Page 46 of Love on the Ice

YOU WORKING TONIGHT?

Watching and waiting, I stare at the phone as those three little dots appear as she responds. I can’t stop the smile from playing on my lips.

LORELAI: I have the night off. But I was going to see if they could use me. All the girls are busy tonight.

My lips curve up to a grin. She’s not busy. I fucking love that. I’m sure it makes me some kind of male chauvinist that I prefer her working or home instead of going out with her friends, but it is what it is, and that’s how I feel. Not like I would give a fuck if she wanted to go out with her girls, but I won’t pretend that I don’t love the fact she’s not.

YOU’RE NOT GOING OUT?

I’m not even sure why I’m asking her this because I sure as shit don’t want to put the idea in her head, but I also don’t want to come off as the dick I am, either.

LORELAI: No money, but also don’t feel like it.

Reaching for another cheese stick, I dip it into the marinara again and shove it in my face. My food should be here soon, and my best friends are all talking and having a great time with each other, but I’m focused on this text thread, and I’m not mad at it, not in the fucking slightest.

I’LL TAKE YOU OUT WHEN I GET BACK.

LORELAI: I would like that. But you don’t have to.

I DO. AND I WILL. DON’T FIGHT ME ON IT.

Biting the inside of my cheek, I stare at my phone, ignoring everything else around me. I’m loving this little banter, but most of all, I’m loving the fact that she’s available. She’s responding, and it’s not boring. Nothing about her bores me, anyway.

LORELAI: I won’t fight you. That sounds like fun. Dancing?

CAN’T DANCE. BUT I’LL WATCH.

LORELAI: Might be a funny show. I’m not a very good dancer myself.

My food arrives, so I send her one last text before I join my teammates for our meal. I shouldn’t ignore them, but they’ve done worse. They’ve ignored me and everyone else for a hell of a lot less.

They don’t know that I love her.

But they will soon.

WE’LL HAVE A DAMN BLAST, THEN, DANCING LIKE FOOLS TOGETHER.

LORELAI: I’ll be a fool with you.

NEVER A FOOL, BABY. NOT AT MY SIDE.

Shoving my phone in my pocket, I call out to Forrest, who has a slice of pizza suspended in the air. He’s always the first one to eat. Mainly because he’s the fastest, so he’s the one I call out to while the others haven’t even picked up their silverware yet. He jerks his chin, his eyes finding mine.

Holding my water out, I speak. “I want to make a toast.”

Forest smirks and places his slice of pizza down before reaching for his glass of water.

“To a good game. May we win, but more importantly, may none of us get injured, and may we kick some fucking ass.”

The whole table erupts in shouts as all the men take drinks from their glasses. Then we eat. And every second of the meal, I think about reaching into my pocket to check my phone and see if Lorelai’s responded to me.

I don’t.

I won’t until I’m alone and back at the hotel.

It’s taking everything in me not to talk to her. I’ve never felt this way before, but this woman brings everything sappy out of me. I want to talk to her all the time. I want to be around her, inside of her, near her in every way possible.

And I will.

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