Page 19 of Cross Check Christmas
"Sure you can. You're smart, capable, and actually kind of terrifying when you want to be.”
“Uh… thanks?”
“Girl, you need to show him you've got some fire under all that frost. Channel your inner snow goddess and freeze him out."
“You’re kind of scaring me right now.”
"This is war, Colette. And in war, there are no rules. It's time to show these boys we're not just going to sit here and take their nonsense."
Hendrix is now balancing a spoon on his nose while Tucker laughs. My eye twitches.
“Okay let’s say… hypothetically, I go along with your crazy idea.”
“Yes!” Daisy pumps her fist in the air.
“Hypothetically,” I grumble, licking cinnamon from my fingers. "How would it work?”
Daisy leans forward, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. “I was thinking… maybe you could get the drama kids together to make him think the hockey rink is haunted. Flickerthe lights. Make weird sounds. Rig something up to make things fall onto the ice or something.”
“Like a chandelier?”
She thinks about that for a second. “That could work.”
“And maybe I could put on a mask and play really creepy organ music.”
“Oooh, I like where you’re going with this.”
I poke her with my fork. “That’s the plot ofPhantom of the Opera, you dork.”
“Ow! How was I supposed to know that?”
“Because we watched it at my house last Halloween.”
“I fell asleep! Your house is so cozy.”
“Anyway,” I say. “There’s no point in trying to get him to leave town when he’s probably going back soon anyway.”
“That’s where you’re wrong, my dear. He’s in a contract stand-off. Do you know what that means?”
“No I don’t. And where are you getting this information?”
Certainly not Google. There’s nothing online about Hendrix’s leave of absence from the Titans. I should know. I went down a rabbit hole. I’m not proud of it.
Daisy grins wickedly. “I have a network of spies. Nobody suspects the sweet old ladies. But Ginger Maddox and Eloise Bellinger just so happen to go into Tucker’s Coffee right before coming in for their afternoon apple fritters."
"Nothing like small-town gossip," I say.
"Mrs. Bellinger overheard Tucker telling someone that Hendrix isn't going back to Toronto anytime soon."
"And I'll bet she ran right over hear to spill the tea."
Those ladies can't help themselves.
"So here's what I've pieced together." Daisy leans in closer. "Mrs. Bellinger's niece works at the hospital where Sarah Greer had her baby, and apparently Wade's taking the full year ofpaternity leave. Something about bonding time and modern parenting."
"A whole year?" My stomach does a backflip. "That can't be right."
"Yep. Someone needs to coach those boys. And who better than hometown hero Hendrix Ellis?" She wiggles her eyebrows.
