Page 20 of Crush
I threw my bag into my locker and took a seat at my stall. “Nothing.”
“You sure?” Lance asked, leaning into me. “You sure it doesn't have anything to do with thathot teen nannyyou were meeting up with earlier?”
The room wentoooooohas the boys remembered our talk from earlier, and everyone cracked up and all agreed that the nanny wasdefinitelythe reason I was in such a good mood. They bantered and speculated over how long it would be before I was banging the nanny.
“Idiots,” I grumbled.
But then it occurred to me that actually, they weresort ofright for once.
“Okay, yeah, I'm smiling because of the nanny,” I admitted. “Butnotbecause I want to sleep with her, you horny toads. Only because I'm impressed with how she handles herself.” I told them the story about the fan who barged in our interview wanting a selfie, and how she'd sent the guy packing. “So, yeah, I think it's going to work out.”
“I bet it will work out,” someone joked,wink wink.
“Har har,” I answered.
“How old is she?” someone else asked.
“Um … twenty? Maybe?”
The room went, “Oooooh.”
“Not that it matters,” I said, “because that'swaytoo young and either way, I'm not interested.”
“Is she hot?” someone asked.
“Seriously, what kind of question is that?” I huffed.
“A pretty simple one, Boomer,” someone else answered. “So why won't you answer it?”
I rolled my eyes. “She's attractive, yes, but I don't see what that has to do with anything. She has a great resume and a real can-do attitude.”
“Sounds like a good fit,” Ilya began, and I braced myself for the punchline that I knew was coming. “The hot nanny has a can-do attitude … and Boomer has awants-to-doattitude!”
The room burst into laughter.
Okay, I'll admit it, I laughed too. But only because it was so absurd.
“You guys are ridiculous,” I said at last. “Now can we stop with the nanny jokes and start talking about game strategy or what?”
“Aye-aye, Captain …”
Chapter 7
Brynn
After a second's lull, the towering hockey player lingered in the open doorway, giving me a small smile. “Okay, Brynn. Good luck tonight.”
I almost wondered if he wanted a hug before he left—but jeez, wouldn't that be a little awkward for us both? I patted his arm instead.
“Thanks. And good luck toyou,Captain.”
He walked through the door and into the garage. I heard his car start with an aggressive growl, and then the mechanicalwhirras his car reversed.
That was it. Shea Ellis wasoff to do his thing as a real-life superhero.
And I was officially on my own. Home alone in a freakin'mansionowned by the Boston Brawlers captain.I couldn't wait to tell my brothers!
The house that hockey built was palatial. I'd expected as much when he gave me the address in Brookline. But I still couldn't believe I was actually here—in the house of hockey badass, Shea Ellis.My very first crush.He was still totally handsome, too.
