Page 87 of Sweet Thing

“Guys like MacFarlane. Guys who take an interest because of her family connections, or how they can turn it to their advantage.”

Theo looked confused. “But … she’s beautiful. And the sweetest person in the world. I don’t get how—shit, it sounds like she needs to date outside of hockey! Find some guy who doesn’t even know the name Kershaw, except for Nik Kershaw, amazing eighties sensation.”

I leaned on the counter. “She’s feeling a bit fragile right now. And the last thing she needs is for you or me or Hatch getting into it with MacFarlane. She’ll blame herself if what happened affects the team.”

That I was a Grade-A hypocrite crossed my mind before I buried it deep.

“I could never blame her! Though why the hell she would want to date MacFarlane is a fucking mystery. Just the idea that anyone would take advantage of my girl, would do anything to hurt her, pisses me off big time.”

“I get it.” Hell’s fire licked at my heels.

“Thanks again for picking her up last night and for dealing with him. Just doesn’t seem fair you get to play white knight while I’m supposed to set a good example. No one deserves a punch more than that guy.”

I could think of someone much more deserving.

“I’ll be your enforcer on and off the ice, Kershaw.”

Theo shoved a few leaves of kale into the blender, added Greek yogurt, pineapple, ginger, and some protein mix.

“So I should just imagine feeding him to this blender instead?” He hit the button and we both watched as it created a pulpy mess. Once done, he added, “Not very satisfying.”

I blew out a breath. “You have to work with him. The team needs stability and having the captain in a feud with one of his players is not the way to win games.”

He nodded. “Right, but as soon as your suspension is done, I’ll take care of Rowan MacFarlane.”

With any luck, the storm would have blown over by then. However, I suspected that storm clouds of a different variety would be gathering force.

Adeline

I wiggledmy toes though the toe-separator restricted my movement. The frosted blue sparkled, making me smile.

“Crazy Tart Red for me.”

Choice made, Aurora nodded at the nail salon technician and picked up her martini glass, one of her “travel pair.” The salon didn’t have a liquor license, but they were fairly lenient in letting my great-grandmother drink from her hip flask. I stuck to Snapple in a martini glass since I was driving.

We clinked and giggled.

“So what’s all this with MacFarlane and Lars?” Aurora took a sip of her French martini—with extra pineapple juice—and set the glass down. “Your father can’t be too pleased about that.”

He wasn’t, but he seemed to be exercising superior levels of restraint. More concerning was Lars’s suspension, which put pressure on the team to fill the gap he left.

“I probably should have thought it through a bit better.”

“Dating one of your dad’s teammates? The heart wants what the heart wants.”

I scoffed. “Nothing even remotely close to my heart was engaged with Rowan MacFarlane.”

Aurora eyed me beneath her silver bangs. “I wouldn’t have thought so, either. So why did you go out with him?”

Reeling from rejection, I wanted to show Lars I was desirable.And it worked!

“He asked, and I thought it might be nice to do something outside my comfort zone for once.”

Aurora nodded. “Instead you create an international incident! Lars rocking up to the club with baby Mabel and squirting MacFarlane in the face with formula! I would’ve loved to have seen that.”

I’d read several versions of the story, which was only a story because (a) Lars brought a baby to a club and (b) he hit a fellow teammate. “People keep twisting the facts.”

“Which are?” Shrewd eyes studied me over the rim of her glass.

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