Page 116 of Bombshells
As soon as I take off my sweaty helmet, she leans in to kiss me hello. One of my teammates whistles, but I don’t even give him a glance.
“Guess what!” she says breathlessly. “The doctor thinks my chance of having a concussion is actually pretty low. So they’re probably only keeping me off the ice for a week.”
“All right!” I give her a high five, and then another kiss. For luck. “See? It’s going to be fine. Thanks for coming all the way in here to tell me.”
“I’m actually here to invite you to lunch,” she says. “My father has made a reservation at some nice restaurant on the river.”
“Sweet. Can I have twenty minutes to shower and change? And we’ll walk over there together.”
I steal one more kiss for the road, and then skate off to get ready. My shower is quick, but still long enough to notice that the offerings in the dispenser have changed again. Today’s new shampoo smells like lime and apples.
Donning my socks in the dressing room, I’m whistling to myself until a pair of sneakers suddenly appears in my line of vision. When I glance up, Bryce Campeau is towering over me, a grim expression on his face.
Well, shit. I guess we’re doing this now. I stand up and brace myself for another insult from him.
“I have something to give you,” he says.
“Oh? Is it a punch in the face?” I ask, only half kidding.
“Definitely not. Here.” He thrusts a card at me.
I take it, giving it a quick skim. The bearer of this certificate is entitled to a weekend getaway at the Green Rocks Resort Community in Sweetwater, Vermont.
“Wait, is this the thing you bought in that auction last fall?”
He gives me a terse nod. “Take it. It’s my gift to you. It is my apology for being an ass last night.”
I clear my throat awkwardly and offer the card back. “You don’t have to do that.”
“No, I insist. For you and Sylvie.”
“Really?” I hesitate. “She’ll love it.”
I get another nod. Our Campeau never was much of a talker. Then he starts to turn away.
“Hey, Bryce? There is one thing that I’m curious about. What’s up with you and the grumpy bartender? Petra.”
He shoves his hands in his pockets and his mouth twitches into a quick smile.
“She your girlfriend?”
“Well, no. At least not until last night. But I have spent a lot of time at that bar talking to her and getting to know her. We are similar. Both are a little unsure where we fit in.”
“Dude, that’s everybody.”
Bryce shrugs. “Maybe. But Petra and I understand each other. And I did not know until last night that you can fall in love with someone while sitting on the barstool and listening to her talk.”
Well, that is fascinating. I hold up the card he’d given me. “Hey, you know, you could take her to Vermont. You could use this.”
Campeau holds up a hand, refusing to take the card back. “No. Sylvie obviously wanted to go there. And you should take her. It is my gift to you both. You can save it as a surprise for the summer vacation.”
“Thank you. I’ll do that. I would take Sylvie anywhere she wanted.”
“I know you would.” He looks down at the floor. “You’ll be good for her. I am sorry I said otherwise.”
“Hey, Bryce?” We’re interrupted by Bess, who’s stuck her head into the dressing room. “We’re ready for you upstairs. We’re in Hugh’s office.”
He perks up. “Thank you. I will be right there.”
