Page 136 of Bottles & Blades

I close the door, turn, and search the shadows again.

But there’s no sign of that flicker, nor of anything reflective.

Nothing except for moonlight and shadows and grapevines and oak trees and stars in the midnight sky.

Still, I pull out my phone and send a text to Pascal, asking him to have someone come out and take a look.

It doesn’t hurt being careful.

Even if the FBI is closing in on Angela.

Especiallyif they’re closing in on her.

Pascal replies right away, saying they’ll send someone over.

I take one more look, and still finding nothing, I climb into the driver’s seat and get us home.

Forty-Three

Tiff

“See you next week, Queen Rox,”I say. “And get ready because we’re due for a mani-pedi day.”

Her eyes light up. “Can I get pink sparkles this time?”

“Absolutely.”

I ruffle Roxie’s hair, press a kiss to Stefan’s cheek, then promise Queen Rox that I’ll root for everyone on the ice below us, but most especially Brit, who’s manning the goal for the Gold.

Then I’m slipping out of the box and walking out onto the concourse.

I decide to take the elevator down to the ground floor and cut under the arena, instead of walking all the way around to the other side of the huge space, dodging the crowd as I go. Straight lines rather than curved, quiet rather than loud, and all that.

I step onto the car, swipe the keycard Jean-Mi had made for me, hit the button for the proper floor, then make my way down to the lowest level of the arena, turning in the direction I walked earlier with Roxie, for the path that Jean-Michel showed me a week ago as he escorted me to this same elevator.

It’s quiet rather than busy now, everyone focused on the game that’s about to take place on the ice beyond, and I’m hurrying through the corridors, ready to do the same.

Warm-up is almost over.

After, the Zamboni will be run, cleaning the ice while the players make their last minute preparations for the matchup. Then everyone will file back out, the National Anthem will be sung, and the puck will drop.

I want to be in my man’s arms before any of that happens.

Because I haven’t seen Jean-Mi since he brushed his lips over my forehead this morning and headed out to the office.

Tomorrow, we’re going to Oak Ridge and I’m excited to see more of the winemaking process. Rory said she’d show me around the office and there might be some bottling happening.

Tonight, though, is hockey.

Bottlesandblades.

Quite a life.

Of course, there are also meetings and emails and private jets and trips to Paris.

Quite a life indeed.

I hear the rumble of the crowd overhead and pick up my pace, thumbing out a message to Jean-Mi as I walk.

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