Page 147 of The Puck Stops Here

‘Woah, that’s some greeting…’

Oops.Butterfingers had answered the call and now Sissi was looking right at her, naked boobs an’ all.

‘…I almost crashed the car.’

Sissi’s blue eyes narrowed as they flicked from Astrid to the road and back again.

‘Honey, are you?—’

‘Yes!’ She tilted the phone, her cheeks burning deeper. ‘I slept in.’

‘God, I’m so jelly. I can’t remember the last time I had a lie-in.’ She looked over her shoulder as she shifted the indicator stick –tick tock tick tock. ‘Oh yes, it was probably Christmas Day and even then, it took a dive when I got called into work.’

‘Sorry Sissi, not trying to rub it in.’

‘I know, ignore me, I’m just tired. I pulled a night shift and now I’m on early too.’

‘And yet you look amazing on it.’ Astrid smiled at her friend who truly did look incredible. Tired, always. But incredible, nonetheless. Sienna just had this quality about her that made one think of Hallmark movies and happy lives… even if the truth was far from it.

‘Yeah, right!’ She snorted. ‘So, come on, spill! Why do I need to watch the game tonight, and what do you mean you’re coming to town?’

‘The former you’ll have to wait and see…’ Though Astrid couldn’t suppress her grin.

‘That smile tells me you’ve done something.’

‘Just watch out for your heartbreaker on the ice.’

She screwed her face up. ‘If I must. And the latter?’

‘You busy Wednesday?’

Sissi cocked a brow. ‘You’re askingmethat?’

‘Sorry, stupid question, what I should have said is, can you spare a couple of hours if a bouncy brunette happened to rock up on your doorstep?’

‘Are you for real? You’re coming here?’

‘Yup. The twins are playing the Penguins, and they’ve invited me along for the ride, all expenses paid. We fly in tomorrow.’

‘Oh, honey!’ Her eyes lit up, her grin taking the edge off the shadows under her eyes. ‘That would be amazing; you can fill me in properly, we can talk, eat cake, drink that wine you sent me – thank you by the way!’

‘You’re welcome.’ She’d forgotten she’d sent it, but the timing was perfect!

‘So, when are you thinking?’

‘Wednesday afternoon, while the team are busy with pre-game prep?’

‘Amazing! I have a seminar, but I can skip it. It’ll be so good to see you in person. I only wish it could be for longer. And even more that it could be all of us together.’

‘Yeah, I know, I miss having us—’ Her phone buzzed as a message dropped onto the screen, momentarily blotting Sienna’s face.Paige?

‘Hang on, babe… did you just get a WhatsApp from Paige?’

‘Yeah.’

She clicked the message to open:

Paige created group ‘SOS!!!’