Page 14 of Peach Blossom Hollow

Leo let out a low whistle. “No way.”

“Way.”

“So you have a thing for jocks?”

She laughed. Jocks were hunky, as well as part mystery with all that confidence, swagger and strength. But she wasn’t exactly the type jocks noticed, Owen being a case in point. “One jock. One.”

Leo’s face fell. “So you don’t have a little something going on for me?”

She laughed again, this time embarrassed. Shedidhave a thing for him, but it was a flirtatious and fun, teasing thing. She knew nothing would happen between them and somehow that freed her to laugh, when normally she’d be dead from mortification by now. It was nice.

She needed to be careful or she’d get a verified crush on him, even though he was obviously unattainable.

“Is your laughter a yes or a no?”

She shook her head.

“Too bad. I’m kind of awesome.” His joking came easily; his smile was charming.

“I’m too shy to make any of this romance stuff work out.”

She waited for him to confirm her fault, already dreading the sense of failure it would surely bring.

“But you’re not shy around me. I mean, a bit at first. But you warm up pretty fast.”

“That’s because you’re different,” she stated, still unsure what it was about him that allowed her to be so free. “Most guys kind of overlook me or, um, see past me, like I’m not really there.”

“These jocks you adore do this? Maybe you need to find a different type. A nice guy like me.”

She giggled, knowing he wasn’t actually putting himself up for consideration.

“You are a nice guy.”

“I know.”

“And thank you for letting me rant at you earlier.”

“Yeah, I’m not your usual breed of cocky, arrogant, overconfident dude. Been tossed off enough bulls to have a healthy dose of modesty.”

“Wow. Modesty. Yeah, I see that in you. Especially right now. Wait, unless you’re actually saying you lack confidence?”

“Ouch!” He grinned and took a few steps back in his cowboy boots. “Be nice to me, angry panda.”

“Fine. This better? You’re humble. Kind and not intimidating. I kind of feel like I understand you and vice versa. You’re not this big, scary mystery brimming with testosterone.”

“And that’s good?” His expression suggested he wasn’t sold on that conclusion being a positive one.

“You’re a friend.”

He considered the statement but didn’t argue, and that filled her heart with an unexpected warmth.

“Weird, isn’t it?”

“What is?” he asked.

“How I can pour my heart out to you with all these famous hockey players streaming past us.”

Leo glanced at the restricted area’s foot traffic. He’d spent enough time around well-known sports figures that it rarely fazed him any longer, but he could see how it might lock up the jaws and minds of a regular Joe—or a shy bear like Violet.

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