Page 57 of Play to Win

She’s my age, I think, with long dark hair, smooth tawny skin, and dark eyes.She looks a lot like Jessica Alba.“You’re a hero,” she says to me.“A heroine.”

I laugh.“Just happy to help.”I eye Byron wistfully.“I love dogs.”

“You don’t have one?”

“Uh, no.”

“I’m Taylor.”She extends a hand.“We live just over there.”She nods to a big beach house a few buildings down from Théo’s.

“Hi, I’m Lacey.”We shake.“We’re neighbors.”

“Really?Did you just move in?”

“Yes.”I point to Théo’s condo.“Right there.”

“The hockey house.”

I laugh.“Yes!I’m, uh, my husband”—wow, that’s still weird—“is the new manager of the Condors.”

“No kidding!”Her eyes widen.“Cool!I’m a big Condors fan.I met Bobby Ponomarenko a couple of times.I was wondering who would move in now he’s gone.”

We start walking on the beach together, Taylor’s grip on Byron’s leash firm as he trots along.

“I’m not a puck bunny,” she adds.“Okay, maybe I am.Hockey players are hot.”

Hmmm.“Yeah, I guess they are.”Apparently, I’ve been missing out on something all the time we had a hockey team in Vegas.Théo is hot, that’s for sure.

“How long have you been married?”Taylor asks.

“Three days.”

She stops and gapes at me.“Seriously?”

“Yeah.”I grimace.“We did a quickie marriage in Vegas before we left to come here.”

“That is so romantic!”

Okay, I like this girl.“Tonight I’m meeting his family for the first time.Other than his mother.”I tell her the story of Aline dropping in, and she laughs.

“Way to make a good first impression.I’m sure she’ll love you, though.They all will.”

“You don’t even know me.”

“I’m a good judge of character.And so is Byron.If he likes you, you’re good people.”

“Dogs always know,” I agree.

We keep walking awhile, chatting and getting to know each other, then turn around back toward our homes.

“Guess I better get home,” Taylor says.“I have a date tonight.New guy I met online.”

“Good luck.”We pause in front of her huge house.“You live alone here?”

“I live with my parents.”One corner of her mouth turns down.“Don’t judge me.”

“Hey, I’m not.”I hold up my hands.“I’m unemployed.”

“But you’re married.”She sighs.“I make not bad money, but everything’s so expensive here.I’m saving to try to buy a small condo somewhere eventually.”

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