Page 17 of Undeniable Love

Braeden Gloss skated up on my other side and tapped his stick to mine. “Don’t let him scare you. He’s mean to everyone.”

“Man’s a beast.”

“And pissed the team took a dive. He was hoping this was his year. There’s talk of him retiring soon.”

“Really?” The guy was only thirty-two. Sure, it was older than most, especially considering he was ten years older than me, but he skated and played like a man with a battle on his hands. “I wouldn’t have thought that.”

“He’s been bitching about it every year, but yeah. Three more, maybe. Tops. Advice to get on his good side?”

“That’d be helpful.” We stepped off the ice and onto the rubber floor, headed toward the locker room.

“Score. Win us some games.”

“So no pressure then.”

Braeden tore off his chin straps and then his helmet. “It’s what you were called up to do. Shouldn’t be that hard.”

With that, he took the lead and marched into the locker room, leaving me trailing behind. He’d had no attitude, no frustration in his statement. Just the simple, basic truth.

Score. Win games. Do my job.

It was all so simple if I didn’t let my nerves get in the way.

It was later, after my sauna and my massage. After a turn on the bike to loosen up the lactic acid in my legs and after I ate lunch with the guys before we watched a film, I was finally able to check my phone.

Meredith

I don’t snore. See you soon. Hope your practice went well.

I tucked the phone into the side pocket of my bag and threw the strap over my shoulder.

And realized I was smiling.

Over a woman.

I was pretty damn sure that’d never happened before in my entire life, but with Meredith, I couldn’t stop.

Fuck it.

I grabbed my phone.

I want to take you to dinner before we leave for our next away game. Let me know what night works.

That’d give her a few days to plan something.

Tomorrow. I get to pick the place.

I’ll let that happen only because I’m new to town. But dinner is on me.

That sounds like it could be fun…

It took me a second. I busted out in a low laugh.

Damn, I liked her sass.

That’s dessert. Do me a favor?

Depends

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