So?” I ask and give a long, slow spin in front of my computer so Winnie and Sadie can see the back of the white cocktail dress with black lace panels that I’m thinking of wearing to the charity auction tonight.

“Don’t you have something…sluttier?” Sadie asks casually.

I glare at her pixelated face through my computer screen. I’m not sure she’s absorbing the depth of the look, so I add, “It’s a work event, Sadie.”

“It’s a gorgeous dress, but it is a little…” Winnie, the only one in our family with the slightest amount of tact, searches for the right word. “Safe. Pretty but tame, you know?”

“It’s the white. It’s virginal,” Sadie adds helpfully. “You’re twenty-five. No one wants a twenty-five-year-old virgin. Wear a color.”

I frown because I really like it. It makes me feel confident. But so does making Elijah’s eyes bug out of his head, and that’s the ego boost I’m going for tonight. I hold up a finger to the camera and scurry over to my closet.

“How’s the packing coming along?” I call out from inside the walk-in closet. I live in a studio. It’s small and basic but it’s affordable, which trumps everything else in San Francisco.

“The big stuff like furniture is already in San Fran. We’re just going through some boxes in the basement now. What to keep and what to toss. Mom doesn’t want to leave too much junk here while we’re gone. But Dad’s doing a better job with it than her,” Winnie informs me. “He’s great at purging stuff. Mom keeps finding things and getting weepy.”

“Yesterday she found Jude’s first pair of skates and cried for like an hour,” Sadie explains and I can hear the exasperation in her voice.

I grab the teal cocktail dress with lace across the top and the hem. It’s clingier than I’ve worn to a work event and a much bolder color. I tend to stick to basic black or white at work functions, and much looser. But the Elijah factor is changing everything.

“Give Mom a break, guys,” I tell my sisters as I shimmy into the dress. “This is brutal on her even more than us, and probably more than Dad. She’s never lived anywhere but Toronto, and she’s moving and watching the only man she’s ever loved fight a losing battle at the same time.”

I walk out of the closet and over to my desk, where my laptop is perched. I can see the instant look of approval on both their faces through the screen. “Yes!” Sadie says emphatically.

“So much yes!” Winnie agrees.

I glance over at the full-length mirror on the wall next to my dresser. The dress is sexy but not racy, so, although it’s not something I would normally think of for work, I’m going to go with it.

“Wear Gran’s pearl necklace and earrings with it, Dix,” Sadie advises.

“Pearls are old-fashioned, aren’t they?” Winnie says.

“No way,” she argues back, shaking her head so quickly her dirty blond hair flies and hits Winnie in the face. “Any man worth your time will equate a pearl necklace with a pearl necklace.”

She grins and gives me an exaggerated wink. Winnie wrinkles her nose. “Gross.”

I laugh at both of them. “I’m not trying to get him to think of that. I’m just flirting. We’re just flirty friends.”

“You have never called us for fashion advice because someone is just a flirty friend,” Winnie reminds me.

“Well, there’s a first time for everything,” I retort. “I have to go! Have to be at the event in half an hour to make sure the setup is going well.”

“Have them set up a mattress behind the stage so you don’t have to waste time bringing him back to your place,” Winnie quips with a grin.

“Besides, your place is too small for really rowdy sex,” Sadie advises. “And this guy’s a goalie, so it’s going to be hella rowdy. Trust me.”

Winnie rolls her eyes. “You banged one goalie in your senior year of high school and now you’re like an expert?”

“It’s one more than you’ve banged,” Sadie counters. “When she starts lusting after librarians and accountants you can give out the advice.”

“Later, sisters. I love you.”

They wave and blow kisses and I hit End on our Skype session and shut my laptop. I love my sisters more than anyone else in the world. They’ve been my best friends my entire life, but I’m still not ready to admit to them that this thing with Elijah is anything more than innocent flirtation. Still, as I rush to the bathroom to give my makeup and hair a final primp, I grab the pearl necklace and teardrop earrings Sadie mentioned earlier. In case she’s right and it does make Eli think inappropriate thoughts. Then I head to the hotel where the event is happening.

If flirting with Eli is playing with fire, then I’m a goddamn pyromaniac. I can’t stop doing it. It’s too much fun, and I feel like ninety percent of the fun was sucked out of my life in the last two years. Eli brings it back.

