Page 38 of SlapShot Sweetheart

“You asked me if I was driving an orange SUV. I didn’t lie.”

“Dude…” Thierry chuckled, rolling his eyes.

“I wasn’t driving – Giroux was.”

“Busted…”

“Tais toi,”Theo snapped at Lafreniére, who was shaking his head.

“Which one of you is the singer?” Aimee asked angrily as she stared at Theo, before glancing sideways to see Thierry’s hand slowly go up for a moment, before Giroux jerked it back down, shaking his head. It was too late, though. Aimee saw the confession and squinted her eyes at him knowingly. Theo didn’t dare look away at that moment.

“Who’s the poet?” she snapped, and Theo felt his face flushing as every set of eyes in the room turned to him in surprise.

“Dude, you wrote her love poems?”

“You’rethatmushy?”

“You can write?”

“Oh, mon Dieu…”Theo muttered, closing his eyes in defeat and humiliation as his pride was flayed openly before his friends. “I wrote the poems, Aimee. I brought the kittens to you because I thought you would like them. I asked for ‘elp because I knew you would recognize my voice. I couldn’t move all the flowers easily, so I asked for ‘elp then too.”

“Why did you let me go on believing it wasn’t you?”

“Can we talk later?” he began nervously, looking at her. “We should talk about this alone and with calm ‘eads. We both can get riled up, Aimee. I’m feeling defensive, and that isn’t going to ‘elp things. You are upset. Let’s not say something we’ll both regret.”

“Dude’s got an ugly mug, that’s for sure…”

“I’m much prettier…”

“Too many pucks to the face…”

“HUSH,” Aimee snarled protectively, not looking away from Theo as she put her finger up in warning. “You… we’re going to talk after the game, and you had better be ready to spill the beans.”

“I already told…”

“No!” she began again, interrupting him – and he paused. Her finger was trembling as her eyes flashed, glossy with unshed tears that were breaking his heart.

“Mes amis, can you give us the room?” he whispered painfully.

“I’m half naked.”

“Iamnaked except for a towel…”

“You’re a hoe-bro, and it’s never stopped you before.”

“I don’t want to talk now,” Aimee continued, ignoring his friends and teammates as she looked at him plainly. “I need to think. You have a game to play, and I need to mentally group for this next mental battle.”

“It doesn’t have to be a battle between us.”

“You’re right,” she whispered, putting her finger down and turning away to leave the room before looking over her shoulder at him. “It’s a war, and one of us is on the verge of losing.”

As she walked off, Theo stood there in shock.

“You should go talk to her.”

“Don’t let her stay angry like that.”

“I’d give her some space.”

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