Page 4 of Love on Thin Ice

“What about your teammates? Are they as easy-going as you?”

“Trust me, they’ll love you. But not as much as I do.”

I suck in a breath and stand up, forgetting I was bent over, looking in the fridge. I hit my head on the bottom of the freezer, and Jack laughs.

Okay, he’s joking. He has to be.

“Too soon?” he asks.

“I’ll let it slide this time.”

“So, you’ll come? Tomorrow night?”

I hesitate for a split second. But then I remember the way he looked at me earlier today, like I was the only person in the room. And the way he made me laugh, even when I was freaking out about those stupid helmets.

“Yeah. I’ll go—but you have to show up by nine o’clock and help me all day. My sweaters didn’t get unpacked and sorted yesterday because of your buffalo helmets.”

“I’ll be there at nine,” he says. “What’s your favorite breakfast food?”

“Andyou have to do your runway walk before I add you to the fashion show schedule.”

“You’ve got a lot of demands.”

“You’re asking me to meet your teammates and be out in front of the whole town.”

He lets a beat of silence go by. “Don’t you want the whole town to know about you? Isn’t that the point of the fashion show this weekend?”

“I mean…yes, but it’s just—harder for me. We can’t all skate a million miles an hour and hit a puck into a tiny goal.”

He chuckles and says, “I agree to all of your demands, Miss Poppy.” The way he drawls out my name makes me weak in the knees, and I sag against the stove. “Now, tell me what to bring you for breakfast.”

The following afternoon,I’m sitting at the coffee shop around the corner from my boutique with Mia, my only friend in Blue Ridge, who also happens to be the local sports journalist. She’s been giving me the low-down on all the town gossip, including the fact that she’s known Jack for years.

“So,” she says, leaning across the table with a knowing look. “You and Jack Winters, huh?”

I groan, sipping my latte. “It’s not like that. We’ve just been texting, and he came to help at the store this morning. And he invited me to this thing at the sporting goods store tonight.”

And he brought me the most delicious ham and cheese quiche this morning too. But I keep that to myself.

Mia raises an eyebrow. “Texting, huh? And how flirty are these texts?”

I blush, and she laughs, shaking her head.

“Poppy, listen,” she says, her tone turning more serious. “Jack’s a great guy, but he’s also…well, he’s not exactly known for commitment.”

I frown, swirling the foam in my cup. “Yeah, I’ve heard the rumors. I don’t know. He’s been really sweet.”

Mia gives me a sympathetic smile. “I’m sure he has. And look, I’m not saying he’s a bad guy. I just don’t want you to get hurt, okay? Just be careful.”

I nod, appreciating her concern but also feeling a little defensive. I know Jack has a reputation, but shouldn’t I operate on my own interactions with him? And he’s been nothing but sweet and funny and kind.

Still, her words stick with me as I get ready for the open house later that evening. I find myself second-guessing my outfit—am I trying too hard? Am I not trying hard enough? Should I even be going?

But this dress is utterly fantastic, done in various shades of green, with a loose bodice, a low neckline that hints at what someone might find under there, and a cinched waist with a belt. I pair it with the most gorgeous emerald heels, and I’m ready to knock Jack’s hockey skates off when he rings my doorbell.

My heartbeat still fishtails through my chest, and I say, “Don’t you try to run out,” to Mittens as I mince my way to the door. I open it, and Jack stands there, looking effortlessly handsome in a leather jacket, dark jeans, and a Blue Ridge Buffaloes T-shirt. He flashes me that crooked smile as he inches closer.

“Wow, aren’t you the sexiest woman alive?” he asks.

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