Page 97 of Rewind It Back

Huh?

“What are you doing here?” he continues.

Hallie’s face has never been more flushed than it is right now. Her smile is weak, and her eyes are downcast with embarrassment.

It’s absolutely wild to me that these guys, who I spend every day with, only know this woman, the same one who has consumed all my brain space for the majority of my life, as the bartender who pours their drinks.

An overwhelming surge of protectiveness surfaces. “You do know she has a name, right?”

Zanders comes out of nowhere and smacks him on the back of the head for me. “What if people only referred to you by your job title? Show a little respect, Rookie.”

He rubs his head. “You do call me by my job title.”

“Well, maybe we should be a little more precise and start calling you the winger who can’t win a face-off to save his life.” Wrapping my arm around Hallie’s lower back, I settle my hand on her hip, pulling her into me and not allowing her to hide. “This is Hallie. We grew up together back in Boston. She’s renovating the house you guys spend all your time at, so you can thank her for that. And yes, she also happens to bartend.”

“Hey, Hallie,” Zanders says, stepping up to give her a hug. “You two headed to dinner?”

She hugs him back. “Staying in, actually.”

“Wait,” the rookie cuts in again. “You’re the one redoing his house? Does that mean I can make a request?”

I roll my eyes. “No—”

“Because if we could have a few more TVs in the living room, that’d be great. Imagine a whole wall of screens! We would have the best Xbox setup. We would probably end up moving in there because we wouldn’t want to leave.”

“And that’s exactly why she’s not going to do that. The hockey frat house is growing up and going away. Maybe your place could be the new hangout spot, Rook.”

His eyes go big and bright.

I press my hand against Hallie’s lower back when the elevator opens and empties again. “We’re going.”

“What’s your name?” Hallie asks our rookie as she steps into the elevator with me.

“Mason.”

“Nice to officially meet you, Mason.”

He smiles at her with fucking hearts in his eyes. “Bye, Hallie. See you at your work soon, okay?”

I’m shaking my head as the doors close. Hallie presses the button for her floor, and I realize it’s the same as mine.

“See? There’s no need to be embarrassed around my teammates. They’re normal people. Well... sort of. If anything,Rookieshould be the one embarrassed, thinking he has a shot in hell with you.”

She’s staring straight ahead, chin tipped up. “And who says he doesn’t?”

I whip my head in her direction. “Hallie. That’s not funny.”

She shrugs and I can see the smile she’s trying to hold back through the elevator’s reflection.

My mouth is still gaping when we get off on our floor.

I follow her to her room, leaning against the wall as she uses her key card to open the door so she can change into something more comfortable.

“Do I need to remind you about that kiss we shared the last time we saw each other?”

She laughs. “I’m not sixteen anymore, Rio. Just because we kissed doesn’t make me yours.”

I lift a brow. “Is that a challenge?”

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