Changing the Game

But despite appreciating his utter masculinity and fabulous good looks, the man didn’t hit her hot buttons in the least.

She intended for many women to fall madly in love with Ty. She just wasn’t going to be one of them.

“Elizabeth. So glad you called me today.”

She rose to great Clyde, who kissed her cheek and gave her a hug. At sixty-four, Clyde was robust and an avid golfer. She played a few rounds with him whenever the weather was good and she had a free day on her calendar.

“Hello, Clyde. Thank you for allowing us to join you in the box tonight. I know opening day brings a crowd.”

“Nonsense,” he said, his brown eyes bright with excitement. “Always room for you in here.”

Elizabeth introduced Ty to Clyde. Clyde beamed. “You’re the center for the Ice. I go to many of the games.”

“Thank you, Mr. Ross. It’s an honor to meet you. I attend as many of the Rivers games as I can. You have a great team.”

Ty was an awesome ass kisser. A point in his favor.

“I’ll make sure you have season tickets and good seats, then. Bring some friends with you and talk us up.”

“Yes, sir.”

Clyde and Ty struck up a conversation about their respective sports, which left Elizabeth free to visit with some of the other people in the box, including Clyde’s wife, Helen, who had showed up late with their daughter Aubry. Aubry was a cute, petite blonde with the brains to match her beauty. She was in med school at Washington University and didn’t often have time to pop in and see a game.

“How’s medical school?” Elizabeth asked.

Aubry rolled her eyes. “Torture. Pure hell. I love it.”

Elizabeth laughed. “Of course you do. You were born to be a doctor. It’ll all be worth it when it’s over.”

Aubry blew out a breath and pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose. “At this point I don’t see a light at the end of the tunnel, but I know someday it’ll be over and I’ll be delivering babies.”

Elizabeth grinned. She’d always loved Aubry, could remember meeting her when she was in high school. It made her feel old, as if time had passed her by and maybe she’d missed out on marriage and having a family. Not that she’d ever wanted those things.

One couldn’t have everything, could they? Elizabeth had long ago decided that her career would be the number-one priority in her life and nothing else would get in the way. No man, no marriage, no children. Sacrifices would have to be made because she couldn’t have it all. No one could.

But lately . . .

Well, there was no point in thinking about that. She’d made her choices: she had a successful career, and she was happy.

Mostly.

She turned her attention to the game, to Gavin digging in at first base. He looked good. More than good, actually. Tanned and muscular, his fine ass stretched his uniform as he bent to scoop up a grounder and run to touch the base before the runner got there. He threw the ball, his muscled forearms glistening in the waning sunlight.

She inhaled, let out a small sigh and sat, enraptured, through the rest of the game. Since she’d gotten to know Shawnelle and Haley, she paid particular attention to Dedrick and Tommy. Dedrick played third base, and Tommy was a relief pitcher, right now set up to pitch in the middle innings if needed. He didn’t get to see a whole lot of action. But Haley had told them they were grooming Tommy to be a starter.

Gavin had gone one for four on the night, which wasn’t his best, but he did knock in a run. The nail-biter came in the ninth when the bases were loaded and Dedrick was up. The game was tied so if he didn’t bring a run in, they were going to extra innings.

Elizabeth leaned forward in her seat, her fingers clasped together as Dedrick stared down Milwaukee’s closer. Dedrick dug his toe into the dirt, leaned in, and swung. It skidded along the third-base line, and Elizabeth held her breath, certain it was going to slide outside the foul line.

It didn’t. It stayed fair, and the runners took off from first and second. She leaped from her chair and squealed with delight as Jose charged around third base toward home while the right fielder scrambled for the ball. As soon as Jose touched home plate, the game was over. They only needed that one run to win the game.

The stadium erupted into chaos. The Rivers had won.

“That was a great game,” Ty said, turning to her with a grin.

“It was, wasn’t it?”

“Thanks for bringing me. I’m new to the city and haven’t had much of a chance to get out to meet too many people. Since the move to the U.S. after the trade to the Ice, I’ve been busy finding a place to live and playing hockey. And then changing agents, of course. It’s nice to get out and do something for a change.”

“But you like the team change?”

“Of course. I was the one who wanted the change. Davis resisted.”

Elizabeth leaned against the wall and crossed her arms. “Why?”

Ty shrugged. “No clue. He just said I should stay with Toronto, that change was never good.”

Elizabeth laughed. “Your stats were abysmal in Toronto. Since the trade, you’ve been kicking ass on the ice. And with the Ice. Sometimes change is exactly what a player needs.”

“That’s what I thought, too. But hey, that’s why I’ve got you and not him. He and I never saw eye to eye on my career. You and me mesh.”

She grinned. “Yes, we do. And I’m glad you’re happy. Now you can relax, play excellent hockey, and enjoy life in Saint Louis. The guys on your team are great. You should get to know them.”

“I have. A few of us are making plans to go out this weekend.”

“Settle in and make this your home. From what I hear from the team owner, you’re going to be here awhile. He likes you and your style of play.”

“Hey, Ty, want a tour of our fine facility here?”

Ty perked up at Clyde’s suggestion. “Love one. Come on, Elizabeth.”

