Page 45 of Puck Block

TAYTUM

“Over to the right,”Claire says through a stretch.

We’re both balancing on top of the red leather barstools, and although we’re limber from years of ballet, we’re still having a hard time hanging the banner over top of the bar.

“Why arewedoing this?” I ask, reaching up higher on my tiptoes. “Shouldn’t those mammoth-sized hockey players do this instead?”

Claire hooks her side of the banner and squeals with excitement just before almost toppling over onto the bar.

“Damnit, Claire! Get down.” Theo rushes over and scoops her up mid-fall, holding her to his chest. His brown hair is still damp from his post-game shower, and he’s peering down at her disapprovingly.

“Oh, relax. I’m fine!” She pats his chest, and I laugh under my breath.

I’m still stretching on a barstool before I decide to just climb on top of the bar for a second to hook the left side. As soon as I have it hooked, I brush my hands together and nod at our handiwork.

“You gonna pay me for hanging this?” I point to the black sign while looking at Claire’s boss.

She snorts. “I’ll give you free fries.”

I gesture to the sign again before putting my hands on my hips. “Everyone gets free fries tonight!”

Her eyes scan the sign, and she reads it out loud. “Hockey night. Free fries when the Wolves win.” She shrugs and acts surprised by the sign shemade. “Darn. You’re right.”

I huff out a laugh. “Plus, I can’t even have fries. But it’sfine.I’m happy to help.”

Angie’s eyebrows furrow. “What? Why?”

I look away uncomfortably. “I have diabetes. I have to watch my carb intake.”

Angie stares up at me from down below. The Bex is starting to fill up with rowdy fans. I know the rest of the team is going to show up soon. “What? Since when?”

Claire comes over and places her head on her boss’s shoulder. “It’s a new diagnosis. Remember when I told you that a customer fainted a little while back, and the EMTs had to come?”

Angie looks at me with shock for a quick second before sending me a comforting smile. She’s just one of those women that has a natural motherly touch. She’s warm and kind to not just Claire, but me too. “You know, my father had diabetes. He had some ICU admissions at one point, so you make sure you take care of yourself, Taytum.”

I force a smile.

“That’s what she has me for,” Claire adds.

“Okay, now get down from there before I get the health department called on me.”

I laugh and start to climb down from the bar just as Claire heads back to the booth. The bell over the door chimes, and I lock onto Ford walking in beside my brother. They’re bothfreshly put together with fully dried hair, unlike Theo who had rushed over here to be with Claire.

Snow falls off the tip of Ford’s nose, and he shakes off the lingering flakes on top of his wide shoulders. My stomach fills with nerves, and it’s so unexpected I almost fall. I wince when I hit my glucose monitor on the barstool. I quickly cover it with my hand.

Shit, that hurt.

My brother rushes over. “What the hell were you doing on top of the bar? Are you okay?”

I turn away. “I’m fine.” I slowly lift my sleeve to make sure the device is still attached, and although there’s some redness around the site, it’s still attached, and there aren’t any alarms going off, so I’m good.

I pull my sleeve back down then turn and jump when I see Ford standing beside my brother with his strong brow furrowed as he stares at my arm.

“Will you two relax?” I brush past them, mainly to avoid Ford.

It was all fun and games when I was Belle and he was Walker, but that time is over.

I clear my throat when I scoot into the booth beside Claire. Theo pulls her onto his lap to make room for me, and since it’s par for the course, Ford and Emory make their way to the other side, right in front of me.

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