Page 29 of Slap Shots & Sweethearts

Blake laughs so hard he doubles over. "Something about lemon bars?"

Lou immediately pulls up his phone and it doesn't take him long to find the feed. I look over his shoulder and indeed, up on the screen it said. "Hope you're enjoying those lemon bars."

"Maria." Lou's jaw clenches.

"Could be Hannah." I suggest.

Lou gives me a hard look. "Oh, I have no doubt Hannah is a part of it. But she's not the one that came up with the lemon bars to begin with."

He types on his phone placing a delivery for fifty pounds of lemons to be delivered to his place. I shake my head as I back away. I don't need to be part of whatever crazy scheme he's planning.

A cheer comes up from the stadium, and I check the time, break is nearly up, and it's time to go back to the ice. The team moves out after a super smiley couple passes the locker room exit. I'm not sure how they're walking with how wrapped up in each other they are, and she's sporting an extra sparkly ring on her finger. If I had to bet money the crowd's cheer was for them.

Just before we exit the tunnel to reach the ice I spot Hannah. She's in a pink jersey a lot like mine, only hers looks more like a dress since it falls to her knees, and she's wearing dark tights with her red heels. Red that matches the bouquet of roses in her hands. My blood starts to boil.

"Are those from the creep?" I ask her as I stomp towards her.

Her head whips up. "What?"

"Those flowers. Are they from him?" I say.

Her brows pinch together. "Who?"

I wipe a gloved hand on my face, grimacing when it pokes at my new bruise. "Your admirer. Are the flowers from him."

"Oh." She blushes and shakes her head. "No, the happy couple left them on the ice. I'm just arranging for them to get them back."

I'm not sure what to say now.

"Matt?" She asks, leaning closer to me as she says quietly. "Did you put that message on the screen?"

A cameraman comes into the tunnel.

"Oh sorry." He stammers. "I'll let you two have a minute."

Hannah's blushing so hard her face is as red as a strawberry, and I'm a little slow as I realize what it looks like. Hannah with the roses, use leaning close together. He probably thought he just interrupted something much more than it was.

"I need to get out there." I tell her.

"Yep." She waves me away and starts walking away in her red heels.

I take a deep breath and shake my head, I need to focus on the game. But the Jumbotron has a message for me when I step out on the ice.

I'd love to be your trivia partner.

The horn blows to indicate that intermission is over. I'm living on cloud nine as I square off on my spot on the ice. My cheek still stings, mostly because I'm grinning from ear to ear. I should push it to the back of my mind, but I don't want to. The game is all that matters right now, but when it's done, I have a pretty blond to talk to.

"Thinking about that fatty?" The defenseman snipes at me.

My voice is hard and unyielding as I snap. "What?"

He grins, and I know I've made a mistake. I've just exposed a weakness to him.

"Saw you flirting up on the big screen. Stick must have hit you harder than I thought if you think that cow's pretty."

"Don't talk about her like that," I warn him.

If Lou hears, well, there's going to be a lot of unnecessary roughing calls.

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