It’s not anyone’s fault—not even mine—that life got so serious. Finding out your dad’s clock is ticking down way faster than it should makes life refocus and forces you to grow up fast. I know that I don’t do the things most twenty-somethings do. I spend most of my free time with my family because I’ll be damned if I’m going to miss a moment with my dad on purpose. And my mom and my sisters—and Jude, even though he’ll never admit it—need me as much as I need them to get through this. The idea of throwing a boyfriend into that just doesn’t feel right. Sadie stopped dating when we found out about Dad too, and Winnie’s relationship with her long-term boyfriend is a disaster. Because we’re barely holding it together. If…when Dad finally dies, I am going to be a mess. An inconsolable, devastated, broken mess. No outsider needs to deal with that. So I haven’t bothered with guys and dating. I’d rather just focus on what’s important—my family.

Flirting with Elijah is the exception to that rule. I get to be wild and inappropriate and horny and all the other things young career girls should be in their spare time. But hooking up with him would be careless…if the no-fraternization clause applies to the Storm players. I just assumed it did, but I didn’t read the paperwork all that carefully when I signed it as an intern. I was just thrilled to be a part of the organization and start my career working for Ryanne Bateman. I didn’t think the policy would ever matter.

As I walk into the hotel, I head straight to where the event is happening. I smile at a few employees as I pass by. They smile briefly and scurry past. Everyone is in hustle mode already. Good.

Nadine is standing at the entrance to the tiki-themed lounge we’ve rented for this event. It’s a great intimate location with mood lighting designed like tiki torches and funky bamboo tables. The Thunder do three major charity events during the year—this is actually the smallest. Nadine looks stressed as she surveys the employees. “Are you okay with the silver napkins? They gave me a choice of silver or black because you know, team colors. But Trish wasn’t here and I didn’t want to call you because I thought I could handle it, but now I’m worried I made the wrong call.”

“Silver is perfect. The black ones always seem morbid rather than classy.” I pat her shoulder reassuringly. She looks so relieved I almost laugh. I remember being that eager and panicked all at once. “You’re doing great, Nadine.”

“Thank you.” She smiles proudly. “Oh, and I brought the HR handbook you asked for. It’s in my purse.”

She walks over to a nearby table and grabs her purse off the seat. It’s honestly the size of a suitcase, which was one of the first things I noticed about her. It’s her quirk. Everyone has a quirk, and ever since I was a kid, I’ve loved finding them in people. I haven’t been able to find one in Trish yet, and that’s one of the reasons I find her off-putting. Nadine pulls out the thick, neatly bound Code of Conduct for Thunder employees.

“Thank you!” I immediately open it and start flipping pages.

“Hey, ladies! It looks great in here!”

We both turn and see Trish walking toward us with a purposeful stride. She’s wearing a simple black cocktail dress with a flared skirt that lands below her knee and strappy silver heels. Her eyes widen a little as they land on me, and I can’t decide if she’s shocked or offended by my dress choice, but either way it makes me uncomfortable.

“What’s that?” Trish asks, pointing to the HR manual in my hand.

“Nothing.” I shrug casually. “Just some HR stuff.”

“Are you going to read the fraternization clause out loud before the guests get here?” Trish asks, grinning.

My heart stops. Oh my God, she knows? How does she know?

Trish keeps talking. “Out loud to the players? I mean, we should if you think it’ll get them to finally stop hitting on the cute female fans at these events.”

Oh. She doesn’t actually know why I have the book. She’s making a joke. I almost sigh audibly in relief. Trish giggles lightly and turns to Nadine. “I heard Jude Braddock rents hotel rooms where we have events so he can sleep with guests.”

“Not anymore,” I reply quickly. “He’s settled down now and has a kid on the way.”

Trish nods. “Oh, I know. I wish some guy would look at me the way Jude looks at his girlfriend.”

She sighs longingly. Nadine smiles. “It’s amazing that a guy who once had a dick pic on the internet could now be in a relationship goals meme.”

“Oh God!” I groan like I always do when Jude’s famous dick pic comes up. “Please tell me the guests are about to arrive so we can stop having this conversation.”

