Page 46 of Romancing the Grump
Eli
Cologne? For a game? Who are you trying to impress?
Alec
Smelling my best is part of looking my best.
Logan
I’m fine with the cologne. Your purple suit on the other hand…
Alec
You’re just jealous cause you couldn’t pull this off.
Logan
Whatever you need to tell yourself, man.
Nathan
Can we focus for two seconds, please?
Felix
Sorry about the online drama. If Parker thinks this will work, we support you. Glad Summer is willing to help out.
Logan
I’ve been there. It’s true. Girlfriends create a nice buffer when it comes to the more enthusiastic fans.
Nathan
If anyone else on the team asks, we’re dating for real, but it’s still new. Parker knows the truth. You guys know. That’s it.
Eli
Got it. We’ve got you, man.
I hold my phone so Summer can read the screen, watching as she smiles, then lets out a tiny huff of laughter. “Alec’s colognewasa little strong. I noticed when he walked by. I don’t mind the purple suit though.”
I slide my phone into the interior pocket of my suit coat while Summer takes a deep breath. “I guess I should text my sisters, too. They follow the Appies online. They’ll be furious if they think we’re dating for real, and I didn’t tell them about it.”
I think about the conversation she had with Lucy last night, the way Lucy referred to me asthe Nathan.It’s satisfying to think that Summer’s sister already knew my name, but I try not to dwell on the feeling because itshouldn’tbe satisfying. I shouldn’t care.
As for my family, there’s no way I’m telling them about this in the few minutes we have before we arrive at thearena. I’ll call Cassie at some point, and she’ll do a good job of filling in Mom, but I don’t have the bandwidth to do it now.
Summer spends a few minutes texting with her sisters, while I try to put myself in the right headspace to play hockey, but my efforts are mostly in vain. When we pull into the parking lot next to the arena and Coach Davis moves to the front of the bus, I’m no less tense, no less anxious about how everything is going to go.
Through the windows, rows and rows of screaming fans are lined up behind a security barrier on the sidewalk.
Summer reaches over and slips her fingers into mine, giving my hand a quick squeeze. “It’s going to be okay,” she says, her voice confident enough that I almost believe her.
“All right, men,” Coach says. “As you can already see, there’s a solid crowd outside the arena. We have time, so take a few minutes to say hello and sign some autographs, but don’t linger. There’s a pre-game press conference in forty-five minutes for Nathan, Logan, Alec, Eli, and Wyatt.”
“And don’t forget, Felix, if you can get dressed a little early, I need you on the ice for a promo thing with the Wolves goalie,” Parker says from her seat a few rows back, and Coach Davis nods.
“Remember who you represent,” Coach says. “You’re Appies at all times, on and off the ice.”
