Page 59 of The Grinder

“All right then. Get out on the ice. You can text your parents after practice.”

CJ bounced up, grinning from ear to ear, and headed out. Riley got up slower, watching the kid disappear down the hall to the ice.

He took a few seconds to make sure his laces were tight and found Coach watching him, arms crossed over his chest.

“Sure you don’t have any questions?”

“Honestly,” Riley shook his head, “I’ve got a shit-ton of them but I don’t think you can answer any of them.”

Coach grinned and slapped him on the shoulder. “Keep your head in the game. Just like you’ve been doing for the past eight years. You made it this far. Just keep pushing. You’ve got the skills, Riley. You’ve proved it. I have no doubt you can make this happen. Don’t let anything get in your way.”

Riley had no intention of letting anything get in his way. But he had no intention of giving anything up either.

* * * * *

Aly had gone to work with a smile on her face that faded about fifteen minutes after she walked in the door.

The billing system had gone down and the techs weren’t sure why. Which meant her department was hamstrung. Which meant the people who called in to get their bills straightened out had something else to complain about.

And they did. All morning.

It left her very little time to daydream about Riley and last night, but when she did, holy crap, she couldn’t stop.

So when his number popped up on her phone after lunch, she shut herself in her office and sank into her chair.

“Hey,” she said. “I was hoping you’d call.”

“And I’ve been dying to talk to you. I got called up. I’ll probably be on the ice tomorrow night with the Colonials in Philly.”

It took her a second to process what he’d said then she started to smile. “Riley! That’s amazing! Oh my god, that’s so wonderful. We can celebrate tonight at dinner.”

“Yeah, about dinner. I need to cancel. I hate to do it but CJ and I have to be in Philly tonight. They’re putting us up in a hotel for the night so we’re ready for morning skate tomorrow. I’m really sorry—”

“Are you kidding? Don’t you dare apologize for getting what you’ve been working for for so long. I’m so happy for you.”

“Happy enough to want to drive to Philly tomorrow night? Game starts at seven and I know it’s short notice but I can get you a ticket.”

He wanted her at the game? Her heart began to pound and she wanted to say yes.

But she also had to be practical. She worked until five-thirty and then had an evaluation with her boss that she couldn’t miss. Even if she didn’t go home to change and left straight from the office, she wouldn’t be on the road until six-thirty and it’d take her at least two hours to navigate the Schuylkill Expressway at that time of night.

“Aly?”

But he wanted her there. Just the thought made her heart pound against her ribs and her thighs clench like he’d told her he wanted to strip her naked and do her against a wall.

It made no sense whatsoever because they’d met four days ago. Four days. People didn’t become this invested in another person’s life that fast.

And if they did, it wouldn’t last.

“I would really love to go,” she said. “I just…I’m afraid I wouldn’t make it in time.”

He paused and her throat dried. Anxiety made her stomach ache.

But realistically, she’d probably get stuck in traffic and would probably miss the entire game.

And maybe he was only asking to be nice. Maybe he felt obligated to ask her because they’d slept together.

Maybe—

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