Page 25 of Pucking Only

I pause, biting my lip in concentration, then quickly type a few more lines. A satisfied smile creeps onto my face as I watch the simulation run smoothly on the screen.

“Yes, that’s it,” I whisper triumphantly.

Realizing that I’ve grown totally engrossed in what I’mdoing and ignoring Zander completely, I pause and bashfully glance up at him.

“Sorry,” I say with a sheepish smile. “I got a little carried away.”

He shrugs, the corners of his mouth curling up into a grin. “Don’t worry about it,” he tells me. “I like watching you get so into your work. You’ve gotten to see me in my element, so it’s nice to see you in yours.”

“I hope I’m not boring you,” I reply.

“Not at all. This stuff is fascinating to me. Honestly, if hockey hadn’t worked out, a part of me wanted to go into game development like you.”

I chuckle and shake my head. “I cannot picture that.”

“Why not?” he asks with a teasing grin. “Big guy like me can’t be smart enough for programming?”

I give him a playful punch in the shoulder. “That’s not it at all, doofus. You’re just…such a natural athlete. I don’t know if you’d be able to stand sitting behind a desk all day, staring at codes.”

He chuckles and shrugs. “Yeah, I suppose that makes sense. Still, the opportunity was there. My cousin works for an indie gaming company here in Denver and would’ve hired me in a heartbeat if I’d asked her.”

“Oh yeah?” I say. Color me intrigued. “What’s the company?”

“Lumina Interactive,” he replies.

My jaw drops. “Lumina Interactive! No fucking way!”

“You’ve heard of them?”

“Hell yes!” I exclaim. “They’re one of the only women-owned gaming companies. Most of their staff are women, too. Lumina is doing a lot to champion women in gaming throughout the industry.”

Zander grins and nods. “Yeah, they’re pretty cool.Would’ve been a good place to work if hockey hadn’t panned out for me.”

We sit there for a while longer, munching on fries and talking video games. At one point, we both reach for a fry and our fingers brush. Pausing, I wait for the spark of heat I would anticipate to feel from the touch. Instead I feel a comfortable warmth. Huh…that’s a bummer. Zander glances down at his watch.

“Hey, do you want to go get a drink?” he asks. “There’s a bar not too far from here where the team likes to hang out.”

I blink, surprised by the invite, but then nod. “Yeah, sure! That sounds like fun.”

“Great,” he says. “I’ll get the bill and we can head out.”

“Okay.” I smile and watch him leave the booth with our ticket to go pay at the counter. I really like hanging out with Zander. It feels like we’re becoming real friends. For him to invite me to hang out with the team at their favorite bar…

I tense, realization crashing through me. Will Carson be there? Crap, I’m probably a mess, and there will likely be tons of pretty girls there. Carson will take one look at me and think I’m nothing but the nerdy girl he considered such a turn-off when we were fifteen. The thought makes me a little nauseous. Anxiety churns through me.

Grabbing my phone, I open the camera app to check my appearance. I smooth back a few loose wisps of hair and wipe away a speck of ketchup at the top of my lip. Satisfied, I quickly put my phone away before Zander comes back.

“Ready to go?” he asks, holding out his hand to help me get out of the booth.

Slipping my hand in his, I nod. “I sure am.”

CHAPTER EIGHT: SEXIEST ALFRED

SKYLER

Arrivingat the bar with Zander feels a little strange. I know what people are going to assume about us. Not that I really mind, or should mind anyway. Zander is sexy, smart, fun and honestly seems like the perfect guy for me. Yet, for some reason, the thought of people assuming that we’re together bothers me a bit. I decide to ignore that nagging feeling in the back of my mind. I’m determined to have a good time and enjoy Zander’s company, as well as everyone else’s.

As we step inside, the buzz of conversation and the dim lights envelop us. This seems like it’d be a perfect place for the Night Hawks to hang out. There’s hockey memorabilia and posters displayed all over the walls. There are pool tables to the right and a dance floor to the left as we walk through the door.

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