Page 23 of Loving Ladybug: Part One
It had to do with everything done to protect me back when I was a teenager, and possibly because I was a dual-citizen. Everything was legal, but sometimes it flagged weird. It had taken some work to get my credit union account. Maybe if I called the loan place like I had the bank…
“I’m trying to move in with some of my teammates,” I replied.
He stayed there, eying me. “The Yeti’s been hanging around all week. You think maybe the Knights are thinking of him to fill Elias Royce’s place?”
“He would be a good choice.” I shrugged. Given Tenzin told me he’dmovedto New York, I guessed that’s exactly what happened. But he hadn’t offered the information up and I didn’t want to pry.
I returned to work, switching from selling nachos and slushies to glow sticks and skate rentals. Blackout skate was always a good time, attracting a lot of teenagers and college students. The music was always fantastic–one of our frequent DJs did the music for all the Manhattan Maimer games.
After the initial rush for skate rentals, I scrolled on my phone, looking at all the fun things everyone was doing over the summer, while once again, I worked my ass off. Clark was at a fair. My friend Mercy was in London with some of her siblings. Even my hockey teammates that were still in town were going to a warehouse party tonight.
Jealousy spread through me. I wanted to go to a party.
Texting Tenzin was tempting. He seemed like a nice guy and I enjoyed our practices. The internet called himstoic.To me, he seemed quiet and shy. Something about him feltsafe. Which was why I’d even consider going to coffee with an alpha I didn’t know well.
But I didn’t text him. Instead, I sent a silly picture to Clark, since he’d sent me a picture of a hay bale with a bow on it earlier, along with the captionhay girl.
“I can wear my own skates?” Tenzin stood there, dressed casually, eying the rows of rental skates, his hockey skates over his broad shoulder.
“Tenzin. What are you doing here?” I couldn’t help but grin. He’d come.
“I had a burning desire to eat nachos and skate in the dark.” He grinned back.
“Well, this is the place. Yes, you can use your own skates. You do have to wear things that glow in order to go on the ice though.” I pointed to my glow necklace.
He bought one and put it on, then struck a pose. “I’m amazing.”
“Too bad you don’t play tennis.” I grinned. That would be something we could do together.
Tenzin laughed. “Why tennis?”
“It’s good for goalies.” It was a fun way to work on hand-eye coordination and watching the ball. I guess golf was the same.
“Hmm, we’ll see,” he teased as he texted someone.
“Who are you texting?” You never knew with hockey players.
“Cooter says,Yes, it’s great for goalies, which is why I don’t do it.” Tenzin laughed.
A couple of teenagers, wearing black-light-conducive hoodies with ears on them, came up to the counter, and got skates and glow lights from me.
“What does he do then?” My guess was that it was Cooter Brown, the goalie for the Sasquatches.
“Are you sure you want to know that? Cooter’s something else,” Tenzin told me, waving at a little girl who was watching him.
“Yeah, I do.” I was always interested in what other goalies did to improve during the off-season. Like Molly Crewe, the current shortest PHL goalie, who played for the Belugas, cross-trained through rock climbing.
“I’m not reading this out loud.” Tenzin put his hand to his face and showed me Cooter’s reply.
Cooter
Hookers and blow
I laughed. “Sure. Is he paying?”
Tenzin froze, phone in hand.
“I’m not flirting with him, and that’s not my thing. Never tried either.” I put my hands up in surrender, cheeks burning. Why did I say that?
