Page 59 of The Hockey Grump Saves Christmas

Anyway, he’s a man. He won’t analyze every syllable of every word for hidden meanings the way women do.

I could write, “Hey, ass face. Get your stunning giant dick to the theater for 4 p.m. tomorrow,” and he’d be totally fine with it. But I guess that does kind of contain a compliment along with the insult.

ME

Script rehearsal with the kids after school tomorrow, if you’d like to help.

I send it immediately to prevent myself from continuing to overthink it. And also because I’m hungry and need to go shopping for dinner ingredients.

I gaze at the message, the knowledge that it’s sitting on Gabe’s phone waking butterflies in my belly.

What’s he doing at this exact moment?

Is he working out in his home gym, flexing his biceps, or thighs, or doing a thousand sit-ups to keep his drum-tight abs in shape?

Maybe in a remote PT session, being put through exercises that are painful but good for his long-term recovery?

He might be chatting with his parents on their cruise ship. Although it’s kind of sucky that he’s been dishonest with them about where he is, he was pretty adorable with them. Someone who has such a close relationship with their parents can’t be all bad.

Or maybe he’s looking at his phone and smiling because he’s pleased to hear from me.

Or rolling his eyes because he thinks I’m annoying and isn’t pleased at all.

Christ, I’m being ridiculous.

I need to lighten up.

Yeah.

Whatever. Fuck it.

I reinforce the new attitude with a dramatic shrug, toss my phone into my bag on the passenger seat and turn on the engine.

There’s an immediate buzz from my bag.

My heart jumps, and my attempt to be allwhatever, fuck it, goes flying out of the window as I scramble to retrieve my phone.

GABE:

Busy all day tomorrow. Training, PT, and team meetings.

A heavy block of ice drops into my stomach. There we have it. The brush-off.

GABE:

Could do Thurs. Would that help?

Oh. The ice instantly melts.

I blow out a long breath of relief and find my heart racing. Is that with nerves, excitement, fear, or what? I’ve lost all track of the way my body reacts to this man.

ME

That’s actually perfect. Doing a run-through at the pond at 4 p.m. on Thur. See you there?

GABE

See you there.

---