Page 39 of Cross Check Christmas
Tucker: Doesn't count, buddy.
"You must miss Toronto," Colette says for the third time in fifteen minutes. "Your condo, your routine, your... everything."
"Not really." I shrug. "Brookking's got its charms."
She frowns. "But surely you'd rather be here, in the city, closer to your friends and?—"
"And miss Grannie's Christmas block party?" I wink at her. "Never."
Her cheeks flush. “I’m just saying, with the season going the way it is, maybe you should just?—"
"Stay here?" I raise an eyebrow. "Why Miss McAllister, are you trying to get rid of me?"
But she turns her attention to the ice as the crowd gasps.
"Oh!" Colette jumps up as Liam body-checks Diggory King, the second-line forward filling in my position. The puck slides free, and before anyone can blink, the Knights have control again.
“Dang, your brother’s positively barbaric.” Emily whistles. "Any chance you can convince him to trade to the Titans?"
I sink lower in my seat. "He's not usually this... aggressive."
Liam has always been methodical, effective, brutal even. But something’s triggering his combat mode tonight. Whatever it is, he wouldn’t tell me anyway.
He intercepts another pass, and with one fluid motion sends the puck sailing down the ice to his forward. The crowd collectively groans as the Knights transition into offense so smoothly it's like they're dancing. Another shot, another goal.
"Four-one," Leigh sighs. "This is getting painful to watch."
I should be taking notes, studying the plays for when I get back on the ice. Instead, I'm watching Colette lean forward in her seat, completely absorbed in the game.
"Oh! That was amazing!" Colette says, and there's that twist in my gut again. "Liam makes it look so easy."
"Yeah," I mutter. "He's always made everything look easy."
"You okay there, superstar?" Emily nudges me with her elbow. "Looking a little green."
"I'm fine," I mutter, but I'm not. I'm sitting here watching my brother show off while the girl I like cheers him on.
My phone buzzes with another text.
Tucker: Ask her to dinner after. THAT could count.
I lean back in my seat, trying to sort out this mess in my head. Maggie catches my eye and mouths, "You're pathetic" with a smirk.
"Here comes the Kiss Cam!" Leigh announces, and Colette practically jumps out of her seat.
"Nachos anyone?" She stands abruptly, catching her heel on something practically landing in my lap.
"Well," I smirk, "if you wanted to kiss me that badly..."
She scrambles off my lap, face burning red, and practically sprints for the buffet in the back of the room.
Maggie’s laughing her head off, shuffling over to join Colette at the table. “The kiss cam selects couples from the crowd, not from the box seats.
After the game wraps up - a brutal 5-2 loss for the Titans - we're all hanging around the box suite. I'm trying not to sulkabout how many times Colette praised Liam's playing, when Emily's voice cuts through my brooding.
"You're not seriously planning to drive back tonight?" Emily asks Colette. "It's late, and the roads are icy."
"Oh." Colette fidgets with her purse strap. "I'll find a hotel."
