Page 210 of Loving Ladybug: Part One
“Buttons, I made you cookies, hoping you’d be on duty. Happy Birthday.” Hazel, the tiny Russo omega, gave me a hug. She smelled like chocolate and hazelnuts.
“Thank you.” I took the container she handed me from her bag. “But, um, my birthday is in February. It’s okay. My family decided to start talking to me yesterday and sent me all sorts of nonsenseto my work.”
“Oh.” She looked startled. “I didn’t even think of that. I’m sorry.”
“It’s fine. I will take all the food. Especially your cookies.”I hugged the container tight.
Vail looked concerned. “Starttalking to you? They haven’t talked to you since…”
“Pretty much. It’s safe now, which is why I answered Mia when she messaged me. I wasn’t ignoring you. It’s just that I wanted you to be safe.” I gulped.
“Understood. Gwen Di Rossi?” Jules grinned. “Really?”
Gwendolyn Ross was the badass main character in my favorite sci-fantasy series I’d loved as a teenager,Gwendolyn Ross, Intrepid Space Explorer. The ones Clark had got me at a bookshop by his house to replace what Austin wrecked. The same author wrote the new space romantasy series he’d bought me on our bookstore date.
“I needed to be brave. I wish I had a space whale.” That’s what happened when you let a teenager pick their own name.
I had zero regrets.
“Her new series is good,” I added. I wasn’t sure if I’d rather have a space dragon or a space whale. Both maybe?
We talked a little longer and Mia gave me a big hug. “Gio and I have to go back to Italy, but we’ll return in a few months. Also, visit the barnanytime.”
The barn was Vail’s training center on their property. When they bought the old farm next to Nonna’s, they’d converted the giant dairy barn into an ice rink and opened a training center.
Ty looked jealous after they left. “You got cookies? And you know her?”
“Knew. Haven’t seen them since my grandparents died,” I replied softly, opening the container and letting him have one. “I’m going to go back down.”
I stowed the cookies in my backpack, not interested in sharing more. Second period kicked off with Grif getting the puck and a fast and furious race for the goal. At one point TenzinandClark were in the box, both flashing me hearts with their hands.
The Gears’ goalie, a Deloitte cousin, got cut by a skate and had to go for stitches, though she’d stopped the puck.
“Shit,” I muttered as another goalie took her place, drinking the beer Verity got me. I should stop after this one if I planned on drinking at Tito’s later.
Whoops, I still needed to do some reading for class. Fortunately, I’d mastered the ability to study and watch hockey simultaneously.
Ty sent a picture to the EBUG group chat of him sitting in the equipment office half dressed in case he was needed, which was protocol. Yeah, I was so glad that he was on duty. That would bebeyondawkward.
A few moments later, Clark, fresh out of the naughty box, had the puck. Austin chased him, so he passed it to Grif, the other two Deloittes barreling after him, as the two defensemen covered the goal. There was a giant collision as Grif scored a goal, bringing it to 2-0, Dean’s goaltending game strong.
Another fight ensued–Grif, Clark, Austin, and a couple others going in the box,again.The announcer made a snarky comment about Clark getting another penalty. While Grif spent plenty of time there, Clark didn’t.
The game didn’t restart as the linesman was talking to the goalie, who was on the ground. My belly tightened as he was carried off the ice.
Ty
Don’t hate me if I go in?
Me
Play the shit out of this game.
I was happy for him. Ty might only play for a few moments, while the goalie got checked out. He could play the entire game.
The ice crew came on and swept the ice, their patterns always so fun to watch.
Finally, the announcer finally spoke. “The Gears’ goalie has been injured and taken for care. Since Deloitte is also out, you know what this means…” An alarm sounded through the area. “Did someone call for an EBUG?”
