Page 15 of SlapShot Sweetheart

“Donut and Éclair,” she replied and angled her head to the side. “Did you get a kitten that day that we ran into each other?”

“I decided to make sure my ‘ousekeeper wasn’t allergic – and she is.”

“Oh no. I’m so sorry.”

“I’m probably not the best person to adopt a kitten anyhow. I’m away from ‘ome quite a bit. They need lots of love and attention.”

“Tell me about it,” she chuckled. “The little fur monsters tackle me every time I sit on the couch.”

“I’m ‘appy for you,” he said gently, smiling softly and watching her with this weird expression on his face. “The offer is still there, and just because you are talking to someone doesn’t mean you can’t become my friend too. People have lots of friends in their lives, and I would like to consider you one of mine – even if I ruined our first date.”

“Ruined sounds so harsh…”

“Maybe we can try again someday – if you are available?”

“We’ll see,” she said nervously, pulling back from him. “I need to go.”

“I’m leaving, please – go ahead and place your order. I’m due at the practice arena soon, and I’ll be late.”

“Again?” she murmured, unable to resist and heard his soft laugh as he winked at her.

“Again – which means I get to skip those nasty protein shakes they are always trying to shove down my throat,” he volunteered – and shivered, causing Aimee to smile as they shared a look. “Maybe you can text me sometime, just to say ‘Hello’ to a friend.”

“I can do that,” she murmured, nodding.

“Then I’ll go – and ‘ope to ‘ear from you soon,” he replied softly, nodding and moving back to the counter before smiling at Madeline. “Merci beaucoup,Madeline.”

“Bienvenue,” the woman said easily, waving as Aimee walked up to the counter, frowning. “What can I get you, Miss Aimee?” She turned to watch Theo walking out of the bakery like he had not a care in the world and hesitated, pointing, before looking back at the woman.

“He didn’t pay?”

“Mais non,” Madeline chuckled smiling as she waved off the question easily. “None of them do, but my brother handles their bill every month.”

“Your… brother?”

“Yes, my brother is Dustin Lafrenière- the goalie for the North Texas Coyotes Hockey team and Theo’s teammate.”

Several hours later, Aimee was sitting on the couch, glaring at the donuts painfully each time she shoved a bite in her mouth, ignoring the kittens who were playing next to her. Theo wasn’t flirting with Madeline; he was getting a free meal forthe team because the woman’s brotherwas the goalie– and he actually bought the business for his sister as a wedding present.

Un-freakin-believable.

When people said, ‘oh, what a small world’… Aimee realized that this place was getting smaller and smaller all the time. She left the house and suddenly was running into Theo everywhere. Was he stalking her? And what about her mystery man? She had yet to hear from him in the last day or two, which in itself was frustrating… only to hear a knock at her door.

“Fwaaap!” she hissed, cramming the last of her third éclair into her mouth and grunting as her belly decided to give a painful cramp. Her Midol hadn’t kicked in yet, and she was feeling miserable, having all sorts of cravings, and just feeling wretched in a way no one else could understand or explain – except perhaps another woman who had her period. Looking down, she saw the blob of cream on her shirt and grimaced, licking her finger and scooping it up before pausing.

“Yeah, I’m a real catch, all right…” and walked toward the front door, praying that her MM – mystery man – wasn’t standing there and yanked it open only to see Theo’s shocked face holding a piece of paper.

“YOU!”

“Me?” he blurted out, paling in horror. “Me… what? Me, me? Me, me, me? This is yours – I think and…”

“I thought you didn’t know where I lived?” she snarled, grabbing her paper, knowing it was the third bit to her poem.

“I didn’t – I don’t. I had to look you up and happened to see some guy running in that direction from this house looking kinda creepy and well…”

“What?! He’s here?” Aimee raced out the door, not caring that her shirt was jiggling as she bounced down the steps, racing across the yard… and then came to a stop. She didn’t see anyonerunning down the road. Turning to Theo, she looked at him and crossed her arms. “You saw him? What did he look like?”

“Who? The creepy guy?”

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