Page 78 of Lucky Laces
“Kailey,” I warn.
Her mouth quirks.“Diana,” she warns back.Then leans in, voice dropping.“Want to hear a fun fact?One I think you are—or aregoingto become—intimately familiar with?”
Amusement in my belly.“What’s that?”
“In order to deal with a stubborn hockey player, you have to be a little ballsy.”
I snort.
“Okay,” she corrects.“Or alotballsy.”
“I think you forgot to add stubborn to the list.”
She winks.“That too.”
We both look at each other...
Then bust up laughing.
“Did we just become friends?”I ask when we’ve regained control.
“Better that than hockey enemies.”A wink.
“If I can coax you into working for the Eagles, we wouldn’t be enemies.”
“No Eagles.”
But it’s not Kailey speaking.
It’s Smitty.
Hudson chuckles softly, wrapping an arm around my middle and drawing me back against his chest.The warmth of him, thestrengthof him, the gentle possessiveness with which he holds me…it’s my perfect blend of kryptonite.
“What was so funny?”he asks, his words brushing against my ear.
I grin up at him.“Stubborn hockey players.”
Smitty glances at Huddy’s arm around my middle then up at me, and I don’t miss the look of approval rippling across his face.And I definitely can’t miss his booming smart ass remark?—
“I guess my matchmaking prowess isn’t needed on the Eagles.”
“That’s real disappointment in his tone,” Kailey stage whispers.
“It is!”He throws up his hands.“I’m a killer matchmaker.Those Breakers boys never saw me coming, and maybe Aiden doesn’t need my help, considering he’s found himself a good one in Luna, but there are a metric ton of single dudes on the Grizzlies who need my help!”
My lips twitch but when I glance up at Hudson, I see that being upright for an extended period of time along with having walked from the back yard are taking their toll.
“We should get you inside,” I murmur.
Kailey’s picked up on Hudson fading too.“Yeah, we should let you two call it a night,” she says, looping her arm through Smitty’s and smiling up at her husband.“So let’s save espousing on your matchmaking skills until the next time we get together.”She pats his arm then guides him back down the steps, pausing on the walkway and glancing back over her shoulder.“And there will be a next time.”
Not a question.
A statement.
“Who’s the stubborn one now?”I tease.
She winks again, and then they take off toward the SUV.
