Page 7 of The Puck Daddy

“Shut up. Do you know who that was?”

“Nope,” he replies, handing his glass of whiskey to me. “But I get the feeling you need this more than I do.”

A part of me wants to jump with joy and yell that the sexy man who was just standing in front of us is Theo fucking Walsh, but another loyal part of me remembers the ex-hockey star might just want his privacy.

Due to a devastating ACL injury, Theo was forced to retire from the NHL early. But everyone was shocked when he unexpectedly deleted all his social media accounts shortly after. No one really knows what he’s been up to all these years. Has he been working here in my hometown this whole time?

Suddenly, I’m imagining all these pretty puck bunnies fighting for Theo’s attention, leaving a sour taste in my mouth. I’m tempted to take a swig from Rizzo’s glass and let the smooth whiskey slide down my throat, but Coach’s earlier lecture comes to mind.

Coach Wilson was pissed to find a video of me stumbling over with laughter had gone viral. I wasn’t even that drunk, but my defense was shot to hell when some random girl threw up right in front of me and fell onto my lap. Never mind that everyone knows I’m gay. Every puck bunny out there considers me to be prime meat; I found out when they had some bet on who could ‘turn me straight’ first.

The whole thing was disgusting, which only strengthened my resolve to publicly affirm my attraction to men, and men only.

Theo disappears behind the closing door, and I have this insane urge to follow him. “You know what?” I hand the glass back to Rizzo. “I’ll meet you in there. There’s something I need to do first.”

As I walk back inside, I spot Theo making his way behind the bar. Kayla, a bartender I recognize, is over in the corner serving drinks and chatting with a few of my teammates, while Theo’s coworkers are busy serving customers.

Before someone else can snag Theo’s attention, I slide onto the barstool in front of him. If you had asked me fifteen minutes ago if Theo Walsh was straight, I probably would have said,without a doubt. But I can’t forget the way he looked down at me when I was kneeling in front of him. That heated look. Fuck, please don’t let me be imagining it.

“Hey, there. I’m Adrian.” I hold my hand out to him. “Adrian—”

“DeLuca,” he says, interrupting me. His big hand wraps around mine, and I swear I have to hold back a shudder. “I know who you are, DeLuca.”

He’s all striking blue eyes and smoldering stares. While I’m pretty sure he’s aiming for stern indifference, his expression looks more Daddy than anything. And I’m totally fucking here for it. A Daddy with a bad-boy style and Prince Charming hair? Yes, please. Who knew such a thing existed? I squirm in my chair, and will my body not to react to his handsome charm and dominating presence.

He lets go of my hand. Call me a cliché, but I already miss his warmth. There’s a strange, tense look about him that wasn’t there when I met him outside. It’s almost as if he’s guarded, bracing himself for the worst.

I play dumb and give him a flirty smile. “Aren’t you going to tell me who you are?”

The corner of his lip tilts up, his blue eyes sparkling with amusement. Rather than answer my question, his fingers tap the bar top in a fast rhythm. “What can I get you, DeLuca?”

“How about a Shirley Temple?”

Shock registers across his face. “No alcohol?”

I lean toward him, gaining more of my confidence back. “Nah. Not tonight. Tonight feels like a good night.”

“Do you usually skip the alcohol when it feels like a good night?”

“No. Not always.”

“Then what makes tonight so special?”

“Let’s just say I want my mind clear. Anything I do or say is done on purpose,” I flirt.

Normally, I’d just be straightforward and make my intentions obvious. I’d ask the guy out or go back to his place—because let’sbe honest, hooking up at Delfy House is a sure way to get people gossiping. But with Theo, I want to flirt. I want to take my time and linger in the moment. I can’t entirely be sure if he’s attracted to men, so I don’t want to scare him off.

But it’s more than that. I also have this man to thank for my career as a center. For inspiring me to attend college and chase after my dreams. And if he really isn’t attracted to me? Well, that would be a damn shame, but I still want to get to know him.

He studies me carefully. “All right. One Shirley Temple coming right up. Alcohol free.”

I laugh. “Shirley Temples don’t have alcohol in them to begin with.” Something tells me he’s happy that I’m not drinking tonight. A bartender who’s happy to serve me a non-alcoholic drink? Color me intrigued.

Theo winks and gets to work making my drink. As he tops off my drink with a maraschino cherry, he pauses before adding an extra one. “Here you go. I think you deserve a little extra sugar tonight.”

Oh. My. God.

Is Theo Walsh flirting with me?

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