Page 38 of The Game Plan

And, I don’t know, it feels disingenuous that she seemingly hates my guts, until there’s something in it for her. It reminds me of my old man. Busts my ass, always has, but he’ll put an arm around my shoulders and sing my praises as soon as we’re at an industry event together.

“Bianca’s going to film you all coming onto the aircraft steps,” Sienna says. Hasn’t even said hello to me first. “She’s got a question on her whiteboard. Easy and playful. Answer to her phone camera as you head onboard, please.”

* * *

“Sienna, Mitch used to play cards with us. Do you want in?” TJ asks when we’re finally all onboard the plane.

I already know there’s no chance Sienna will play a game during work hours, unless it’s a game of fake dating to enhance her life goals. So, I fight a smirk when she takes a seat as far away as possible from me – or the team generally – and immediately opens her laptop.

“No, thanks, TJ. I’ve got work to do.”

My brother shrugs and looks at me like, I tried, bro, and I’m surprisingly touched that my little brother is trying to include my accidental wife in our on-the-road rituals.

Like all hockey players, me and the guys have rituals and superstitions – none of us more than Suzuki but that’s because goalies are strange with a capital S. One thing TJ, Tray, Zach and I do is play cards, even if it’s only one hand before we eat or sleep. We started in preseason two years ago, when TJ joined the team and I was trying to bring him into the fold with some of us longer standing players. The first season, we got to the Stanley Cup playoffs. Last season, we won it. So we won’t stop playing cards on the road any time soon.

“Are you afraid to get your ass kicked, Si?” I tease.

She glares at me over her laptop, taking off the reading specs that I find wildly attractive on her and dangling them between her lips. It would be disgustingly crude of me to imagine something else between those naturally plump lips but I’m me, so…

“Some of us have real jobs, Jax.”

“Honey, chasing rubber around frozen water, as you so eloquently put it, will pay for our kids’ education.”

She bites her lip; she thinks I’m funny. It happens sometimes and I get the kind of instant validation from her reaction that I do when the lamp lights, the goal horn blasts and the arena goes wild over my goal.

“Come on, one game,” I go on, not sure why I even care whether she plays or not.

“I don’t play cards, I’m not a risk taker.”

“And yet, Las Vegas proved otherwise.” Her scowl tells me that she thinks I mean our marriage. Maybe I do. But mostly, I mean… “I watched you at the blackjack table. You crushed it.”

I blink as the realization hits me. I remember playing blackjack with her. Slowly but surely, more of what happened that night we got married comes back to me. It’s like watching The Hangover, only this is my real life!

“I dare you,” I tell her, receiving the exact reaction I anticipated – Sienna Jamieson cannot back down from a challenge.

As this season’s dedicated charter staff bring around sushi snacks, Sienna shakes her head but sets aside her laptop and asks, “What’s the game?”

“Palace,” Zach tells her, and she nods like she knows it.

“There are no spare seats,” she says, standing by our four seats facing each other and the table between us.

I pat my lap. “Right here, sweetie.” I chortle when she balks in response. “Okay, okay. Take my seat. I’ll get the stool Mitch used to sit on.”

“Thank you,” she says, and remarkably doesn’t flinch when I place my hands on her arms. Bare arms, in a tailored dress that is fire on her.

My gaze shoots to hers, waiting for her wrath, but she only looks up to me, our proximity making it feel like little zaps of electricity are firing between us.

From another woman, I might assume these are sparks of attraction but from Sienna, I know they’re strikes of venom. Even if the scent of warmth and vanilla she’s wearing is consuming me while she gets her hate on.

“How is Mitch?” Tray asks, breaking my slow death as we get set to play.

“He’s doing great,” Sienna says, assessing the cards in her hand. “Tests have revealed a genetic underlying cause but since he’s fit and healthy generally, he’s recovering well.”

“Driving Lauren mad at home all day?” Zach asks.

Sienna chuckles, dragging my attention from the hand TJ has dealt me. She should laugh more. It suits her.

She places the four of clubs on the table to start the game. “Secretly, I think Lauren’s enjoying spending time with him and being able to take care of him when he needs it. Those two have always had fiery banter, as long as I’ve known them. Some of the best relationships have that challenging back and forth, I think.”