Trish glances at the pretty rose gold watch on her arm. “Actually they are. Nadine, do a last-minute sweep of the room to make sure everything is in place. Dixie, double-check that the bartenders have everything they need. I’m heading to the kitchen to make sure the appetizers are hot and ready to circulate.”

Nadine scurries off and I force myself to nod and walk toward the main bar, even though the fact that she’s throwing around orders makes me bristle. She’s not my boss. In fact, I have seniority over her, but right now that doesn’t matter. We just need to make sure everything is ready.

The bartenders are good to go, so I decide to sneak off to the bathroom to freshen up my lipstick and then read every single word of the nonfraternization clause. I leave the tiki bar and head down the long hallway toward the restrooms. I swing open the door and glance around. It’s empty, so I walk over to the sink, barely glance at my reflection and start flipping through the booklet again.

I find the clause I’m looking for on page nineteen. I hold my breath and read the section so fast the words get blurry for a second and then I let the air out of my lungs and read it again much more slowly. It doesn’t say “and their affiliates.” It doesn’t include Sacramento Storm in any wording. It says that although connections on a friendly level are encouraged between staff and rostered players of the San Francisco Thunder, romantic involvement of any kind is not condoned and can result in termination.

“What’s so exciting?”

My eyes fly up and as I close the handbook and put it behind my back, I see Ann, our assistant manager of communications, standing at the end of the line of stalls. She’s smiling. “You didn’t even hear me come in, but whatever has you distracted also has you smiling.”

My free hand flies up to my mouth. She’s right. I am smiling. Oops. Her brown eyes move to the mirror and down. Then she points. “What are you reading?”

“Oh…I…” Oh my God, how do I get out of this? I have fifteen seconds before it’s awkward if I don’t answer, but I can’t think of a single thing to say that will make it perfectly normal to get caught smiling while reading the HR handbook in a public restroom.

The universe must like me today, because her phone rings and her attention is completely refocused. “Ann speaking.”

I quickly turn away from her, partly to give her the aura of privacy but also so I can shove the book in my purse. It’s kind of too big, so I can’t close my purse, but at least it’s hidden. I try not to eavesdrop as I apply my lipstick in the mirror but I can’t help but notice Ann’s voice is getting more excited.

“Yes…Yes…Why thank you…”

I grab my purse and start toward the door because I think she needs privacy and I don’t have any more reasons to be in here. The guests are probably already in the bar, and I should get to work. The players should be here any minute too, which means Elijah will be here. I give Ann a little wave as I start to pass by her, but she reaches out and gently grabs my wrist. She keeps talking into her phone, though, so I wait, worried she’ll want to talk about the HR book again.

“Great. I look forward to reviewing it. Thank you so much and have a good weekend.” She says good-bye, presses End on her cell phone and then lets out an excited squeak and pulls me into a hug.

“What in the world is happening?” I ask, laughing at her enthusiasm.

“I got it!” Ann pulls back and grins wildly at me. “I applied for a director position with Finley Coyne Global in New York and they just offered me the position.”

“Oh my God!” To say I’m shocked would be an epic understatement. I didn’t even know Ann was looking for another job, let alone one on the other side of the country. Finley Coyne is the biggest sports communications firm in the country. A director position with them, at their head office, is an incredible accomplishment. I hug her again. “Ann, that’s amazing. You deserve it, and they’re lucky to have you. But on a personal level, I’m devastated you’re leaving.”

She pulls back from the hug and smiles. “I’m going to miss you and the team, but I’m originally from New York, and I’ve wanted to move home for a while. And this position…it’s a dream come true! They’re emailing me the offer tonight, so please don’t tell anyone yet.”

“Sure.” I can’t believe she’s leaving. She’s been my boss since I was an intern, and she’s been such a great mentor.

Ann reaches out and squeezes my shoulder. “I want you to apply for my job.”

“Really?” I’m stunned.

She nods emphatically. “Yes. You want it, right?”

“Of course I do,” I reply automatically. “I really feel like I’m ready for it too, but I don’t know if management will see it that way.”

“I see it that way,” Ann says. “And I’m going to tell them that before I go.”

“Thank you. I really appreciate that.” If I’m promoted to Ann’s position now I’ll be exceeding my own goals. I’ve had a five-year plan mapped out since I started interning here. If I take over for Ann this year, I’ll be two years ahead of my goals.

