decency to look sheepish. With a sigh, he removes his cap and tosses it in a wire basket beside his desk. “I needed an excuse to talk to you. You’re avoiding me.”

“I’m not.”

“You are.”

“No, I’m—”

“How many twenty-two-year-olds have kidney stones?”

“They were the size of my fist,” I insist.

“Josie…”

He doesn’t get to finish his sentence.

Hudson barges in the office, two palms up. “I swear I didn’t do it.”

I don’t know what it is, but I certainly hope he did it, so he and my father can have a nice, long chat about it. Without me.

“Oh, what a shame.” I jut out my lower lip, hopping off the chair. “This seems important. I’ll let you two talk.”

With that, I’m out of there before either of them can even blink. I’m halfway down the hallway when I see Dane.

“Where’re you off to?” I ask.

He stops walking when he hears my voice. “Off to meet Aiden.”

“Really? You guys going out—”

“No. Actually, he runs a youth group, and I agreed to volunteer over there.”

“Seriously?”

“Yep. I realized I love helping the kids. I just hate fundraisers, so this felt like something I’d be into.” He shrugs.

“Oh, you hate fundraisers. Is that so?” I lift my brow. “Was the last one so awful?”

He laughs. “No, Hellfire.” He moves closer and lowers so his mouth is right next to my ear. A shiver works its way through my body at his proximity. For a second, I wonder what he’s doing, and then I can feel a whisper of his breath against my skin. “It wasn’t.”

My lids close, and a small moan escapes my lips.

“Careful.” He pulls away, acting like he’s not the instigator today. Jerk. A damn sexy hot jerk, but still a jerk.

Dane starts to open the door, and my brain catches up with what’s happening. “Wait, you’re going now?”

He turns and peers over his shoulder. “Yeah, why?”

“Is it sketch if I come with you?”

He pauses, then a slow smile rises up his cheeks. “For marketing purposes.”

“Of course. Haven’t you heard? I’m the next Nick Naylor.”

“Nick Naylor sold cigarettes to kids.”

“How convenient. There will be plenty of kids at the youth league.”

“Why not cigars? The ROI is higher.”

“Have you seen the returns on e-cigs?”

He tosses his head back, roaring out a laugh before he sobers. “Seriously, though, make a show of taking pictures when you come. And not just of my ass.”

“What?!”

“I know you look when I turn around.”

“How could you possibly know that?”

“Because we work at an ice rink. Reflective surfaces are everywhere.”

“It’ll be hard not to take a picture of your ass, considering there’s about six foot two inches and two hundred pounds of ass in front of me.”

He frowns. “You think I’m only six two?”

Twenty minutes later, I’m stepping into the rink where the youth teams play. The cold air hits my face the closer I get to the ice.

Laughter and shouts echo around the children already on the ice, wobbling in their skates, hockey sticks in their hands.

Aiden must see me because he waves from across the rink. Dane, however, is already in full coach mode.

I wave back before approaching and pull out my phone to take candid pictures and videos.

Dane looks like a natural with the kids. Both boys and girls and their ages seem to be in a range. The one thing they all have in common is that their excitement is palpable.

They all laugh and giggle, and something infectious about it has me grinning as well.

I watch with heart-shaped eyes as he shows the kids how to skate, and the kids copy him.

He skates beside them, guiding them, and as the practice goes on, Dane teaches them how to handle their sticks. He then shows them different techniques and the best ways to control the puck.

He’s phenomenal.

I can’t get over it.

Needing a minute to rein my emotions in, I look down on my phone, but then the boisterous sounds of screams and giggles have me glancing back up.

Now he’s letting them try to score on him.

It’s adorable.

I could watch this all day. Seeing Dane interact with the kids is everything I didn’t know I needed.

It’s amazing.

He’s amazing.

Seeing him today . . . was everything.

“Thanks, Coach!” one of the kids screams as Dane walks off the ice and approaches Aiden. Despite my distance, I can hear them as they speak. I should excuse myself, but I’m curious, so I don’t.

“It reminds me why I originally fell in love with hockey. Thanks for inviting me, man.”

“No problem, Sin. You better come back.”

“Promise.” He continues to walk, and I catch up to him. Together, we leave the rink.

“You’re a natural, Dane. They loved you.”

Dane shrugs, but I don’t miss the smile that crawls up his face.

Like this, he looks beautiful.

A man at peace.

If I’m not careful, this man is exactly the type of man who can break my heart because this is the man I can fall in love with.