Page 171 of Home Game

Ryan: Can I call you?

Me: I’m at work

Ryan: Have dinner with me

Me: I thought you had a game tonight?

Ryan: My next day off

Me: Thank you for the flowers

Ryan: You’re welcome

The Wolves wontheir first series in the playoffs. Krista and I watched all the away games together at my place.

“Mica wants me to come to his next home game,” I stood up and poured Krista another glass of wine.

She mashed Ikea into her face and gave her baby kisses. “Oh yeah? Are you going to go?”

“I thought maybe we could sit together.”

“I think we could arrange that.”

Mica gotus the same seats Ryan used to get us. It was a weird nostalgic feeling to be back in the stadium. Knowing I was there because of Mica, not Ryan, made me feel sad.

The players came out on the ice and circled for their warmup. I was talking to Dave, the guy beside me, when I heard the sharp rap of a stick on the glass.

Ryan stood on the other side. He didn’t speak or smile. He stood there staring at me, with the most intense expression on his face.

I stared back.

And then he skated off.

“Is that your boyfriend?” Dave asked.

“No.”

“Couldhave fooled me.”

Ryan stayed focused on the game when it was in play, but between plays, his eyes always found mine. I didn’t understand what was going on, but each time he looked at me, my stomach clenched hard.

“I’m feeling left out here,” Krista joked.

“You too?” Dave asked with a grin.

The next day,Ryan sent a basket of pears and chocolate to the office. I left the basket on Wanda’s desk to share with Wanda and Frank.

“What is this?” Frank picked up a wrapped bar of Ghirardelli chocolate and then dropped it back into the basket.

“Zoey has an admirer,” Wanda grinned. “He sent her flowers.”

Frank picked up a pear. “So Ryan’s finally getting his act together. Took him long enough.”

“He’s not romancing me,” I informed them. “He’s just…”

“What?” Frank looked at me with interest.

“He’s just being a friend.”

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