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“Yeah, butto ht to cut the guy some slack”

Shannon narrowed her gaze at CeCe “Maybe you shouldthe snap in her tone, Shannon i, “That was uncalled for I know you don’t understand why but Nolan isn’t the kind of ly haresture”

“It’s okay I get it” CeCe shrugged and picked up the flowers, ad their beauty “They’ll look just as nice on ood for an available woman to have flowers on her desk”

“And why is that?”

CeCe sht Shannon were helplessly clueless (which maybe she ho knows) and answered, “Because everyone knows if a man thinks a wo isfor a date If you act as if you have oes up”

Shannon stared at her intern, appalled “Why would you want asomeone who is already taken?” Case in point, Nolan’s comment to her the second they’d ether He hadn’t cared if she were attached as long as he got what he wanted At the time, she hadn’t cared and to be honest, his bold approach had been sexy but now? Reprehensible

“Life is for the living, Shannon,” CeCe said walking aith the flowers “Try it sometime”

Shannon glowered at CeCe’s retreating backside andto end up with an STD before she’s twenty-five” and then returned to her work, going over the assessments for the coach She loved her job but someday she hoped to land a position within the NHL She illing to travel to Calgary, too, if ita position with aa nahed, soood at her job and she knew her stuff Just stay focused, she told herself

Someday, all of this trouble would fade into

Until then, she had to slog through the manure and push past the ass in her way

-4-

Nolan double-checked the address he’d ed to find for Shannon Garrity and adjusted his sleeve cuffs before the door opened The aparthborhood but, she’d likely juladly provide — provided she move closer to him He smiled, pleased with himself and the plans he had in mind He couldn’t wait to see Shannon’s expression when he told her hoas going to change her life for the better

But as the door opened, Shannon sucked in a sharp breath and a scowl followed “What are you doing here?” she asked, plainly unhappy to see him at her doorstep

It took a ht perhaps she hadn’t received the flowers but as he took in her co his flowers had ended up in the trash “You didn’t like the flowers?” he asked

“They were beautiful — and inappropriate Why are you sending me flowers?” she asked

“I thought itI overreacted to a stressful situation and ht make up for the uncoly, see but she didn’t invite him in as he’d hoped “We have a lot to talk about, don’t you think?” he ventured

“Yes, I suppose that’s one way to look at it”

“Is there another way?”

“Well, you could just leave us alone and go about your life as you did before and we’ll do the same”

“C’mon nohat kind of man would I be if I did that?”

“I wouldn’t blame you,” she said, almost in earnest “I ly out of nowhere I wouldn’t blame you in the least if you wanted to walk away I swear, I won’t ever come after you for child support”