Page 43 of Hockey Heart

Ah yes, the girl with the tongue piercing. Was she following me?

“Cool. So Kelsy…”

“Kelly,” she corrected me.

“Got it. I’m just catching up with my agent here.”

“Oh, okay! Just wanted to say hi. Hey, let’s take a selfie!”

“Nah, I think…”

But she was already draped across me with her phone held out and giggling. “Saypeaches!”

I gave a weak half-smile as she threw up the obligatory selfie fingers.

“Thanks. Hey, you wanna go to Inferno tonight? It’s going to bewild!”

“Nope. Can’t tonight, sorry.”

“Aw,” she pouted, then her wide not-a-care-in-the-world smile came back, like it was on a rubber band. “Well, see you around then!”

“Jeez,” Jimmy said as she walked away, tapping on her phone.

“Yeah, I don’t know where they get their weird energy from, honestly.”

“So, what?” Jimmy wasn’t about to let me off the hook. “You ask her out again? The teacher?”

“Actually, I kind of asked her to the Mayor’s Ball, but she said no.”

“Oh,” a serious expression darkened on Jimmy’s face. “Hayden, that’s probably for the best.”

Now it was my turn to raise my eyebrows at him.

“Cara’s already been on the phone with me about that.”

Goddamnit, Cara couldn’t keep her fingers out of anything.

“And what does Cara want now, Jimmy?” My head was beginning to throb.

“Hay, you think she just happened to be in town at the same time? That woman’s always got an agenda. She’s got some bespoke Marc Jacobs dress that apparently, I have to pick up for her. She’s expecting to go with you.”

Or if not me, then Solly, I thought.So that was her game.

“What’s that look, Hay? I get you don’t like it, but you know Cara.”

“Jimmy, I gotta tell you. Solly’s been staying at mine after another drama with Maria. Also, him and Cara hooked up.”

“Oh hell, no!”

“Yeah. I don’t like it either.”

“Hay, Maria can be a nightmare, but she’s a good lady. They’ll figure it out. She’s not going to shut out the father of her kids. Then again, she is one hell of a jealous woman, so ifthatcomes out…”

Jimmy pulled an uncomfortable face.

“Uh-huh. So I don’t really have a choice, do I? Cara gets her designer dress to show off at the ball, Solly gets off the hook, and I have to play nice so those two can be happy.”

“Sorry Hay. Sometimes you don’t see the play until it’s too late.”

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