Page 96 of The Puck Stops Here

‘Do you still feel the same about the place?’

He shrugged. ‘Driving aside, it’s convenient. It works for us. No complaints.’

‘It’s home?’

‘What is home?’ He sent her a guarded look. ‘Fucked if I know. Hungry?’

He gestured to the dining table where Aiden was serving up and she knew he was calling an end to the topic. She might have pressed further if it weren’t for the timely reminder of the man she had dressed to get…

Karma-mode, engage!

Then her eyes dipped to the steaming plates of pasta and bugged out. ‘Woah, that’s some portion.’

‘Welcome to the life of a hockey player,’ Aiden said.

‘You’re the ones playing! I’m going to have to run the long loop of the park to work this off and then some.’

‘Entirely unnecessary, though don’t feel pressured into eating it all.’

She wouldn’t –couldn’t– but… ‘It smells delicious.’

‘It’s simple but satisfying. The right kind of carb, heavy on the protein with the chicken, and you get a good dose of vitamins from the greens too.’

‘Amazing,’ she said, taking a seat and scooping some salad onto her plate, setting her dazzles on the right twin. ‘I’m guessing you like to cook?’

‘I like knowing what goes into my food…’ He caught her eye, a very subtle blush marring his cheekbones and she knew he was remembering spice-gate. As was she, preening in her teeny-tiny victory. ‘So you could say it’s a passion born of necessity.’

‘My bro is also a bit of a control freak, if you hadn’t figured that out already.’

Her eyes snapped to Blake’s. Was that a light tease or a full-on jibe?

But Aiden was grinning. ‘Too right I am, and I’m happy to own it.’

Blake’s smile twisted. ‘Oh to be so comfortable in one’s own skin…’

‘You’re not?’ she couldn’t help blurting.

‘I’m working on it,’ he replied.

‘We’re all working on it, bro,’ Aiden said carefully, lowering his fork. ‘Nobody’s perfect.’

‘Some of us are closer to it than others.’ He raised his beer to his brother. ‘And this meal is damn near perfect too. Thanks, buddy.’

‘No problem.’

But Aiden was on edge now, his posture, his eyes… She glanced between the brothers.

‘Something not to your liking, Astrid?’ Aiden asked and she wanted to saythis, whatever this was between them. But what did she know about siblings and rivalry and what was normal.

And she shouldn’t care.

Tonight she had come for one thing and one thing only…

‘Not at all, this really is delicious.’ She filled her mouth, gave an appreciative hum. ‘You’re a good cook. I’m surprised you have the time to spend in the kitchen, what with all the hockey.’

‘I make time. Between our mom and me, all our meals for the week are portioned out and labelled up. It helps us to keep on track and ensure a healthy diet around our schedule.’

‘That’s impressive; I barely know what I’m going to eat from one meal to the next let alone day to day. Does it ever get boring?’

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