Page 13 of Bracing the Blue Line (Bracing for Love 1)

“It’s okay, I think.” I frown, caught off guard that I was her subject today. “Do you always carry that around?” I glance at the camera.

“Of course,” she answers like I should already know this. “I’m a photography major. I love taking pictures, so of course I have it with me all the time.”

Right. “Well, you’re good. I saw the pictures from the game in the paper this morning. They were amazing.”

Lucy smiles wide at the compliment, bringing attention to ruby lips and white teeth. “I think I was lucky with those. I’m more accustomed to baseball and football, so I was worried to move into a new sport.”

“Looked good to me.” Since she brought up football, I add, “Are you related to the Kennedy boys on the football team?”

She nods with a smile. “Do you know my brothers?”

I shake my head. “Know of them, but that’s it.”

“Oh, well, I should go and let you get back to your reading. Do you want me to delete the photos? If they show up anywhere, it’ll be an assignment or my personal portfolio. Never know when images that aren’t sports-related might be helpful.”

My brow bunches with a bit of confusion. “Aren’t sports-related?”

Lucy laughs softly. “Sports photographer, remember?”

“Right. You can keep them, I guess.”

“Thanks.”

Just as she goes to stand, someone calls her name. Lucy grins, looking happy with adoration. I turn to see one of her brothers, the youngest of the trio. He glances at me with a frown, walking over to us.

He sticks his hand out. “Hey, I’m Patrick Kennedy, Lucy’s brother. You would be?”

I shake his hand firmly, deciding to go with the flow. “Grant Faison, Lucy’s test subject apparently.”

Recognition flashes in his eyes. “You’re the goalie for the hockey team, right? Lucy showed me some of the pictures she got of you at the game last night.”

“That would be me,” I confirm.

Patrick turns to his sister, his interrogation over. “Ready? Corey is going to meet us for dinner.”

Lucy lets out a quiet squeal of excitement, and Patrick shakes his head goodnaturedly. “Good. I miss him.”

“Do you want to join us, Grant?” Patrick asks. It almost seems like there’s a challenge in his question.

“Patrick,” Lucy chides. “Leave him alone. I’ve traumatized him enough for today. Let’s go. Corey’s going to be upset if we’re late,” she tells him before turning to me. “Thanks again, Grant.”

“No problem, Lucy.”

She walks off with her brother as he puts a protective arm around her shoulders. Lucy doesn’t seem to mind how her brothers are with her. But that’s based on a very short encounter. What do I know? I rub my hand over my head, feeling the soft, quarter-inch, light brown hair beneath it. What the hell just happened?

I shake my head, deciding to let the ordeal go, and start reading again. My stomach growls a couple times, but I ignore it as I switch to studying. I’ll grab something to eat when I’m done. After I hit the books, I even manage to write some papers. I hate typing. My fingers never move as fast and efficiently as I would like. So I’ll handwrite my papers, go home, and use one of those talk-to-text programs to type for me.

It’s been a long day thanks to these past few hours studying, but I think I may go to the rink. I love skating. It’s a good thing I’m a goalie because I’m slow as hell. Much slower than all the other guys, at least. The only place I have speed is in the net, but that doesn’t take away from my natural love to skate around the rink.

I love the movement of my legs, the burn I feel, and my overall body motion. Being a lean 6’ and 180 pounds, this is a completely different kind of workout than being at the gym. I’m not on the ice five minutes when I find Lucy looking nervous by the benches.

“I’m sorry for interrupting,” she offers first. “I didn’t think anyone would be here.”

“How did you get in?” I ask curiously because I locked the entrance behind me.

“I borrowed a key for tonight from your coach.”

The sound of my skates on the ice as I glide over are loud and almost echo around us. “Did you have a good dinner with your brothers?” I question. As an only child, her relationship with her brothers and seemingly love even for their overprotectiveness has me very curious.

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