Page 166 of Branded
Apparently, Hazel had made me out to be the knowledge-keeper of all things girlie.
And apparently, tough as nails, intensely watching, very talented (according to Oliver) hockey player Hannah wanted a breakdown of all things that involved smoky eyes and fake lashes and matching outfits.
She was too little for it all.
But…she wasn’t.
I remembered the excitement of makeup and pretty clothes and shoes and earrings and accessories. I remembered how fun it was playing around with them, how exciting it was to learn what I liked and to experiment and?—
Then it had become a chore.
And now…I was realizing that sometime in the last decade it had become less of a chore and more fun.
Still a mask.
Still something I had to get perfect.
But talking to Hannah I suddenly had a hankering to try a new shade of eyeliner. “Tell you what,” I said as the guys lined up for the face-off (and I didn’t miss that one of those guys was Raph).
“What?” Hannah asked when I got a little sidetracked, lost for a moment in the fact that it wasn’t fair Raph looked sexy in a helmet.
He should look dumb.
Not even more gorgeous.
“What?” Hannah asked again, a bit more impatient.
I pulled it together. “If your grown-ups say it’s okay, you and your teammates can come over. I’ll make pizzas and cookies, and I’ll show you how to do your makeup and hair.”
“Really?” No impatience. Just excitement.
“Really,” I said. “Think of it as team bonding.”
“That. Is. Awesome!” Hannah yelled, turning her attention back to the ice.
Just as the puck dropped.
Raph didn’t get control of that one. It flew back between the Sierra player’s feet and skidded toward his defenseman. But Raph was moving, barreling toward that puck, on a mission, and on a mission that succeeded when he snagged it and managed to get it over to Theo, who carried it down into the zone and scored, burying it decisively behind the goalie’s shoulder.
The crowd erupted.
I felt it in my belly, felt the babies roll and move.
“This is the best day ever!” Hannah yelled, fist-pumping and then doing a little dance that I found myself on my feet joining in with.
It was too cute not to.
“Woo!” I cheered, fist-bumping Hannah as we finished our little jig.
A flash of blue.
My eyes drawn to the glass.
Raph was on the other side.
And the look on his face…it had every bit of air inside me going solid.
His lips moved, but I couldn’t read them.
