Page 47 of SlapShot Sweetheart

Was he alluding to what she thought?

“Are you free Saturday night?” he continued, his voice exceedingly loving as he brushed the back of his fingers against her cheek once more, almost like he couldn’t believe she was there before him. “I was thinking we could try going out again to get an official first date on the books.”

“You want to go out… again?”

“Same place?”

“Will you be on time?”

“Am I not worth waiting for?” he chuckled, grinning. “No. Don’t answer that.”

CHAPTER 13

THEO

“I love ‘er,”Theo nodded, looking at his teammates sheepishly. They were all sitting in the locker room, removing their gear after a hard practice. He hadn’t stopped smiling since he left Aimee’s side yesterday and was looking forward to their first official – actual – date on Saturday night. “I never thought I’d see the day, but she’s the one for me.”

“Are you sure?” Thierry asked nervously as Coeur shook his head, muttering under his breath. Lafreniere stared at him, emotionless, while Boucher shook his head in disbelief. Giroux was the only one smiling broadly and grinning like a mad fool.

“I’m happy for ya’, brother,” he beamed. “Becca has changed my world, and I know it will be the same for you.”

“She has no idea,” Theo laughed enthusiastically, grinning and wiping his eyes. He had moved quickly to pull off a treat for the two of them, suspecting how his precious Aimee would react to such a thing. “Look at me, getting all emotional – eh? I wanted to tell you first because you are my family,mon freres.”

“There’s no closer family,” Coeur said quietly, looking around the room quietly, nodding. For his friend, whose ownfamily was two thousand miles away, it had to seem that way in the literal manner.

“Some families you should cut off or let the limb die…” Boucher grumbled, looking away.

“Not everyone has a family like yours,” Lafreniere retorted, throwing an empty paper cup at the grumpy man and hitting Coeur in the head instead, causing the man to frown as he gave the goalie the middle finger.

“Thanks.”

“You’re welcome.”

“Thank goodness nobody else has a family like mine,” Boucher said, getting up and walking out of the room as every set of eyes swung back to Theo, almost in a silent apology for bringing down the room.

“He’s upset.”

“He’s moody.”

“The coach threatened to trade him.”

“What?”Theo and Giroux hissed in unison, looking shocked that Lafreniere seemed to know all the dirt before anyone else.

“That’s why he hasn’t been late, hasn’t missed a practice, and has been doing more signings. He’s trying to sweeten the crowd’s feelings toward him.”

“They know what a grumpytete du cochonhe is,” Theo chuckled and saw Coeur’s knowing grin.

“He is a pig-headed guy, isn’t he?”

“The worst.”

“The best defense though…”

“Ahem,” Thierry cleared his throat loudly, giving Lafreniere a pointed look.

“Right defense,” the man clarified, grinning. “Boucher is the bestrightdefense.”

“Thank you,” the blond man who skatedleftdefense replied primly, causing everyone to laugh easily as the mood in the roomlifted slightly. While no one was happy about Boucher being on the verge of getting traded, the man was awfully quiet and kept to himself sometimes.

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