Back Check Part 8

"I want us to be friends."

Tanner frowned at Katelyn. "What?"

She kept her back turned to the four men across the store looking at tuxedos and said in a low voice, "I want us to be friends."

He hadn't seen her since that day they'd run into each other at yoga. They were out shopping for tuxes with the other guys, and she'd managed to separate him from them and was now gazing at him imploringly. Yeah, when Katelyn looked at him like that, he'd get down on his knees and do whatever she asked. But what the f.u.c.k was this about?

"You saw Rachel the other day and you're still friends with her," she whispered urgently. "So we need to be friends. We can't have all this awkwardness when we're together with your friends. I don't want that tension between us. Okay?"

He blinked. There was tension between them all right, but he was pretty sure calling it friendship wasn't going to change that. Because no way would he ever see Katelyn as a friend. He did not want to bang the bejeesus out of friends. The tension between them was pure, heated s.e.x. Did she really not realize that?

"Never mind," she muttered. "You hate me. I get it."

She started to turn away, but he grabbed her arm. "Wait."

"What?"

"I don't hate you."

"Yes, you do, and I don't blame you."

"Fine, we're friends," he said through gritted teeth. "We'll be friendly. For the sake of the wedding."

"Good, because Lovey's planning a dinner for the entire wedding party."

"Why?"

"She wants everyone to get to know each other before the wedding."

"And you're going to be there?"

"Yes."

"You're not in the wedding party," he pointed out.

"I know." She sighed. "I told Lovey that, but she insists I should be there." She paused. "She said I could bring a date."

Tanner's gut tightened. "Are you?"

"No." She rolled her eyes. "I don't date."

"Why not?"

"Long story. We need to get back to the others." She paused. "I know weddings aren't your thing, but could you possibly stop scowling at the tuxes?"

He'd been scowling? He made an effort to relax his face. "How's that?"

"Better. Come on."

Lovey had tasked Marc and the guys with picking out the tuxes they wanted to wear. They all agreed they preferred to buy one rather than rent. Duncan already owned one that Lovey had given her approval to, and he was tagging along to pick out accessories, but Marc and Jared both wanted new ones. Tanner had given away the one he'd gotten married in, because he never wanted to wear it again, and Hugh had never owned a tux. Marc had asked Katelyn to come help because none of them had a clue about different tuxedo styles. So here she was talking about notch versus peak lapels and single-breasted versus double-breasted. "You want a peak lapel," she said firmly, quickly narrowing options. "And single-breasted." She eyed them. "You guys are big; double-breasted isn't going to be flattering. But you don't all have to pick the same style-as long as you're all wearing black tuxes, Lovey will be happy."

She'd brought them to this custom tailor because, as she so tactfully put it, extensive alterations were going to be required, especially in the pants. "Hockey players have, uh, muscular thighs and b.u.t.ts," she'd said, her cheeks going pink.

She knew exactly how muscular Tanner's thighs and a.s.s were, from extensive explorations many years ago, and he sure as h.e.l.l hadn't gotten smaller. If anything, his quads and glutes were probably even bulkier. But dammit, thinking about Katelyn's hands all over his thighs and a.s.s was making his d.i.c.k stir.

They settled on a few to try on, and Tanner went into a dressing room. He pulled on the pants and knew right away they weren't going to work. He stepped out of the room. "Yeah, not these," he said. "They're cheap hotel pants."

Katelyn blinked at him. "Cheap hotel pants? What does that mean?"

"There's no ballroom." He tugged the fabric of one leg down away from his crowded junk.

The other guys burst out laughing.

"It's an Italian-cut suit," the salesman said. "So it runs a bit slim."

Katelyn shook her head, lips twitching, and he returned to the s.p.a.cious fitting room to try another pair.

The worst part of the experience was the sales guy feeling him up as he took measurements and pinned things. Eventually they'd picked out suits, shirts, c.u.mmerbunds, and bow ties. He had cuff links, so he was good there. When Katelyn showed them patent-leather shoes, they all balked.

"Nope," Marc said. "So much nope. Can't we just wear black shoes?"

"Yes, you can wear black shoes, as long as they're polished."

"I was worried we were going to be wearing orange c.u.mmerbunds," Tanner muttered. "Marc said we were going to look like we're dressed for Halloween."

"What?" Katelyn laughed. "Good Lord. You'll be wearing orange boutonnieres, that's all."

They all handed over credit cards and were soon leaving the shop. They'd be back for final fittings closer to the wedding date. "Dude," Tanner said to Army as they walked out. "It's up to you to make sure we all come back for fittings and get our tuxes before the wedding."

Army nodded seriously. "I can do that."

"All righty," Katelyn said, on the sidewalk. "That's one more thing to check off the list."

"Thanks for your help, Katelyn," Marc said. "You made it easy."

"That's what I'm here for." She beamed at him.

She was impressively knowledgeable about all things wedding. Too bad Tanner hated weddings.

