Page 38 of Crush
Brynn looked at me for an answer. A hint of a blush had reddened her cheeks.
“Wouldyou be my date, Brynn?” I asked quietly.
An infectious smile spread across her face before she answered in a hush. “Yes. I would love to go with you.”
Chloe clapped excitedly. “Great! It's a date. And now I don't have to feel so bad about not going. It all works out in the end.”
I tried to keep from smiling too big. “Okay. I've gotta get down to the rink. Have a good time at your mom's, Chloe. And Brynn, I'll pick you up after the game, so be ready to go.”
“Bye, Dad!” Chloe sang.
“Bye, Shea,” Brynn said quietly. “Good luck out there tonight.”
“Thanks.”
***
“Good evening, gentleman.” I strutted into the locker room with a smile on my face. “Ready to kick some ass tonight, I hope.”
The team greeted me with grunts and bellows:
“You bet, Captain!”
“Hey, Boomer!”
We'd been kicking a lot of ass lately, after all—and it was our last game before the playoffs began.
I took my place at my dressing stall and started to undress.
Lance sat next to me. “Hey there, big guy. So Chloe will be joining us at the gala tonight, right? Feels like it's been ages since I've seen her. Paige would love to meet her.”
I frowned. “Unfortunately, no Chloe tonight.”
“What? Chloe's a scratch?” Lance gasped, his mouth hanging open. “It's practically a Brawlers tradition at this point.”
“Believe me, bud, I know it. I was as stunned as you are. Apparently, she's too cool for her old man's work parties. And now she thinks I'm weird and creepy for bringing her as my date all those years in the first place.”
The boys broke into a belly laugh.“Bwahahaha.”
“She's kinda right, you know,” Quinton Brooks said.
“Oh, piss off, Brooksy.”
Lance stepped in to defend me. “It's not weird. Chloe's just at that age whereeverythingis weird and embarrassing. I remember when my sister went through that phase—and man, she was annoying as hell. I'm surprised this didn't come up last year, honestly.” Lance clapped a sympathetic hand on my shoulder. “Well, shoot, I'm sorry, old man. That must've felt like a kick in the balls, eh?”
“Sure was.”
“So you're going stag, then?” he asked.
“Er.” I grunted and cleared my throat. “Well. Not exactly.”
Everyone in that room, regardless of whether they were already engaged in another conversation or not, suddenly focused in on me and waited for my answer.
“Oh for God's sake,” I muttered.
“Not exactly?” Lance repeated, a knowing smile creeping onto his lips. “Then who are you taking, Boomer?”
“I'm taking Brynn.”
