Page 15 of Hockey Heart

I’m sooooo jealousssssssss!

“Excuse me, ma’am. The check.”

I looked up as the waiter dropped the bill down on the table, before leaving me there alone. As I glanced around, a few of the other couples quickly looked away with amused smiles.

My humiliation was complete. I didn’t have a car to go home in, or even a cab fare left after the $300 bill I now had to pay. All just to watch HaydenfuckingRaynor eat ten pounds of chicken wings.

8

HEY CHAMP

Hayden

“Daddy!”

“Hey champ, what you still doing up?”

“Joyce said it was okay. I had a nightmare!”

“Oh no! You got spooked?”

“Yeah, but it’s okay now. I’m glad you’re home.”

“I’m glad too buddy.”

Joyce came into the hallway with a sweet smile on her lips, “So, how was your date?”

“It wasn’t adate,Joyce,” I rolled my eyes. “You know you’re the only woman in my life.”

“Oh, speaking of that, Cara called.”

I sighed and rubbed a paw against my eye.Christ, that hurts.

“And what did she want?”

“Um, she was mad about some car payment she was expecting from you. Also, she can’t take Maiden next weekend.”

Joyce gave me a sad look. Honestly, that woman. NotJoyce! She’s been Maiden’s nanny since the start, and she’s some kind of gift from God. Cara is who I mean. And bymean, well, that’s one of many words you could use to describe my soon-to-be ex-wife.

“Okay, thanks Joyce. I got it from here.”

“I’m going to stay in the guest room tonight if that’s okay? It’s pretty late.”

“Sure. Thanks again, I really appreciate it.”

9

NEVER, EVER AGAIN

Sarah

“Get out!” I yelled, as my brain conjured up its familiar favorite image of Hayden Raynor, pulling back the shower curtain to give me a scrub down and a good morning seeing to.

How could he be such an oaf! How could I be so STUPID?

I went to grab my body scrub and winced painfully when I saw the naked finger where my grandma’s ring used to be.

Never meet your heroes,they say. Well, I hadn’t exactly met my hero, but I had met my crush, and it had been a titanic disaster. And now, I couldn’t even enjoy my indulgent fantasies of him.

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