Page 12 of Pucking the Team
“It’s also seriously jinxed.”
She grimaced. “Fair enough.”
A particularly broad guy studied me. A flash of recognition crossed his eyes. I’d seen it before, people wondering where they’d met me. Truth was, most of them hadn’t, they’d just come across my image in an advert or a magazine, or maybe a catwalk.
“Dustin,” Gina said. “I upgraded us to a suite here, it’s a great hotel apparently.”
“Yeah.” He slapped on a Vipers cap. “Can’t wait to see it.”
I stepped down from the coach. It wasn’t easy in my long tight gown. Ben held out his hand for me to take, and Eduardo was waiting with my case.
“Thanks,” I said, breathing in the fresh air that held the thick scent of rain on earth. It was good after the stuffy coach.
The bustle of men around me was as intense. They were all big and wide with deep voices. They jostled for luggage.
A chant set up from a small group of onlookers.
“Vipers! Vipers! Vipers!”
“We should go say hi,” Theo said.
“Of course.” Ben nodded at me. “I’ll find you. Go into the hotel.”
“Okay.” I took my case from Eduardo. “You go, too. I can manage this.”
“But this is heavy for you.”
“It’s not really, and I’m perfectly capable.”
“I am sure you are.” He waggled his eyebrows and laughed.
For a moment I forgot about the shit day I was having. His bright smile, balled cheeks, and infectious good-humor was easy to lose myself in. But only for a moment; the second I stepped forward and my gown hindered my stride, I was reminded again of Cheryl’s and Steven’s passionate clinch.
For God’s sake, I’d been only meters away as they’d snogged. They were the biggest bastards ever.
I went through the revolving doors of St. David’s Hotel, nodded at a doorman who was clearly surprised to see a bride in amongst a gaggle of hockey players, then made my way to reception.
“Hi,” I said to the pretty girl behind the desk. “Can you tell me how far it is to the airport?”
“Sure, it’s about half an hour in a taxi, no more than that.”
“Great. And do you know if British Airways fly from there? I was hoping to exchange a ticket; usually I find it easiest to talk to someone face to face.”
She twisted her mouth. “Er, not sure about that.”
“No, I don’t think so,” said the young man next to her who had been tapping away on a keyboard. “There’s hardly anything there.”
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“There’s only four gates, a handful of flights a day.”
My heart sank. “A handful of flights a day?”
“Afraid so.”
“Would you like me to do a search for you?” the girl asked.
“No, it’s fine, I can do that.” The chances of me finding anywhere worth flying to today were slimmer than I’d anticipated. “But perhaps I’d better have a room for the night. Do you have any vacancies?”
