“What’s that like? Being a professional athlete, I mean.”
Max shrugged. “I get to play a game I love for a living. It’s pretty much a dream. People call Disney the greatest place on earth. I’ll take the locker room after a win any day of the week.”
“What’s the downside? Even the best jobs have one.”
“Well, losing definitely sucks. My team has done a lot of it the last two years. When I was first drafted, they were a team on the rise. We made the playoffs my rookie year, but between player injuries and bad trades, the last few have been tough. It’s called a team because you need more than a few guys to be having a good year. Other than that, the travel can be a lot. A season is eighty-two games, and that’s without playoffs. Almost half are on the road. I think I see the team dentist more than I do the inside of my own apartment.”
“Wow, yeah. That’s a lot of travel.”
Max had ordered a rum and Coke and a water. I’d figured he needed to hydrate after the game. But I noticed he hadn’t touched the alcohol yet, and we’d been sitting long enough for his ice to melt. Pointing to the smaller glass, I said, “You haven’t touched your drink.”
“I don’t drink alcohol when I have practice or a game the next day.”
My brows furrowed. “So why did you order a rum and Coke?”
“I didn’t want you to not order a drink because I wasn’t.”
I smiled. “That’s thoughtful. Thank you.”
“So tell me about your date tonight. Was he a total dud, or did he just pale in comparison to the first guy you met?” He winked.
“Real Adam was very nice.”
“Nice?” Max’s cocky grin widened. “So it sucked, huh?”
There was a napkin on the table in front of me. I crumpled it up and threw it at him. He caught it.
“I think it’s time for your turn in the hot seat,” I said. “Tell me about the woman you slept with recently. Is she someone you’ve been seeing?”
“It was just a hookup. For both of us.”
“Uh-huh.” I sipped my drink. “Let’s talk about that. Do those happen often? I mean, you’re a professional athlete and a good-looking guy—not to mention you spend a lot of time on the road.”
Max contemplated me. “I told you that if you gave me a second chance, I wouldn’t lie to you again. But I’d also rather not paint a picture of something you won’t like. So I’m just going to say I don’t have a hard time finding someone to spend time with, if I want to. But just because it’s easy, and I’ve lived a full single life, doesn’t mean that’s how it has to be. I’m sure you could walk into just about any bar in this city and leave with a guy, if you wanted to. Doesn’t mean you’ll do it if you’re in a relationship, right?”
“No, I guess not.” I shrugged. “But there must be something wrong with you. Tell me your worst qualities, Max.”
“Damn.” He blew out a deep breath. “You’re really looking for a reason not to marry me, aren’t you?”
“If everything you’re saying is sincere, you’re too good to be true. Can you blame me for waiting for the other shoe to drop?”
He rubbed his thumb over his bottom lip, then sat up and planted his elbows on the table. “Okay. I’ll give you some dirt. But afterward, I want to hear more of your dirt.”
I laughed. “Okay. It’s a deal.”
“Shake on it.” He extended his hand, and when I put mine in his, he closed his fingers and didn’t let go. “Awww…you want to hold my hand.”
I shook my head. “Out with it, Pretty Boy. What’s wrong with you?”
Max’s face grew serious. “I can be obsessive and somewhat compulsive. What normal people might call drive turns into overdrive for me. I can lose focus on everything else in my life, including my own health and all the people around me, when I want something bad enough.”
“Okay…well, I guess that makes sense, considering your career. I’ve never met a professional athlete before, but I have to imagine having a fervent drive is part of what helped you get where you are.”
“I also have an addictive personality. Hockey is my drug of choice. But it’s why I don’t drink much, and I keep away from drugs and gambling. In college, I ran up a debt of twenty grand to a bookie. My oldest brother had to bail my ass out, but not before he flew to Boston and kicked it.”