Page 89 of Offside Attraction

“The Snowballs game.”

She grinned. “You know their schedule?”

“Now that we have to share the same rink.”

“Right, when do the renovations end?”

Jordan shrugged. “They said after Christmas sometime.” He pulled her hand into his lap, and Rhonda peeled herself off the seat. “I get back Sunday night. Talk then?”

She nodded. “Thank you for dinner.”

“You’re welcome.” He lifted her hand one last time and hesitated before brushing his lips over her knuckles. “Have a good night.”

“You, too.” Words and emotions tumbled through her head like they were pouring from a torn bag of Skittles. Bright yellows and reds, blues and purples. Love and fear and happiness and desperation flashed like they were torn from magazines and pasted into a collage or vision board she never knew she wanted.

Jordan got out of the car. She watched him walk into the hotel then drove in a daze the block and a half to the Marriott. Since she was on the third floor, she took the stairs, needing to do something physical to clear her head.

She walked to her door, scanned her card, and stepped inside, the silence of the room making her head buzz. Rhonda kicked off her shoes and walked to the bathroom, her mind still replaying every moment of the night. The last three days seemed to take up more space than the past year in her memory, and she wasn’t mad about it.

She washed her face, brushed her teeth, and changed into her cotton camisole and matching underwear—for all her talk about black lace, this was her favourite sleep set—then crawled into bed.

She pulled the covers up to her chin. She was just about to turn off the lamp when her phone buzzed. Rhonda's heart leapt as she saw Jordan's name on the screen.

Jordan

I should’ve kissed you again

Warmth spread over her skin like massage oil.

There’s still time

Jordan

If I come over there, I won’t leave

I don’t see the problem

Jordan

Sorry to disappoint

Not sure disappointment is the right word

Jordan

What is?

Frustrate

Jordan

Hm. How frustrated are you, exactly?

For someone who won’t come over, I think that’s an asshole question

Jordan

On a scale of 1-10

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