Page 44 of Slap Shot Scandal
Then he skates away, leaving me stewing over the Harbor situation and the ominous prediction he left in his wake.
I pull up to Shoreline Coffee a few minutes before seven. There’s plenty of parking outside the town’s one and only coffee shop.
Maybe Driftwood Cove won’t be so bad after all.
I banish the thought immediately. Clearly, Harbor and all her bright and sunny optimism’s getting to me.
Locking the Porsche, I stride into the empty shop. The place is light and bright, very beachy, with whitewashed chairs and tables and a few booths along the side wall. Instead of the typical dark tile flooring I’m used to back in New York, here the floors are some type of light wood. A lone barista stands at the white marble counter,scrolling through her phone and looking bored. No sign of Harbor.
I take a few seconds to browse the chalkboard menu, then go with my usual order.
“Morning. I’ll take a cold brew with a splash of half and half, light ice.”
“What size? We have mini, regular, and tidal.”
“Um…regular?”
“Cool.” She rings me up, then sets about making my coffee, avoiding both eye contact and conversation which I don’t mind a bit.
I take a seat at a table in the back. Eyes pinned on the door, my knee’s bouncing up and down like a jackhammer and I haven’t had any caffeine yet.
Not a great sign.
The early morning sweat sesh was supposed to calm my nerves. But Bennett derailed that plan with all his little digs and innuendo.
Asshole.
Now I’m more amped up than before I went to the rink.
The door swings open and Harbor sashays in, the sunrise a golden glow behind her.
Fucking stunning.
I swallow hard, adjusting my rapidly stiffening dick in my joggers. She waves and walks over to me.
“Hey. Did you already order?” She tips her head at the counter, and I nod.
“Yeah. I didn’t know what you wanted or I would have ordered for you too.”
Oh geez. Tell her you’re into her without telling her you’re into her.
She waves her hand through the air, her gold bangles tinkling on her delicate wrist.
“It’s fine. One sec.” She spins and glides up to the counter and I can’t help but stare at her ass, perfectly showcased in a tight black pencil skirt.
I drum my fingers on my knee, trying to focus on the purpose of this meeting. The team needs a new mascot, and I have to make certain it’s a good one or I’ll never hear the end of it from the guys.
A few seconds later, Harbor’s back at the table with both coffees in hand.
“Here you go.” She slides my drink to me, then takes a seat and opens her laptop. All business, a great start. That’s gonna make this easier on me.
Although a tiny part of me can’t help but be disappointed. Maybe I’m reading the room wrong…
“So…here are the options.” Harbor scoots around, moving her chair up next to mine and spinning the laptop so we can both see the screen. We’re side by side now at the small table. Her body so close to mine I feel her energy, buzzy and shimmering, rolling off her in warm waves. The gold bangles on her wrist tinkle as she moves her finger on the mousepad, her sweet vanilla scent drifting off her skin, her hair.
After a few quick clicks, three mascot options pop up.
It’s damn hard concentrating on mascots right now.
