Page 55 of Pucks and Coffee

“The bathroom? Like how it’s cleaned?”

“No,” he says, and my heart starts to pound.

Sweat breaks out along my brow.

“Oh look, I think they’re about to reveal the gender,” I lie, and they realize that when they both look out at the ice, where no one is standing. Ignoring me, they look back at each other.

“No, it doesn’t have an enclosed space for the toilet, and she is freaking out. I’ve seen her naked. I don’t care that she poops or care that she knows I poop.”

Just as I expected, Elliot’s eyes flash to my own and hold. Concern and fear swirl in her hazel-blue depths, and I slowly shake my head. Of course, Coleson sees the exchange. “What?”

I feel a prickling sensation along my skin. “Nothing.”

“Get the enclosure, Katz,” Elliot insists as she looks back at him.

“I already planned to,” he says slowly, looking between us. “I sent a text earlier, and the son of the foreman who did the building is going to come do it Wednesday.”

I didn’t know that, and relief floods me as Elliot nods. “Good. Thank you.”

“Care to tell me why?” he asks, looking back and forth between us. “You two’s weird sister thing is freaking me out.”

Elliot snorts, but I shake my head, meeting his gaze. “That’s a conversation for another time.”

“Yeah. When we leave,” he decides, not allowing me to look away.

“I already said that you don’t tell me what to do,” I throw back at him, and he scoffs.

He looks at Elliot. “For someone who isn’t tall enough to ride a kiddie ride, she acts as if she’s 6’1”.”

Elliot shakes her head. “It’s always been like that. We don’t know why she’s so small. Maybe there were two of her, and one dissolved into her ass or something.”

“It is a mighty large ass for such a little thing.”

“Are you calling my ass fat?”

“Yup, p-h-a-t,” he spells out, and Elliot dissolves into laughter.

As they both snicker, I glare. “If I had known your being friendly would involve picking on me, I would have kept you two apart.”

Elliot snorts. “Wait till the whole family gets together.”

Coleson looks between us. “Would they even want to get together?”

Before I can answer, Elliot says, “They will after I suggest it.”

“And you will? What has changed?” I ask, not convinced in the slightest.

Elliot meets my gaze. “Your smile,” she says softly. “You were right. I don’t know what you’re planning, only what Katz and I had discussed, but it seems that’s not the case.”

“It is,” I correct, holding her gaze. “He doesn’t want a wife.”

“Yet he has you,” she says slowly, looking back at him. “And you’re the greatest person to have on your side.”

The instant she says that, I know it won’t be good. I look at Coleson, wondering if I’ll see his body closing in on itself, but he’s just looking at me. His face is calm, and one dimple is deep as he reaches for me. He kisses my jaw, then cuddles me close to him. “She’s not wrong, and I can fit you in my pocket.”

I feel like he’s deflecting, not really realizing what she means. But I don’t correct him, or even her. I don’t know if his comment is for show or if he means it, but I’d rather not try to figure it out. Instead, I revel in the feel of his arms around me, his hot body up against mine, and I hope he’s done with the space he has been trying to put between us. If he’d just let go, let me in, he’d fall for me. I know he would.

I don’t even have to imagine the bottle of emotions I just threw into the back of my mind; the damn thing already has a crack in it. All from his teasing and his laughter. All because I love him—like a fool.

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