“Remember…” She lifts her finger to her lips. I make a cross over my heart. “See you out there! I’m just going to call my mom and tell her!”

I leave her to it and slip out of the restroom. I can see the guests pouring out of the elevators at the end of the hall, and I make my way toward them. I’m still reeling with the news that Ann is going to leave. A million questions are flying through my head. Will she really recommend me to replace her? Will Mr. Carling go for it? Have I done enough to prove myself?

I’m lost in those thoughts when I pass the elevator banks, so I don’t notice the doors are opening on not one but two elevators. I end up almost walking into a large group of people, and my heel catches abruptly on the carpet. I stumble and my body lurches forward. For a swift, panic-filled moment I think I might fall face first, but then a strong hand grabs my arm. It stops me from falling but causes my purse to fly off my other arm.

And of course, because it’s not closed, most of the contents fly out across the hotel hallway. Ugh. The person who grabbed my arm to stop me from face-planting is my brother, and of course he was getting off the elevator with a bunch of other hockey players, including Levi Casco, Duncan Darby, Eddie Rollins and Elijah “Fucking Hot as Hell in a Suit” Casco.

“Jesus, Dixie, be careful!” Jude says in his overprotective brotherly voice.

I want to level him with a withering warning stare, but I can’t make my eyes leave Elijah. So instead I gently tug my arm out of his grip and coolly say, “Thank you.”

I think he clues in that he’s on the verge of blowing our cover because he doesn’t do what he’d usually do in brother mode, which is lecture me to wear more sensible shoes or something stupid like that. I still can’t take my eyes off Elijah, though, so I can’t see Jude’s face.

Elijah’s blue suit is wrapped perfectly around his broad shoulders and tapers neatly down his taut torso. His white shirt is perfectly pressed with French cuffs. He’s got the fullest five-o’clock shadow possible without actually being able to classify it as a beard. It’s neat but somehow still gives him a rough, wild look—the smirk he’s wearing and the way his green eyes glimmer as he looks at me also help with that—and it’s in direct contrast with the immaculate outfit. It’s hot as hell.

I clear my throat and drop to my knees—not to blow him, which is actually what I’d like to do, but to retrieve my purse and its contents. Levi and Elijah also bend to help me. “I’ve got it guys, it’s fine,” I mutter and reach for my lipstick and phone.

Levi grabs the purse itself and hands it to me. Elijah grabs my wallet. Eddie bends and retrieves the last item that happened to land at his feet—the HR handbook. He flips it over and reads the title out loud. “Do you carry this with you at all times? What are you going for? Employee of the year?”

Eddie chuckles at his own lame joke and hands me the book. Elijah is staring at me. I can feel it, and when I look up and meet his eyes, he grins. It’s victorious. He knows why I’m carrying that book in my purse. I keep my face passive so he doesn’t get any glimmer of satisfaction that he was right and he is not currently off-limits. I tuck the book under my arm. “I have to get this to our intern, Nadine. It’s hers. You guys can follow me. The party is this way.”

I start walking and I can hear them shuffling along behind me, but I don’t turn around. I wiggle my ass enough to be noticeable but not ridiculous, hoping it’s Elijah who notices and not Eddie, the team manwhore.

The lounge is nearly full when we get there. I turn and look at the guys. Eli’s eyes are slowly making their way up my body to my face. He’s still smirking and it’s still hot. I force myself to look at someone else—and land on Jude. His face is all scrunched up and his eyes keep sweeping over my dress. Brother mode is still on. If we weren’t in public he’d tell me my dress is too tight or something. And I’d tell him to stick it up his ass.

“You know the drill, boys,” I say, all business. “Mingle, make polite small talk, pose for photos, stay relatively sober. Absolutely no exchanging of bodily fluids with guests.”

My eyes move to Eddie and he tries to look innocent, which actually just makes him look even pervier than normal. I focused on him because he is now the only guy in this group who is single. Well, other than Elijah, and, as the handbook indicated, he’s not subject to the rules just yet.

“Have a nice night.” I turn and walk away because, yeah, I might let him come home with me, but I’ll be damned if I’m going to make it easy.