Page 123 of Pucking Sweet

“It’s Poppy,” I remind her for the third time.

She strides into the middle of the bar in her white fringed jean shorts and red lace bustier top. Her Cowgirl Barbie look is complete with a pair of blinged-out rhinestone boots.

Okay, the boots are cute.

“Can someone turn the music up in here?” she shouts. “We’ve got a bride to celebrate!”

To my surprise, upbeat dance music fills the bar. The bartender flips a switch and colorful lights shine on a disco ball that slowlystarts to spin. It’s no Club 7, but the effect is cute. The other girls rush forward, ready to order drinks and dance.

I turn to Tina. “Set a timer for twenty minutes, and then we’ll make our exit. No need to subject these folks to Bianca’s “Macarena” routine for any longer than necessary.”

She nods, pulling out her phone.

“Well, if it isn’t my favorite flavor of sweet treat,” a voice calls from behind me.

My heart leaps into my throat as I grab Tina’s arm. “Oh god.”

She looks from my hand to my face. “Girl, what—”

“You gonna turn around for us, Popsicle?”

Tina glances behind me, her confusion morphing into a wolfish grin. “Well, hello again. You’re Poppy’s devil, right?”

“One of them,” Lukas replies, his tone dripping with steam.

“This one looks familiar too,” she says, her gaze leveling over my right shoulder.

I turn around, nearly bumping into Colton. He puts a hand on my arm to steady me, the heat of his touch spreading up my arm like wildfire. I glance between them. God help me, they look beautiful. Popsicle is right because I’m about to melt into a puddle on the floor.

Colton holds out a hand to Tina. “Hey, Colton Morrow. I used to play for the Washington Capitals.”

“That’s it,” she says, connecting the dots as she shakes his hand. “You and your buddies would come into my club.”

“On occasion,” he replies, his gaze shifting right back to me.

My heart is still racing. “What are you two doing here?”

“Oh, just dinner and a game with my best bud,” Lukas replies, draping an arm around Colton’s shoulders. “Kinda like a date night. We would’ve invited you, but you were otherwise engaged.”

Tina is still grinning. “Oh, what the fuck is this?”

“Nothing,” I say, fighting my blush.

“Just a little mating ritual,” Lukas teases. “Let me borrow that boa, and I’ll even shake my tail feathers for ya.”

“Sure.” She slips the pink feathered boa off her neck and wraps it around Lukas.

A few of the other girls notice and start weaving this way. My littlechampagne bubble of happiness pops. “Oh god.” I grab their hands. “You have to leave.Now.”

As a conflict-avoidant, people-pleasing double Libra, there are many things in life I can tolerate with a smile on my face. For example, I’m wearing this skimpy Coachella Barbie costume while hosting my bitchy little sister’s bachelorette party to celebrate her shell of a marriage to my terrible ex on my own freaking dime.

What I willnottolerate is Violet and her friends flirting with, dancing up on, or otherwise touching my hockey players.

“Oh, come on, Pop,” Tina calls. “Let ’em stay.”

“Babe, we haven’t paid our bill yet,” Lukas adds.

Colton steps in, a hand on my shoulder. “Poppy, what’s wrong?”

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