Page 38 of Hat Trick Holidate

“Umm. I don’t know his name.” I let out an apologetic laugh. “Online dating.”

“Don’t be embarrassed. Everyone does it. I mean who has time to get to know someone any other way?”

“I’ll just go in. If someone arrives asking, will you guide them my way?” Hopefully, my date doesn’t take one look at me and run.

I find a table where you can see the televisions showing the hockey games and order a drink. I’m a little early, and I keep checking my phone, but time seems to stand still. Finally, it’s seven twenty-nine, and he should be here any minute, so I wait to order another drink, but I do stand up and take my empty glass to the bar.

First impressions are everything.

I look up and who do I see? Bryce Wynward. What the hell is he doing here? A few people stop him and ask him for autographs, and he obliges. I should hide. I scope out the exits, and there’s only one way out from here—through the Georgia Jets gorgeous hockey player.

He takes a few more strides, searching for someone, and his eyes land on me. I quickly look down at the cocktail menu, hoping I’m wrong.

All two-hundred sculpted pounds of deliciousness stops in front of my table. Fuck. Fuck.

“Emmaline. Where’s your date?”

“Waiting on him.”

His blue eyes dance with mischief. “The right man wouldn’t keep you waiting.”

“Do you have a tracking device on my phone?” I ask as my eyes narrow.

“You’re not the only one who can date. May I join you until our dates get here?”

“Sure.” I put my hand out to have a seat. “I can’t imagine a woman being late for a date with you.”

He chuckles. “My date doesn’t know who I am. Reed and Brooke roped me into signing up for her dating app to beta test.”

“Yeah, Reed made my brother sign up, and Roman made me sign up too. That would have been weird if the app matched me with my brother,” I cackle and cover my mouth with my hand.

Bryce smiles and pulls out his phone. “Did you put in the same characteristics as your brother for what you’re looking for in a man?”

Mulling his question over, I say, “Well, some things my brother and I share. Like we both want a family. I put that I wanted someone bigger than me. I cannot date a man if I weigh more than him.”

“Do you mind if I check my phone to see if my date is canceled?” he asks, ignoring my self-deprecating comment.

“No.”

“Is your screen name JuJi_red?”

Oh my God, is Bryce my date? Did it pair us? I almost choke on one simple word. “Yes.”

“Umm, it seems as if we are a match. But we already knew that… didn’t we?” he asks with a small lift of his eyebrow.

“Are you familyman9?”

Of course, he’s now a family man, and the number nine is his jersey number. How did I not put two and two together to get nine and Bryce Wynward?

“In the flesh,” he says, releasing a shadow of a smile.

I’ve seenthat flesh. All of it.

And he keeps reminding me of his massive chest and those arms that can hold a woman up while he’s pleasing her.

Letting out a playful huff, I say, “We must be the only two people in Atlanta on this damn app other than my brother.”

“Ouch. I don’t think a woman has ever been disappointed to go on a date with me.” He chuckles, a hint of smugness in his voice.

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