Page 64 of Always Yours

“Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God,” Clara chants quietly, and I pinch her thigh. Not that Dimitri missed that.

“Hey there, Austen. Eliza, Louisa.”

They both wave at him as I stay locked in his gaze.

“Are these your other two sisters?”

I nod. “Yes. Clara, Elliot, this is Dimitri, a friend of mine.”

I chance a look at my peepaw as the girls greet him. He’s watching, his brow arched.

“Dimitri Titov?”

Dimitri’s gaze moves to my peepaw as he stands and holds out his hand. Dimitri takes it. “That’s me. Mr. Davenport, correct?”

“Yes, sir. Man, you’re a great player. How’s camp going?”

“Fantastic. Thank you, sir.”

“Good to hear. I didn’t realize you two were friends.”

Before I can speak, Dimitri says, “I don’t think we became friends until today. She hasn’t been my biggest fan, not that I didn’t deserve it.” Dimitri laughs, as does the rest of my family. “I am ruthless with my pranks, and since she’s new, I gotta mess with her.”

“Of course. Just make sure you’re good to her too.”

I look up at Dimitri through my lashes, and I’m surprised to see a bit of a flush along his jaw. “That hasn’t been a problem at all. I’ve been teaching her a lot of things on the ice.”

It goes unsaid that he wants to teach me a lot of things off the ice too, and I’m not the only one who hears it. The girls giggle and snicker beside me as a grin pulls at Dimitri’s mouth.

He is impossible.

“Good. She needs it,” Peepaw says then. “Enjoy the wedding. I’ll catch up with you at the reception.”

“Absolutely. I’ll buy you a free beer at the open bar.”

“I look forward to it.” Peepaw laughs as he scoots back down the row to his seat. When he turns his back, Dimitri looks at me. “How are you, Austen?”

“I’m good, thank you.”

“Good. I was hoping to see you again after this morning.”

“I went back to the hotel to get ready with my sisters.”

He nods, and I get the feeling he’s uncomfortable under my sisters’ intense gazes. Which is odd. He is never uncomfortable. But then, I would be too. They are acting like they are savage animals and he’s a huge piece of meat. “I need you to do something for me, Austen.”

Why do I miss that stupid nickname? “Um, okay?”

“Can I please have your number? I wanted to call you after this morning, but I wasn’t able to.”

I hadn’t noticed he had his phone in his hand until Elliot grabs it suddenly and starts to type on it. “Elliot!” I complain, and she looks at me innocently.

“What? He asked nicely.”

“Very nicely,” Clara adds, grinning up at him.

He takes his phone with a wink to the girls before looking back at me. “I would ask if it’s okay, but I really want to text you.”

The girls giggle as I give him a dull look.

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