Page 49 of Goalie Interference

He tried to ask Keats if he was upset about the loss. Keats frowned and said of course he was, but Lappy wasn’t asking because he thought Keats didn’t care.

“Losses get to all of us, but we have to shake it off. Do something to get rid of the stress—bad feelings—and be ready for the next game.” I paused to see if Lappy was following.

Keats nodded, but I wasn’t sure Lappy understood—either the language thing, or the getting rid of stress part. I was trying, but not sure I was helping him the way the team hoped.

I didn’t see much of Sophie when we got back, nothing more than hello when we crossed paths in the driveway. Had I just imagined that kiss? Goober showed up almost daily at the top of the stairs. And anytime the door was open, she’d slip in. Beast grew accustomed to her, and wasn’t aggressive beyond occasional growling and chewing on the towel. Goober would grab some high ground and pretend to ignore Beast and me.

I’d got Beast new towels, hoping to replace the mangled mess the current one was, but Beast was committed to what he had. I’d offered to drop the replacements off at the shop, but Sophie messaged that I didn’t need to. Both Sophie and her brother could afford a cheap cotton towel but it seemed like I was taking advantage. However, forcing her to accept a towel she obviously didn’t want felt wrong too, especially if she was avoiding me. Instead, I folded it up on the counter where Goober hung out so she’d be more comfortable.

Yeah, I was making the cat who snuck in to harass my dog more comfortable.

The team was on the road for another couple of games and I was left in Austin. After morning workouts with the other healthy scratches, I spent the afternoon at the shelter. Beast wasnow tolerant enough of Bob that I could walk the two of them on my own, and the dog walks kept me from fretting too much over my lack of game time. I stayed to clean up for a bit and talked about the animals with Delores. When we came back to the carriage house, as soon as I opened the truck door for Beast he headed for the workshop, quicker than I could grab him. He was a fast little fucker when he wanted to be.

“What…Beast?” Sophie looked up just as I appeared in the doorway. “You lost someone?”

“I assume Goober is here?”

Sophie jerked her head toward a table at the side of the shop, and there was the cat. Beast sat down where he could keep an eye on her. “They’re still getting along, then.”

“I may have put a towel on the counter for her to sleep on when she’s upstairs.”

Sophie glanced at the animals. “She’s getting into the apartment? I’m sorry, she shouldn’t be bothering you.”

I leaned on the doorframe. “I’m not sure you could do much to stop her.”

Sophie’s lips twisted and I tried not to stare. “I can at least try a little harder.”

“Don’t. Not unless it bothers you. I think they’re each a little lonely.” I took a breath. “And speaking of that, I think we have to talk about that night.”

She looked down. “Do we?”

I wasn’t going to stop now that I’d started. “I like you. I mean…I thought we were almost becoming friends?”

She met my eyes for a moment, nodding.

“So far the people I’ve met in Austin have all been hockey people, except for a couple of people at the animal shelter, and one of those guys won’t talk. It’s nice to know someone outside of hockey.”

She set down the planer in her hand. “Do you kiss your friends? Or people at the shelter?”

Howie flashed into my head and I almost shuddered. “I’m sorry, I know I shouldn’t have?—”

She lifted her hand. “Don’t apologize, it was a mutual kiss. But we can’t go there, for a lot of reasons.”

“Then can we take a step back to being friends?”

She tilted her head. “You’d still like to be friends. Just friends.”

“I would.”

A smile spread across her face. “I’d like that.”

“Me too.”

“Would you like to join Diane and me for dinner, friend? We were planning to meet up, but nothing special. I have to return that to her—” She pointed her head to a guitar neck at the end of the table, with a spray of stars running over it. They left a trail of glitter behind them as they spread out from the top as the neck widened. There had been nothing there when she started, I knew, and how she’d done such fine, detailed work on a hard surface like that was beyond me.

“That’s incredible.”

Her cheeks flushed. “You don’t have to?—”

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