Page 9 of Pucking Only

So, my face if it was a girl’s face.

Still, the similarities in our appearances are something I’m used to unless I’m studying her expression as closely as I am right now.

“What are you doing?” she asks with a furrowed brow.

“Rosy cheeks, unclouded gaze,” I murmur. “You don’t appear sick, drunk, or high. So something else must be up.”

“Have you lost it completely?” she groans.

I let her go and fold my arms across my chest. “Something’s going on. What is it? What are you hiding?”

“I’m not hiding anything,” she insists. “What’s wrong with you? You just saw me yesterday at your practice. You’re acting weird.”

She’s trying to distract me, I can tell. Something’s going on.Crap, did I go viral for something again? I don’t think I’ve done anything scandalous lately. Ever since Grace took over my social media, I’ve had a fairly clean online presence. Now and then, someone might take a video of me in a club or getting a little too rowdy at a bar. Grace has gotten busy. I’m not her only client anymore - she’s taken on three other Night Hawks, as well as a local bodybuilder - but she’s always attentive to what’s happening to me online.

If that’s not why she’s acting so strange, then what is the reason?

“My twin senses are tingling,” I tell her. “You’re up to something.”

“Whatever weirdo,” she replies. Her eyes dart from mine and she turns to hurry to Jensen by the stove. “The lasagna’s about done. Did you want that beer or not?”

“Of course I want the beer,” I grumble. “I also want the truth! What are you two up to?”

Grace and Jensen exchange a quick look before Jensen replies, “Sheesh, you’re paranoid. Why would we be up to anything? Want some bread?”

He grabs a basket from the counter filled with pieces of garlic bread and holds it out to me as I stalk closer to them. His other hand rests on Grace’s hip and gives it a squeeze.

“Stop trying to distract me with carbs and booze.” I lightly smack the basket out of my face. “Spill, now, or I’m turning around and walking right back out that door. Then who will you get to eat half that lasagna?”

The two share another look. Grace releases a long breath, her shoulders sagging in apparent defeat.

“Okay,” she says, looking back at me. “I’ve actually got some really exciting news, but I don’t know how to tell you without you getting weird…”

“Are you pregnant?” I cry out, my eyes darting between thetwo of them before landing on Jensen. “Did you knock up my sister? You better make an honest woman out of her, you son of a bitch, or I swear to Baby Jesus himself…”

“Carson, I’m not pregnant!” Grace shrieks. “What is wrong with you, you idiot? I talked to Skyler earlier today and she’s going to come visit for a couple of weeks!”

Jensen is biting his lip. His cheeks are bright pink. The corners of his eyes are crinkled as he clearly fights not to burst into laughter.

It takes me a moment to process Grace’s words.

“Wait…Skyler’s coming here?” I stammer at length.

She nods, her lips curling into a wide smile. It’s obvious Grace is thrilled. Why wouldn’t she be? Skyler is her best friend, has been since they were practically babies.

My relationship with Skyler is more…complex.

I haven’t seen her in years. We haven’t really been face to face since high school apart from a few occasional encounters like graduations and a random Christmas or Easter. Schedules got busier as we got further into our college years and careers. Unlike Grace, we weren’t close friends in a way that requires us to stay in touch... Now that she’s coming to Denver, I won’t be able to avoid interacting with her. All we ever seem to do when we’re around each other is fight.

She’s such a pain in the ass!

“Why is she coming here?” I ask.

“She’s coming to observe the Night Hawks for a while to help her develop a new video game she’s working on,” Grace explains. “So she’s going to be around the team quite a bit too.”

“I see.” Okay, that makes sense…but I’m not really sure how to feel about it. There’s always been a weird kind of tension between Skyler and I. I can never be fully relaxed around her. Even though we grew up together, I always have to beon my toes when she is around. We seem to only ever bicker and fight. I genuinely want to hang out with her and be friends. I just can’t seem to keep myself from poking the bear. It’s as if I want to piss her off and pick a fight. I have no logical explanation as to why that is.

Skyler McKenzie drives me crazy and makes me act like an absolute idiot. It would really be best for me to avoid her. If she’s staying here, spending time with the team, it will be all but impossible to do so.

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