Page 24 of On Thin Ice

I groaned.

Ally: Uh, yeah. Maybe a bit. It was on my Facebook feed.

That didn’t even make sense. I was in San Francisco, and he was in Denver. Unless he was on some highlight reel or I was following the Stampede page, I shouldn’t see him on my feed.

Ugh.

Dom: Shoulder’s fine. The hit wasn’t that bad. I like that you’re watching the games. Telling Baby Girl how awesome her dad is, right?

Ally: I didn’t watch the game. Just some video popped up in my feed.

Dom: Uh-huh. Sure. Just make sure you tell her that her daddy is the best hockey player ever.

Why did he have to be adorable on top of everything else? My sensibilities were already struggling.

Ally: So. Lunch. Yeah. I should go figure that out.

Ally: Oh, and all her uncles on the Strikers might have something to say about who the best player is.

Dom: Please. They know it’s me.

Dom: I’m glad our away game against the Strikers is early this season, so I can see you.

Shut up, stupid heart.

Ally: Oh. When is it?

Like I didn’t know.

October tenth. It was already on my calendar because I went to as many of Ethan’s games as I could. I’m a good sister like that.

Dom: On the 10th. We’re staying in town overnight because we’re playing against Anaheim the following night. Maybe we could get dinner or something?

Ally: Um. Yeah. Maybe.

Dom: What’s going on?

Ally: Nothing. I’m just hungry and nesting. Baby brain is real.

Dom: I was reading about that.

Ally: You were?

Dom: Of course. I know I’m late to the game, but I want to be ready, so I grabbed a few books.

And there went my damn heartburn again.

I needed a sandwich or something to distract me.

Ally: You’re really invested.

Then he was FaceTiming me, and I wanted to smack myself. Why had I said that? And why couldn’t he have just called or kept texting?

I tapped to answer, and his gorgeous face filled the screen. I probably looked a mess.

“I look like a disaster,” I said, continuing my strain of saying things without thinking. Damn baby brain struck again.

“You look gorgeous, Ally. What’s going on?”

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