Page 73 of Goalie Interference

Cash’s gaze focused on her and a smile tilted his lips. “Soph and I were just talking about Christmas. She’s doing it here this year, and I said I’d like to join her.”

Trinity’s bottom lip pouted. “But I’d like to see your family Christmas.”

I swallowed down a snort and she shot a glare at me.

Cash walked over to her and put a finger under her chin. “It’s not anything like you’re thinking. The dinner is catered, there are no kids—” He looked at me. “Maybe kids this year. But damn, they won’t have much fun, will they?”

I shrugged.

Not liking his distraction, Trinity dropped her chin to suck Cash’s finger into her mouth. That brought all his attention back to her. She released his finger and smiled. “Why don’t you come and tell me all about it?” She bit her lips and traced theneckline of her robe with one finger before she headed back to his bedroom and he followed.

I rolled my eyes and made another cup of coffee before heading to my room.

I had a couple of guitars to repair before Christmas Day, and a meal to plan. What else? Decorations? Presents? A tree?

Maybe it would keep me distracted enough that I wouldn’t worry about Ollie, or that I’d slept with Remy—twice. Or how my father was going to react when I wasn’t there on Christmas. It would be worse if he didn’t react at all.

Nope, not going to think about that.Time for a shower, and then I had lots to do.

Chapter 28

I’d better bring my A game

Remy

Our last game before Christmas was in Utah, and it was my turn to play backup. We left in the morning and were back in Austin that night to sleep. I watched from the bench as Lappy played perfectly for one period before getting sloppy in the second and barely holding on for the win in the third. It was frustrating. I wanted to play, but I didn’t want him to mess up so that I got called in. But the little I was even backing him up lowered my shot of another contract.

Lappy muttered in French as he angrily pulled off his pads.

“Hey, you have to let that go. Sometimes games are like that. Shit happens.”

He glared at me.

“Um, merde happener?” My French was merde.

He snorted.

“You sticking around for Christmas?” Maybe if we spent some time together, I might have the chance to help him the way the team wanted. Sophie had told me to invite people, and this might be good for him.

He raised an eyebrow.

I struggled to remember my French. “Noel? Ici, Austin?”

“Non. Quebec. Chez nous.”

Maybe that would help him, some time with his family.

Then there were no practices or games till a home game against Minnesota on the twenty-seventh. I was looking forward to a few days when I didn’t have to stress about hockey, but also to seeing Sophie again.

She’d been busy since she showed up at my place and spent the night. It had only been four days, and I was missing her. Not smart. We weren’t building a relationship from two nights together. She had a life here, and I was a temporary blip. She’d said casual, and that was the right thing for what was left of my hockey career.

Ollie hadn’t said anything after the charity party, but if Sophie and I were dating, that could change. Dante had scolded me for skipping out, but the charity got a good bid for the photo package that I was going to have to do in the new year.

The problem was that I liked Sophie, more than I had anyone in a long time. I enjoyed spending time with her. The sex was great, but if that wasn’t what she was interested in, I’d still want to have her as a friend.

If I thought about her too much, I got as wound up as I did about Lappy’s game play, so I needed to chill the fuck out before I met her again. I’d googled gift ideas for luthiers to get some ideas for a present for her. She hadn’t said no gifts, so I was going for it. Since I didn’t know what she already had, I picked out a random assortment of luthier consumables, ending up with a box full of odds and ends, like clamps and double-sided tape, syringes and popsicle sticks. I’d picked things up all over the city, so I’d tried to wrap the box myself and it looked so bad I’d braved the mall and paid to get someone to wrap it up there.

Hanny brought along a gift of a couple of bottles of wine. Beast and I picked him up, since he planned to enjoy himself and order a ride home. The two of us insisted on helping, and Sophie didn’t have the experience to turn us down, so we arrived at the house around noon.

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