Page 25 of The Flirty Forward

I laugh; I can’t help it. “What?”

“Remember, how I make you dress for hockey games?”

“Yes, and you’re not going with me, remember?” I grin and grab my bag. “I didn’t feel like bringing clothes to change into. Besides, I dressed down.”

Brielle shakes her head, like she can’t deal with me. “That’s not dressing down, Stephanie. You’re still wearing dress pants.”

“Yes, but I’m not wearing a blazer,” I point out. “Or heels.”

“You’re wearing black dress pants, boots, and a dressy sweater. You don’t look like you’re going to a hockey game,” she points out.

“I happen to love this sweater, so whatever you’re doing isn’t going to work.”

She just shakes her head. “I don’t know how to deal with you.”

I laugh and blow her an air kiss. “Wish me luck on this opportunity to get rid of all my unpleasant company.”

“Good luck,” she calls out after me.

After stopping to grab a coffee for the ride, I settle in. I’m glad it’s not a super late game seeing as it’s a weeknight and I have school tomorrow. When I get to the stadium, it’s crazy. I finally get through the line and to a parking spot. Then I make my way inside along with the hundreds of other people trying to do the same thing.I don’t know how anybody enjoys this.By the time I make it inside and get my ticket from the box office, I’m ready to come out of my skin. The arena is packed. I haven’t been to too many games, and I haven’t been to one yet this season. I forgot how crazy it gets in here. I look down at my ticket again andmake my way down the steps, trying to find the right row. I stop at what I think is my row, and I hear somebody shout my name from behind me. I turn and see several people waving at me. The man on the end steps out into the aisle.

“Stephanie?” he asks. I nod. “I’m Sebastian’s dad—Lou,” he says, putting out his hand. And just like that, I freeze up. I somehow manage to put my hand out. He shakes it before motioning me towards the row. “This is my wife,” he says, loud enough to be heard over the music. “Kelly.”

A short woman greets me with a smile. “Hi, Stephanie. It’s great to meet you.” She gives me a warm hug, and I let my arms hang awkwardly.

“You too,” I manage to say.

“Come on in. We left a seat in the middle open for you.” She points to the middle of the row.

It’s then that I notice the entire row of people all decked out in the dark green of the Green Thunder. I also notice that every single one of them—whether adult or child—is wearing a jersey with number 85 on it. I feel completely out of place in my dress pants and sweater. I don’t even let my mind dwell on the fact that Bri tried to warn me. I start making my way to my seat. “Hi Stephanie, I’m Kristin. I’m Sebastian’s sister-in-law.” I shake her hand. “And this is Keith, my husband and Max our son.” I shake more hands and move towards the middle. I finally manage to get to the middle of the row where there are two empty seats. I sink into the second one.

“Hi,” a woman next to me says.

I turn to her and force a smile. “Hi, I’m Stephanie.”

She smiles. “I know. I’m Tina, Sebastian’s older sister.”

I shake her hand. “Nice to meet you.”

She looks down at my outfit and smirks. “Not a hockey fan, huh?”

I grimace. “Uh, no.”

She grins. “That’s okay. Don’t worry. My brother’s got you covered.” I get a bad feeling when she bends down and picks up a bag and hands it to me.

Chapter 9

Stephanie

“Thanks,” I say uncertainly.

She nods at the bag. “Open it.” I open the bag tentatively and sigh when I see the dark green. I pull it out.

“Number eighty-five.”

She nods. “Yep.” She eyes me. “You don’t have to wear it if you don’t want to.”

“Oh, no. It’s...that’s...” I pull it over my head, trying not to think about what it’s going to look like over my sweater. “Thank you,” I say stiffly once I’m wearing it.

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