Page 8 of Three Pucks and a Baby

“Yes, I’m aware of that.”

“That means you’re younger than me.”

“Is that a problem?”

I nibbled my lip. “Age is usually a factor when it comes to dating.”

Wagging his brows, he teasingly said, “I’ll tell you mine if you’ll tell me yours.”

“I’m twenty-nine.”

“Just a measly six years between us since I’m twenty-three.”

“I’ll be thirty next week.”

“Really?” When I nodded, he added, “You should let me take you out for an early birthday dinner.”

“A ‘working, early birthday’ dinner?”

“Exactly.”

As I stared into Grayson’s earnest face, the vision board in my office flashed before my mind. I thought of my word for the year. Going out on a date with a younger student was certainly living. The angel on my shoulder would argue that it was living far too dangerously than I was accustomed to. I needed to start living with baby steps, not base jumping off a cliff.

“I can’t.”

“Because I’m a student?”

I shook my head. “I don’t know you.”

Grayson gave me a teasing grin. “Now, Vivian, as someone older and wiser, you do know how dates work, don’t you?”

“I do.”

“Then you should know getting to know each other is part of a date.”

Considering he had me there, I crossed my arms over my chest in a huff. “That’s not what I meant.”

“Look, I get that you’re worried I might be some closeted serial killer.”

I gasped in horror. “That’s not what I meant at all.”

“Rest assured, I’m not some creep walking in here off the streets. As a member of the hockey team, I’m completely vetted. They even let me work with children.”

Although I tried fighting it, my lips quirked up in a smile. “That’s good to know.”

“Then you’ll go out with me?”

With the devil on my shoulder screaming at me to base jump, I sighed. “I’m very flattered by your offer, but I have to say no.”

After turning to walk away, Grayson said, “Come on, Viv, live a little.”

I froze so fast that my heels made a screeching sound on the tile. Slowly, I turned to face him again. “What did you say?”

“I said to live a little.”

There it was: my word for the year. If ever believed in signs, Grayson had just sent a blazing one to me with one simple phrase. With determination in my step, I walked back to him.

“All right. I’ll go out with you.”

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