Page 26 of Conrad

Oh, no, no—because he smiled at her and winked and . . .

Lucas snapped a shot.

And then she got it. Clarice. She’d called Felicity, and the game was on. The entire thing was an act—all the charm, all the music, the bone-weakening smiles.

Well, two could play that game—actually twoshouldplay that game.

She winked back.

His eyebrows arched.

She gripped his arms, pulled herself close, then encircled his waist. Grinned up at him. “Don’t let go. I might end up a splotch on the ice.”

He seemed have gone a little pale but nodded.

She looked at Lucas and smiled.

Flash.

They finished the shoot, and Conrad helped her back to the side. Let her go. “Okay, that was . . . unexpected.”

She sat on a bench, unlacing her skates, looked up at him. “Yeah, for sure. I didn’t think . . .” She sighed. “Anyway, thanks for the photos.”

“Yeah, well, it’s part of the deal, right? Show up, smile, do some good for the team.”

“Land a new contract.”

He blinked at her. Then his smile faded and he nodded. “Hopefully.”

And if she’d had any lingering ideas or even hopes that this might be real . . . well, really, she got it. And didn’t blame him at all.

Hockey was his life. He couldn’t lose it.

She fought with the skates, and he knelt and helped her, pulling the blade. She leaned back, held on as he wrenched it off, nearly stumbled back.

She held up her other foot, spotted Lucas again with the camera, waved, and then grinned as Conrad pulled off the other skate.

He held them in his grip as she reached for her UGGs. He started to say something, but seemed to hesitate.

Lucas had skated—of course—over to the other bench.

Then, “The team is going over to Lakeside Pizza Company. You want to come along?”

Oh.“Is Lucas going?”

He glanced over. “The photographer?”

“Yes. He’s with EmPowerPlay.”

His mouth opened, closed. Turned into a grim line. “Dunno. I mean, we can invite him.”

Clarice would be thrilled. More personal shots. And maybe Penelope could do an end run around Conrad until Clarice ran out of posting material. “Okay.”

“Okay,” he said, and sighed. “See you there.”

Then he stepped out onto the ice and skated his magnificent deceptive self away from her.

FOUR

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