"Katelyn, would you like to have lunch with me?" Hughie asked.

What the f.u.c.k? Tanner's head jerked back and his hands balled into fists as he waited for her reply.

"I'm sorry," she said with a smile. "I have a client meeting I have to get to."

"d.a.m.n." Hughie sighed. "Ah well."

The other guys disappeared, but Tanner hung back to talk to Katelyn. "Do you really have a client meeting?"

She gave him a narrow-eyed look. "Yes, I do. Then later I'm meeting Lovey to go over a few things. Why?"

"You can't go out with Hughie."

"Why not?"

"He's too young for you."

"Oh really. Well, I don't think it's any of your business, but like I told you, I don't date."

"Okay, then. So you and Lovey are going to talk about more wedding stuff?"

"Why are you asking?"

"Just being friendly. That's what you wanted, right?"

"Right." She eyed him with suspicion. "Yes. Also the baby shower for Sidney and Aubree."

"Oh yeah. When is it?"

"Wednesday next week."

He paused. She was meeting with Lovey again, after who knew how many meetings, and running around doing all kinds of things, and there was probably even more to be done. "There's a lot of s.h.i.t that goes into a wedding."

"Yeah. There is. We still have to pick out invitations, do cake tastings, come up with a cake design, plan the menu, meet with the florist...I could go on."

They stepped out of the way of pedestrians on the sidewalk.

He really wanted to tell her that he was impressed with how much she had to know, and how well she seemed to do her job. Instead, he said, "Seems like a f.u.c.k of a lot of work for one day. Especially when they could be doing it again in a year or two."

"What?" She glared at him, then poked him in the chest with a gloved finger. "Don't you dare talk like that around Marc and Lovey!"

He grimaced. "Right, right. I know that."

"Seriously, Tanner. Don't be a jerk."

He held up his hands. "I won't, I promise. I'm going along with all this s.h.i.t, aren't I?"

She sighed. "Yes. And most of your duties are done now, until closer to the wedding."

"When is this dinner Lovey's having?"

"I'm not sure. She needed to look at the team's schedule."

"Yeah. This weekend we're off to Boston and Pittsburgh, and next week we have home games Tuesday and Thursday."

"It makes it a challenge to plan things."

"That's our life."

"Where are you off to now?"

"A meeting with my agent." There wasn't much progress being made on his contract negotiation.

She eyed him. "Is that bad?"

He shrugged. "Nope. Just an update." Apparently his poker face needed some work. He'd require that when the media started asking about his contract. In fact, they already had. He'd seen the newspaper articles and blog posts with the trade rumors and speculations about what the Aces' intentions were when it came to re-signing him. As of July first this year he'd be an unrestricted free agent and free to sign anywhere. More than one GM thought the Aces likely wouldn't re-sign him and he'd be available. That was c.r.a.p. Sure, there were some fans who didn't like him and his physical style of play. He was still dealing with the fallout from those two suspensions, even though they'd been years ago. But he'd worked hard this season to cut back on penalty minutes.

She nodded. "Well, I really have to go."

"Okay." What the h.e.l.l was wrong with him? He was totally stalling. "Guess I'll see you around."

She smiled and moved off with a wave. He watched her walk away in her spiky-heeled black boots, a slim beige coat belted around her waist, her long, dark hair bouncing.

Friends. Right.

He dragged his mind away from Katelyn and the swing of her a.s.s beneath her coat, and focused on the discussion he was about to have with his agent. They were meeting at a steak house on North Wabash.

Tanner was there and seated when Kevin strode into the restaurant in his long black coat, radiating confidence and power. He was an arrogant a.s.s, but he was good at what he did. Tanner had faith in him that he'd get him the best deal possible.

Tanner rose to his feet and they shook hands with smiles, then sat.

"This is my last meeting of the day," Kevin said, looking over the menu. "Got a flight back to L.A. tonight."

"When did you get in?"

"Last night. Came from New York."

Kevin had clients all over North America and Tanner was proud to be repped by the same agent as some of his other clients, all top players. "Crazy life," Tanner commented, knowing the guy racked up frequent flyer miles by the gajillions.

"Yeah. This weekend I gotta go off-line. The wife made me promise to take her and the kids away for some family time. The kids forget who I am."

"That sucks. I mean, the family time will be good."

"Says the single guy." Kevin grinned.

They ordered steaks, Tanner's with a side of steamed veggies, Kevin going for fries. "Eating healthy, I see," Kevin commented. "Good for you, kid."

Tanner shook his head. He was twenty-eight, not exactly a kid, but he'd been with Kevin since he'd been drafted at eighteen. In Kevin's eyes, he'd probably always be a kid.

"Okay," Kevin said. "Talks are going slow. I can only speculate what the reason is. Salary cap issues, likely."

"Everyone is saying they can't afford to keep both me and Boosh."

Kevin nodded. "That's what they're saying."