Pucking Strong: An MM Workplace Hockey Romance (Jacksonville Rays Book 4)

What the hell am I doing? Oh god, I need to have my head examined. I signed a contract for my dream job today, and then two seconds later I threw myself at the world’s most unobtainable man. Now, instead of getting ready for a busy week at my new job, I’m standing on the tarmac at the Jacksonville airport, staring up at Hal Price’s private jet. I watch as Karlsson scales the steps ahead of me. After shaking hands with the flight attendant, he ducks inside the plane.

The U.S. customs official flashes his little light on my passport. “And what is the nature of your visit to Sweden?”

“Umm … business?”

His bushy mustache twitches as he frowns. “You’re doing business in Sweden?”

“Well, it feels weird to say ‘pleasure.’ It’s definitely not a vacation. We’re going for family business, I guess. Karlsson’s sister died. We have to get his niece from the hospital. I mean—are you—” I point at his flashlight and my passport. “You’re not even writing any of this down, so does it really matter?”

“Why don’t you let me ask the questions? Does that work for you?”

“Yep. All good.” I stuff my hands in my pockets, rocking on the balls of my feet.

“When do you intend to return to the United States?”

“Honestly, I don’t know. Like, a week from now, maybe? What was Karlsson’s answer? I’m sort of just following his lead here.”

“You’re leaving the country, and you don’t know when you’ll return?”

Fuck, I’m going to prison.

“We’re coming back in a week,” I say again. “And I swear, I don’t even have drugs or anything. And I won’t get any drugs in Stockholm,” I add, panic rising.

He just keeps staring at me. “Why would you even say that to me?”

I groan. “Look, I’m sorry—I’m just really nervous, I think.”

“Do you have reason to be nervous?”

Jesus, I didn’t know boarding this flight would require a mandatory therapy session. “Well, yeah, I mean, I guess I tend to make a lot of rash decisions. Classic Teddy, you know?”

“I don’t—”

“Well, I can’t just let a thing lie,” I say over him. “I obsess, and I fixate, and I fantasize. I drive myself fucking crazy. And then I do something that’s too big, you know? This is one of those big things. I just have this feeling that I’m about to get on this plane and my whole life is gonna change. Do you ever have those moments, Julio? Moments when you just know everything is going to be different?”

He casually flips through the blank pages of my passport. “No.”

“Well, I’m having one of those moments right now. Because a week ago, I was eating a gas station chicken Caesar salad wrap on my lunch break. Now, I’m getting on rock-and-roll legend Hal Price’s private jet to help negotiate the international medical transfer of a world-famous hockey player’s injured niece. The fact that I’m head over heels in love with said hockey player is by the by, because his sister just died. Do you have any sisters, Julio?”

“No.”

“Well, I have three sisters. And if I lost one, I’d be a total fucking train wreck. So no, this isn’t about my insanely inappropriate crush, okay? This is about Karlsson and his sweet little niece. She’s lying in a hospital, alone and scared. So, can you please just sign my passport, or stamp it, or do whatever the fuck it is that you do so I can get on Hal Price’s freaking plane and—”

“Have a good flight.” He hands me back my passport. “Don’t bring back any drugs.”

I stuff my passport into the front pocket of my backpack. “I won’t. I swear to god, I’m so freaking clean.”

“Good. Hope the little girl is okay. And good luck with the insanely inappropriate crush.” With a chuckle, he steps aside, clearing the way for me to board the plane.

This fucking guy. He was winding me up on purpose. Not giving him a second to change his mind, I grab my duffel bag and launch up the stairs, taking them two at a time. I get to the top, where a flight attendant is waiting with a tray of drinks. “Good evening, Doctor O’Connor. Would you like an orange juice or a glass of champagne?”

Oh god, I can’t be trusted to put alcohol in my body right now. And the sugar in orange juice might just send me through the emergency exit. “Can I just get a water?”

“Of course,” she replies with a smile. “If you’d like to find your seat, we’ll begin our departure.”

I step onto the plane and walk through the galley. “Whoa.”

The luxe interior is all creamy leather and faux wood paneling. Soft jazz music plays through the speakers. Karlsson is seated about a third of the way back in a club chair, phone in hand, hat pulled low, hiding his eyes.

I glance around, unsure of where to sit. There’s another club chair directly across from him, but maybe he wants his space. I could sit up here at the front, but that feels a little awkward too. I don’t want him staring at the back of my head for the whole flight. I guess I could keep going to the back. Maybe there’s a bed or something. I could stretch out, get a little sleep.

The flight attendant makes the decision for me, stepping past with water on a tray. She sets the glass down on the little table next to the open club chair. “Would you like me to take your bag, Doctor O’Connor?”

“Sure.” I hand my duffel bag to her, and she makes it disappear into a bin. I take my seat. Dropping my backpack at my feet, I glance over at Karlsson. “Did you hear back from the hospital?”

“I did.”

“And Karolina?”

“They had to take her into surgery to set a bone in her leg.”

“Shit. Well, did they say what happened yet?”

“From what the police have gathered, their car was hit from the side,” he explains. “It was a young driver. Apparently, he walked away without a scratch. Meanwhile, Karolina has crush injuries to her left side. And my sister—” He bites back the words, tugging the bill of his hat lower. He doesn’t want to say it, and I won’t make him say it. When he’s ready, maybe someday we can talk about her.

“But Karolina … they think she’ll make a full recovery?”

He nods.noveldrama

“Karlsson, that’s good. Broken bones suck. There’s no way around that. But broken bones heal. Just means she gets to spend a couple months being pampered with ice cream and movie marathons. I bet she’ll be back on her feet in no time.”

He nods again. After a moment, he sets his phone aside. “Teddy, before we go, I just … I want to thank you again.”

“Hey, don’t even worry about it—”

“No, I want to.” His navy-blue eyes look so forlorn. “I’m not always good at expressing myself. And I know you haven’t always been comfortable around me …”

Shit. Does he know? Has he known all this time? Oh god, this is so fucking embarrassing. My mind races as I try to think of what to say. “Karlsson, look—”

“You don’t have to bother denying it,” he goes on. “It’s plain to see how uncomfortable I make you. I’m not the easiest person to talk to … or work with. But I will endeavor to do better. Just know this is a difficult time for me, so if I struggle to perform the niceties of social interactions—”

“Hey.” I lean across the aisle, placing my hand on his arm. I see the pain in his eyes, the grief and fatigue. “You don’t owe me an explanation. And you sure as hell don’t owe me any kind of apology. There’s nothing wrong with you, Karlsson. I’m weird because I’m weird, not because you’re weird. You’re perfect, okay? You just be you, and I’ll be me, and we’ll just be weird and awkward together. Sound good?”

He nods.

I smile, dropping my hand away. “So, tell me about Sweden. Do you think we’ll see any polar bears?” He chuckles and my chest puffs with pride. I did that. I distracted him and put that smile on his face. See? I’m helping already.

“No, we won’t see any polar bears in Stockholm.”

I grin, leaning over in my seat. “But, I mean, never say never, right? There are polar bears in Sweden, right?”

“Not since the last ice age.”

“That actually makes me kinda sad.”

He’s quiet for a moment, his lips pursed as he considers. “Yeah. Me too.”