This was another reason for moving to Chicago. She could go out and find women who had great style and, if they agreed, use their pictures, or if not, just make note of how they dressed or did their makeup. She used her own photographs as much as she could and that took more time. Richard had considered all the work she did on her blog a big waste, until she’d started to make a little money from it. She knew she’d never be able to earn a living at it while she had a full-time job, but now that she had time to devote to it she could hopefully make it bigger and better, and at the same time grow her social media business too.

Her family would probably still think she was flitting around playing on the Internet, and in a way she was. So with the guys gone for the next four days, she’d have time to get a lot of work done without them thinking she was hanging out on Facebook or Pinterest instead of job-hunting.

She started looking for an apartment too. But holy crap. It was hard to find anything under a thousand bucks a month, and those were tiny little studio apartments. Maybe she hadn’t quite thought through this part of her plan. She sighed. She did not want Duncan saying “Told you so.”

But then, why did she need anything more than a studio apartment? It was just her. Her little apartment in Madison hadn’t been that big. She couldn’t get spoiled by living in this luxurious high-rise condominium. Maybe that little studio apartment on Sheridan Road would be okay…there was one floor plan that looked pretty good. The first had the bathroom right off the dining room. Eew. But this other one had a kitchen/breakfast room at one end, a big living room, and the bathroom and a large closet at the other end.

Taking a deep breath, she filled out the online request to check availability and sent it off. She could look at it this week if something was available. Her bank account was going to take a hard hit, and she’d have to hope like hell that work kept coming in. At least she had a few contracts that she could count on.

Duncan and Marc both came home for a nap per their usual game day routine, then left again for the game. “No job interviews today?” Duncan asked on his way out.

“Not today,” she said cheerfully.

She wished she’d hear back from Panache with their decision. Whenever she thought of it, her stomach twisted into knots. She wasn’t used to keeping stuff like that inside her, but she certainly wasn’t going to share it with Duncan. Or Marc. Well, maybe Marc. Somehow he seemed like someone easy to talk to, despite being so serious. It was obvious his teammates all liked and respected him. Maybe he wouldn’t be as judgy as Duncan.

But that was all moot, because Marc wasn’t around; he was off to the game also and they were leaving early in the morning for Los Angeles.

The Aces managed to pull off a win that night, although honestly they didn’t play great. They made a lot of mistakes and allowed the Penguins to score three times in the first period before Brent was yanked and replaced with their backup goalie, Oleg Boyarov. Lovey winced as Brent slammed his stick into the boards as he skated off.

It wasn’t as if he’d had a chance on any of the goals. Their defense had been shoddy.

But the game ended up a four-three win for the Aces, so that was good. Lovey clicked off the television and went to have a bath before she went to bed. A soak in the tub would be nice.

An hour later, with a towel wrapped around her, she left the bathroom and came face-to-face with Marc.

She stopped short. “Oh. Hi. You got home quickly. Did you do your thing with the kids?”

He shrugged, although his gaze wandered over her before snapping back up to her face. She clutched the towel tighter over her breasts. “Yeah, I did. Kept it pretty short, since we have an early flight tomorrow.”

“It’s so nice that you do that.”

He shrugged and looked away. Aw.

“Nice win.”

“Thanks. Not sure we deserved it, but we’ll take it.”

She loved how he didn’t make a big deal about the time and money he spent making those kids happy, and how it was always “we” and “us” when he talked about the team, never about how he’d played or the goals he’d scored. “I just had a bath,” she explained, probably unnecessarily.

“Uh. Yeah.”

Her nipples tingled beneath the damp towel as he again swept her with his gaze. His eyes lingered on her bare toes and calves and when he looked back at her face, his eyes were hot and heavy-lidded. Then his gaze dropped to her mouth and her breath caught in her throat. God. She wanted so badly to kiss him.

But last time she’d tried that it hadn’t ended well. So she gathered up all her resolve and headed into her bedroom. She dressed in her cami and shorts, and went out to make her bed on the couch and sleep there alone.

—

On Thursday her furniture arrived from Madison. Not all of it, but her bedroom furniture anyway, her double bed and dresser and nightstand. Mom had also included a lamp and the box of pillows and bedding she’d packed up for storage. The guys who delivered it kindly moved it all into the bedroom and set things up for her, which was good, since Duncan and Marc were away. She decided to wash the sheets she wanted to use, so she started that and then called Mom to tell her that the things had arrived and to thank her for helping out with that.

“So what have you been doing there?” Mom asked. “Have you been looking for a new job?”

Man, these people were obsessed with her getting a job. “Yes. I have a few good leads. I went out with my friend Jillian from college; Marc got us tickets to the game last weekend.”

“How is Marc?”

Lovey made a face. “Good, I guess. They’re away on a road trip right now. Why d’you ask?”

“He was pretty devastated after his girlfriend broke up with him. I hope he’s getting over that.”

Lovey frowned. “Girlfriend?”

“Yes. They lived together for quite a while.”

Her forehead tightened even more. How did she not know this and her mom did? “I didn’t realize that. When did that happen?”

“Oh, I’m not sure…what, about six months ago? That’s when he moved in with Duncan, after Marissa kicked him out.”

“She kicked him out?” Lovey gaped at the window she was looking at. “Why?”

“I don’t know the details, honey. He didn’t talk about it much. Your dad and I were visiting Duncan when it happened. It was just before the first round of playoffs. Not a good way for him to start them.”

“I guess not. Well, I think he’s okay.”

“Is he seeing someone new?”

“Uh…not that I know of.” Jesus, Mom was getting her worked up. What if Marc did have a girlfriend? He hadn’t mentioned anyone in the week she’d been there. She certainly hadn’t met anyone. He didn’t seem like a guy who was in a relationship. He’d definitely seemed interested in her. He’d kissed her. A guy with a girlfriend wouldn’t do that. Unless he was a douchebag.

Not only was the possibility that he could have a new girlfriend bugging her, but the fact that he’d lived with a girl, who’d kicked him out, made her feel all ragey. He’d lived with her. That was pretty serious. And she’d dumped him? What the fuck? Was she crazy?

“That’s too bad. What about Duncan? Is he seeing anyone?”

“Nope, him neither.”

Mom sighed. Duncan had never had much time for girls, and had never really had a girlfriend. “I guess they’re both young yet.”

“Mom, are you getting anxious for grandchildren or something?” Lovey grinned.

“Well, that would be nice someday. I thought you and Richard were going to give me grandchildren.”

“Yeah, so did he,” she said dryly. “I’m not ready for that, Mom.”

“Was that what happened with him?”

“Yeah.” She paused. “Sorry, Mom.”

“Don’t apologize! If he was the right man, you would’ve been ready. I was just worried that he’d broken up with you and you were devastated.”