Page 64 of Offside and Off-Limits
I love the way everyone has banded together for this cause, and the way Clara talks about it, her face flushed with passion, her eyes shining? Yeah, I’ll admit, that’s gone a long way in spurring me on to get involved in all the fundraising activities.
Sue me.
Asher, Weston, and Carson are already at the tent when I arrive, and I fist bump them all in greeting.
I eye their game day gear. “Did you all wear the thing I got for you under all that?”
“Yeah, but I’m not sure I’m in love with it, man,” Weston says.
“Nah, it’s just a bit of fun,” Asher replies with a grin.
“I didn’t get mine,” Carson replies.
“I got you.” I hand him a bag, and he pulls out one of the T-shirts I had printed for the event.
“You want me to wear this with a pair of swimming trunks?” Carson asks and I nod. “You do know I’m from the South. Ever heard of hypothermia, dude?”
“Crane’s right. It’s not exactly warm today,” Weston adds.
I shrug. “Come on, guys. We’re hockey players. We’re the toughest of all the pros. What’s a little cold to us?”
“I dunno. Those pickle ball guys are pretty fierce,” a familiar voice says behind me, and I swing around to see Clara looking like a total babe-next-door with her blonde hair loose around her shoulders, and a cream pom-pom hat on top of her head. Her full, pillowy lips are pulled into a smile, her blue eyes sparkling.
“Pickle ball? Yeah, those guys sure are known for their brutal on-court fights,” Asher replies, winning chortles from the other guys.
Me? I’m too busy staring at Clara to use actual words, because, heck, she looks so dang beautiful and just the sight of her is making my pulse leap.
“I got you a coffee,” I say, passing her one of the cups.
“Thank you,” she replies, and I ignore the looks the guys are throwing me.
“Hi, everyone,” another voice says, and I refocus to see Keira at her side. “I’m Keira, Clara’s sister.”
“Hey,” I reply as the other guys rumble their hellos.
“We’re gonna head,” Weston says, gesturing at the tent behind us. “Get ready for the drenching.”
“Thanks again for doing this, guys,” Clara says.
“Anything for the town,” Carson replies, and then all three disappear into the tent.
“I think I mentioned to you that Keira runs the farmers’ market,” Clara explains.
I look around at the multiple vendors, forming a circle around a central bandstand where a three-piece band is playing. “You run all this?”
“It’s not as complex as it looks, and besides, I grew up here, so I know every single one of the vendors,” she replies.
“You’re a couple of impressive sisters, you know that?” I say, meaning it.
The gorgeous sisters share a look, smiling.
“I don’t know about that, but Keira sure is my angel,” Clara says, giving Keira’s arm a squeeze.
“Here’s your coffee, honey,” a deep voice says and I pull mygaze from Clara with the reluctance of a player sent to the penalty box to see a guy about my height, passing a coffee to Keira.
“You’re Dan Roberts,” I say as I extend my hand, more than a little starstruck. This guy was the captain of both the Ice Breakers charity team and the Chicago Blizzard and is one of the League’s all-time top centers.
“Sure am, Cade Lennox,” he replies, and yeah, that starstruck feeling doubles when it’s clear he already knows who I am. “You guys should have had that Cup. The calls were garbage.”
