He nodded. “Yeah, a little. Why can’t I have both?”
“Oh, you’ve lost your minds,” Matt said. “The woman isn’t into Jack. She saw his flashy Rolex and wants to ask him what time it is. That’s all.”
Fox, Moreau, and Alvarez laughed, and Lucy rolled her eyes.
Dax grinned broadly. “That’s got to be it.”
“Bullshit,” Leon said. “Nobody asks the time these days. Everyone has cell phones. She’s totally checking him out. She wants him to end his dry spell.”
“My dry spell is fine, thanks,” Jack muttered, glancing away. He could do without being hit on – by any woman who wasn’t Penny.
“She’s definitely trying to hook up with him,” Fox agreed now.
“Bullshit!” Matt insisted. “I know more about women than any of you. I have a fiancée, four sisters, a mother, and a grandmother, all of whom love me, so on the team, I am the most successful with female relationships. And I’m telling you, she isn’t interested in Jack.”
Leon rolled his eyes expressively. “You’re full of crap, Payne.”
“I don’t think so,” he said smugly, counting on his fingers. “Fox is divorced; you blush when you even think about women; Jack is celibate; and Dax’s closest relationship is with his puck.”
“Hey, I have Lucy!” he answered promptly.
“Yes, but you’re still closer to your puck,” Lucy said through a grin.
“Exactly,” Matt confirmed. “Then there’s Moreau, who…”
…raised a single eyebrow and looked at him with a combination of interest and studied coolness.
Matt cleared his throat quickly and glanced away. “I have nothing bad to say about Moreau,” he replied hastily. “He could be a total woman’s man, and we wouldn’t know it.”
“Chicken,” Leon muttered, but so quietly that their goalie didn’t hear. “And oh, she’s on the move!”
Curious, everyone turned and watched the blonde stride toward their table. Finally, when she was standing right next to Jack, she asked, “Excuse me. Do you know what time it is? I forgot my phone and I actually have a date.”
Leon’s mouth dropped, Lucy snorted into her hand, and Dax wore an expression of happiness on his face.
Jack sighed and glanced at his Rolex. “Yes, of course. It’s half past ten.”
“Oh, thank you!” The woman sighed. “I guess I was stood up. Thanks again!”
Then she turned again and disappeared with long strides toward the door. As soon as it closed, everyone burst out laughing.
“God, I wouldn’t have believed I’d ever say this, but Matt was spot on!” Fox said, shaking his head.
The striker grinned smugly. “I told you so! I understand women. I know exactly what their relationship and prey pattern is! All I have to do is look at their faces to…”
“Is that so?” an interested female voice interrupted. “What about me? Does my face tell you anything about my deepest relationship desires?”
Matt turned, confused, and visibly flinched when he recognized Penny, who had appeared next to their table.
“Uh, what?” he replied stupidly.
“What about me?” she repeated cheerfully. “I’m curious to know what my prey and relationship pattern is.”
Jack’s mouth twitched. She was wearing one of her floral dresses that could have camouflaged her in any botanical garden, and her eyes were gleaming with amusement. She was only trying to make Matt feel uncomfortable — and judging Matt’s hunched shoulders and pained expression, she was succeeding.
Well, he had told her to stop being polite. Apparently, she’d taken him at his word.
“Um, I don’t know,” Matt stammered awkwardly, running his hand through his hair. “What exactly are you doing here, Miss Clark?”