Page 15 of Romancing My Grumpy Goalie

“That surprises me. He didn’t try to kiss you?”

“Not yet. But we did cuddle and watch a movie.”

“This is kind of big for you. You don’t date much.”

Aubrey shrugs. “I’m too busy building the dream.”

“So how did your dinner go?”

She grimaces. “I burned the rolls, but he didn’t mind.”

“I need to tell you something,” I blurt. “Your mom was in here earlier. She was buying some of my crocheted creatures for your future kids.”

“My who?” Aubrey’s eyes go wide.

“She said you met someone.”

“What? How did she find out?”

I fill her in on the details just as the door to the shop opens, and Lucas and Nolan come inside.

Aubrey’s face switches from annoyance to this knowing, raised eyebrows look. What’s that supposed to mean? She can take her knowing looks and shove them in the dumpster because there’s nothing to “know” here.

“Mom! Lucas taught me how to do a K-Block!”

“That’s great.” Not that I know what that means.

Lucas must have noticed the lost expression on my face because he says, “It’s a blocking technique where the goalie drops one knee while extending the other leg in a K shape. It’s kind of like forming a human wall.”

“A human wall,” I say. “That sounds painful.”

“It can be.” Lucas smirks. “Unless you know what you’re doing.”

Lucas’s gaze sears into me, and I go hot all over my body.

It takes me a moment to find my words. “Thank you for today,” I say to him.

“It’s not a problem,” Lucas says.

Silence hangs awkwardly, and Aubrey looks between us, trying to suppress a grin and failing miserably.

I grab my Stanley cup and take a sip of my water for something to do.

Nolan screws up his mouth into a grossed-out expression. “You guys aren’t going to kiss, are you?”

I choke on my water and cough because it went down the wrong pipe. “No!” I cough. “Why would you say such a thing?” Cough. Cough.

“Just a vibe I was picking up,” Nolan says, like he’s fifteen instead of ten. Actually, he’s almost eleven. His birthday is coming up. “I’ve watched enough of your romance movies to know, Mom.”

“There’s no vibe!” I insist before coughing again.

Lucas rounds the counter to me and pats me on the back. His hand is warm through the fabric of my shirt. “You okay?”

I cough again, but nod.

“There’s definitely a vibe,” Aubrey says.

Lucas glares at her. Good. At least we’re on the same page.

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