She shook her head, not wanting to go anywhere near the locker room. “I’ve seen the place, but you go ahead.”

“Come with us, Elizabeth. Afterward, you and Ty can come with Helen and Aubry and me. I’m buying dinner.”

Crap. Schmoozing the owner was on the top of her list of things to do, and she never turned down an opportunity to hang out with him. “What a nice offer. We’d love to, wouldn’t we, Ty?”

“I’d consider it an honor. Thank you.”

Clyde took them on the standard tour of the ballpark, from the executive offices all the way down to the players’ locker room. Elizabeth opted to wait outside the locker room with Helen and Aubry while the guys went inside, but she was certain Ty would get a kick out of meeting some of the players.

Elizabeth preferred not to see Gavin. In fact she hoped like hell she could avoid it.

“That guy is gorgeous,” Aubry said.

“Which guy? Oh, Ty?”

“Yes. Makes me wish I had a nanosecond of free time to date. The only men I get to hang around with are the other medical students.”

“Well, you do have a lot in common with them.”

“True. My mother tells me I’m destined to marry one. She’s probably right.”

“Or a baseball player.”

She rolled her eyes. “The last person I would ever marry is a baseball player. I’ve been surrounded by them my entire life. I think I’ll stick with doctors. Baseball players have entirely too much ego.”

Elizabeth laughed. “And doctors don’t?”

“Okay. Good point. But I think I’ll take my chances with doctors. Their egos I can handle. Baseball players on the other hand? Ugh.”

“You’re right about that, Aubry. We’re horrible.”

Aubry’s eyes widened. “Gavin. You know I didn’t mean you.”

Shit. Elizabeth turned around. Gavin stood outside the locker room door with Ty.

Gavin grinned at Aubry, didn’t even look at her. “Just teasing you, Bree.” He leaned over and kissed her cheek.

Aubry blew out a breath. “You scared me, dammit. You know some of those guys really have inflated opinions of themselves. I might hurt some feelings.”

Gavin hugged her against him. “Not me. I don’t have feelings.”

She laughed and so did Helen. “Gavin, you played well tonight.”

Gavin shrugged. “Not as good as I’d like to, but thank you, Helen. Clyde said to tell you he’d be out in a minute. He’s giving an inspirational speech.”

Helen rolled her eyes. “Oh, Lord. I’m starving. We could be waiting an hour. Do go move him along, Gavin.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Gavin stepped back inside the locker room. In five minutes, Clyde was out. With Gavin.

Damn. Elizabeth had hoped he wouldn’t come back outside.

“Finally,” Helen said. “I was about to faint. Gavin, are you coming to dinner with us?”

“Apparently. Clyde insisted.”

“Excellent. Let’s go, then. The limo is outside.”

Well, what a big, happy group this was. Gavin skirted a look in her direction as Ty grabbed her arm and escorted her to the limo. She wondered if Gavin thought Ty was her date for the evening. He didn’t seem pleased by that.

Elizabeth, on the other hand, was wholly pleased by the idea that Gavin looked a little less than his usual overconfident self.

They ate at an elegant restaurant downtown that afforded them privacy and a superb view of the riverfront. Clyde ordered champagne and toasted the Rivers new season.

“Gavin, was your family there tonight?”

“Not tonight. You know my family runs a bar in south Saint Louis, so they packed the crowds in for opening night.”

Clyde smiled and nodded. “Well done. I like your parents. I hope to see them at our opening month picnic.”

“You will. Mick should be in town for that, too.”

“Excellent. I’m sure he’s on cloud nine after his Super Bowl win.”

Gavin grinned. “Yeah, he was pretty stoked about winning the Super Bowl, but I think he’s more excited about planning his wedding to Tara.”

Elizabeth kept her gaze averted, not wanting to listen in or get involved at all when discussions turned to Mick.

“Now, Ty, tell me about yourself. Getting all settled in?”

“Yes, sir. I’ve got a temporary place I’m staying in right now. Just waiting for the season to be over with this month, then I’m going house hunting.”

“I’ll put you in touch with an excellent Realtor we know,” Helen said. “She’ll be happy to help you.”

Ty nodded. “Thank you. I’d like that. Elizabeth has been helpful. It’s obvious she knows the area.”

She smiled. “I’ve got a few clients here.”

Ty grinned at her. “And now you have one more.”

Gavin coughed. Elizabeth ignored him, glad he was sitting at the other end of the table entertaining Aubry, who was shooting interested glances toward Ty.

This whole dinner would be comical if Elizabeth wasn’t acutely aware of Gavin’s gaze on her the entire time. And okay, maybe she had been shamelessly flirting with Ty, who cast her knowing smirks as if he knew exactly what she was doing because she’d treated him completely professionally from the get-go. Until tonight. So she was being blatantly obvious, and Ty wasn’t the clueless type.

Damn men.

Ty leaned in and whispered in her ear. “How badly do you want this guy?”

She turned her face to him. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“I mean, do you want me to kiss you, or would just holding your hand be enough?”

“Neither. I’m not playing games here, Ty.”

“Oh, I think you’re definitely playing games, Elizabeth.” He ran his finger up her bare arm. “And don’t look, but the fish is biting.”