Page 177 of Snap Shot

“I'mfine,” Bea responds, waving us off. “I got a set of those snow tires and everything. Parwaz caught me switching out the wheels and gave me the helmet, ranting about how if I wasn't gonna listen, I could at least be safe.” She flips the visor a couple more times. “It's kinda fun, though.”

“And we love that for you. Okay, what else?” Sheena taps her watch by the camera lens. “I gotta leave for my shift in, like, ten minutes.”

Leave it to Little Miss Organized to keep us on-task. Before I can bring up everyone's holiday schedule, Landon's FaceTime request interrupts. I hum, swiping the notification away. She notices.

“What's going on?”

“Nothing. Radek's trying to call, but I declined.”

“Nooooo!” Bea laments. “Why'd you do that?”

“You should add him here.” The surprise from Gabe's suggestion writes itself across my face. “What? Radek's sweet. There are a lot of assholes in professional sports. Like Boehner.” Her eyes slide to the right, glaring at the thought of the Regents' goalie.

“What's he done now?”

“Stop deflecting!” Bea erupts in a chant. “Add him! Add him! Add him!” Sheena laughs and Gabe agrees, joining in the antics.

I give in, throwing my hands up. “This is the first time he's dealing with you vultures all at once. Be cool, eh?”

I send a warning text, letting Landon know it won't be a private call. He's a fucking saint for putting up with me after the Pot Brownie Debacle. The whole night was a barely-pieced-together fever dream.

“It's not fake. It's not a joke.”

“Tell me what you want. I can almost promise it's what I want, too.”

And did I really tell him if he stayed we'd kiss and I'd fall in love with him? I'm afraid to ask and find out for sure.

“Please. You underestimate us.” Sheena tosses a few glossy, straightened strands of hair over her shoulder. “We're thecoolest.”

“Ladies!” Landon sports his classic, dimpled smirk. “How are we doing today?”

The girls titter through their replies, even calm, collected Gabe. Her blush peeks through those freckled cheeks. So much for being cool.Landon Radek could charm the pants off a tree, if trees wore pants.

“What's new?”

“We're doing a virtual brunch because of the storm.”

“That's adorable. Hey, Gabe. Behraz.” Landon does a weak salute and pulls a hand over his chin, the long beard hairs sending a scratching noise through the call. “Wait a minute, who's this? The infamous Sheena?”

“That'sme,” she sings, batting her lashes. “Nice to finally meet you. And thanks for following me on Instagram.”

“For sure. My sister loves you.”

“Wow, really?”

And she saysmyvoice goes all gooey. I glare, then call into the phone. “Akhil! Come get your wife! She's flirting with a ridiculously handsome professional hockey player who makes a hundred thousand times more than you do—”

“Ridiculously handsome, eh?” Landon's tongue peeks from the corner of his smirking mouth. I ignore the reaction. “Tell me I'm not the only one who heard it.”

Gabe confirms with a snap, waving an accusing finger like a gun. “She did say that.”

“He's on-call, you troublemaker.” Sheena's eyes roll. “Anyway, I almost forgot to ask about everyone's holiday plans. Akhil and I are with family both weekends and working in between.”

“I'm taking my dad to Miami.” Gabe reclines, miming putting on large sunglasses and tilting back as if lounging on the beach. “There aren't any games to cover on Christmas Day and he deserves a break from the nursery after the holiday season. He's been wanting to go to a flower show there for years.”

“Aww, that's sweet,” Bea adds. “We're leaving for Tanzania the day after tomorrow to celebrate my grandmother's ninety-fifth birthday. What about you, Indi?”

“Nothing for me,” I say with a shake of my head. “My parents are in Leicester for my dad's friend's daughter's wedding.” The ladies share a giggle at my long-winded answer. “And my sisters are driving to spend the weekend in New York with some friends. I'll probably watchThe HolidayandElfon repeat in my pajamas while scarfing down chocolate-drizzled popcorn until I pass out.”

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