Page 4 of SlapShot Sweetheart

“How about some laughing gas? If the redhead won’t get you to hush and telling you doesn’t work, then maybe we can drug you into submission?” the dentist offered excitedly with a large smile to soften the harshness of his words. “Gas – or hush for five minutes while I work?”

“I’ll ‘ush,” Theo agreed and obediently opened his mouth once more.

“You know cats are jerks, right?” the dentist said idly, moving to insert the incisor root back into place. Theo jerked his head back, looking at him.

“What do you mean?”

“Cats will knock a drink off the ledge because they can. They’ll claw the furniture in front of you. They’ll do things just to spite you if they don’t get enough attention. In fact, I had one cat that was so angry I closed her in the bathroom door by mistake that she used my bathtub as her toilet.”

“What?”

“I hated that cat, honestly. Now – let’s try this once more,” the dentist began again, and Theo jerked back again, looking at him. “What now?”

“You think maybe if I talk to Aimee…”

“Theo – the tooth?”

“Right,” he nodded – opening his mouth once more while his mind worked and ignored the horrible slipping sensation as the incisor slid into place. Gosh, this was the most disgusting feeling, but the other time he lost a tooth, he was able to save it by quickly getting it re-planted in his mouth. It was either that or get a fake one screwed into the jawline. Oh yes, he knew this routine only too well.

“I would talk to the girl again,” the dentist said distractedly, working in his mouth. “But that is just me – and I hate litter boxes.”

Theo grunted, unable to talk as the man’s hands were in his mouth, mounting a bracket to help stabilize the tooth in the meantime. Sighing heavily, he realized that he was going to have to quit chucking his helmet onto the ice or using it as a weapon during a game… if he was ever going to have a chance with the strong, elusive woman who had left him at the table this evening.

The next day, he went by the grocery to get some protein shakes and canned soups and spotted the pet store in the strip mall, veering in that direction without hesitation. Maybe getting a pet wasn’t the best idea in the world, but then again, neither had been accepting the blind date.

Dating -period- was hard when you were in the limelight. Everyone wanted a jersey or a stick; half of them wanted to take a photo right away so they could text it to a friend or put it on Instagram, and the other half was more concerned with his wallet. When you signed endorsements and slapped your name and face on something, suddenly the world knew who you were and just how big your wallet was.

“Mommy… that’s the sneaker guy!”

“Timmy, can you quit dawdling and get in the car – the goldfish will die unless we get them home to the tank quickly.”

Theo pulled his baseball cap down lower on his head and yanked the collar of his denim jacket a little higher, trying to hide. If the kid recognized him from the sneaker boxes, then other people would as well. Dipping inside the store, he made a beeline toward the back where the line of cages and glass displays were located… and hesitated as he saw that vibrant waterfall of bright red hair on the woman standing before the glass case.

Aimee.

Heavens above she did something to his brain, he realized and hesitated as he heard her whispering to the glass where her hand rested.

“You’ve gotta promise not to chew the cords…”

“I promise,” Theo chuckled, answering her question, and saw her shocked gaze as she whirled around to see who it was – and frowned. “’Allo.”

“It’s you.”

“Are you getting a pet?”

“Are you following me? Do I need to call the police?”

“No,ma belle fille. Are you following me?”

“I was here first.”

“So?”

“Oh my gosh, you are incredibly annoying – and why can’t you just answer the question?”

“I am answering it,” he chuckled. “You just don’t like the answers.”

“I’m starting to think that I don’t likeyou.”

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