Page 46 of Zero Pucks

“Lovebirds,” Ford said.

“Fuck off,” Tucker replied with a smile. He settled into his chair, waited for me to follow suit, then turned to his friends. “If you embarrass Deo, I will set your beds on fire with you still in them.”

Jonah burst into laughter. “Cold.”

Ford just rolled his eyes, then met my gaze and winked. “I’d never. I like him a lot more than I like you.”

Tucker flipped him off but kept his attention on Jonah. “So. About the job. I accept.”

“Great. Only you can’t just accept. There has to be a vote. I’ll call the council, and we’ll set something up.”

“The council,” Ford said with a snort. “Listen to this motherfucker who thinks he’s the Queen of England.”

Jonah patted the top of his head. “I’d wear the crown a lot better than she did.”

I couldn’t help a smile or the warm feeling that was settling in my chest. They were so…relaxed. Happy in ways I didn’t fully understand. They were comfortable, like they were home, and I realized I’d never felt like that before.

I wanted it. I craved it like I’d never craved anything before. But this wasn’t mine. I was a visitor—invited in for a little while. A piece of furniture they would throw out after the week was up.

But that was fine. A little was better than nothing.

Tucker turned his head, caught my gaze, and smiled, and in that moment, everything felt okay.

* * *

Luckily, no one asked me about why I was upset on a bus bench for the duration of lunch. We ate, the guys talked hockey, which I couldn’t follow, and then they made plans to meet up before the game.

The conversation carried on as we all shuffled outside, and I turned my face up toward the pale sun and breathed in deeply.

“…around eight. You in?”

I realized Tucker was talking to me. “Sorry. I missed that.”

His grin was small and sweet. “We can meet up after the game, just outside the locker rooms at eight. You in?”

Oh. Right. I was invited to this game. “Yeah, I can do that.”

“You good to drive yourself there?” Ford asked.

I nodded. My flat tire had been changed, and everything was in working order. “Just send me the address and where I need to buy tickets.”

Ford laughed as Tucker shook his head. “Babe. WAGs don’t buy tickets.”

I blinked at him. “WAGs?”

Throwing his arm around me, Ford gave me a half hug. “Wives and girlfriends. It’s sexist or…exclusionary? Whatever. We’re not calling you a girl. Hockey’s just, like, notoriously hetero.”

Tucker made an irritated noise in the back of his throat and yanked me out of Ford’s grasp. “Stop touching him.” He leaned into my ear. “I’ll never call you my girlfriend or wife—unless that was something you wanted. But you are mine for the night.”

Mine? My entire body went flaming hot. Shit. No one had ever called me anything like that before. No one had ever wanted to. But Jesus, the way he said it, low and rumbling against my skin? It felt too real.

“If you say so.” I tried to sound confident, but instead, I sounded breathless.

Tucker laughed and pressed a kiss to the hinge of my jaw. “See you soon, sweetheart.” And then he let me go.

I watched in silent wonder as Jonah took his arm, and the pair of them started toward the street. When they were nearly at the bus stop, the spell broke, and I turned to face Ford.

“You’re not giving them a ride?”

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