Page 38 of Pinch
“I’m not sure anyone would be afraid of a poodle,” I tease.
It’s a small space, and Mav and Gina are busily rinsing and loading the dishwasher. I put the stack of plates I collected on the counter, and I notice Haddy waiting with the serving dish in one hand and Peepee in the other.
“Here, I’ll take care of those.” I try giving her a smile.
She blinks up at me briefly, giving me a hint of a smile in return. “Thanks. I guess I’ll head on up, then.”
I pause, watching her go to the stairs without looking back.
We’re headed into a time when I’ll be at the arena most nights, not to mention traveling. It would be easy to bury myself in the sport like I’ve done for so long, since college, and forget these past few weeks ever happened.
Only, I don’t want to forget.
We finish up in the kitchen, and Mav and Gigi curl up on the couch to watch some reality TV show, but I head upstairs to my room.
I hear her finishing in the bathroom. I hear her open the door, and I picture her going to her bedroom. It’s a longshot, but I snatch the jersey I bought last week off the back of my chair and open my door before she closes hers.
She stops, looking straight at me in a way that tenses every muscle in my body.
With a blink, I take her in. She’s wearing soft cotton pajama pants with tiny mermaids all over them and a thin, long-sleeved cotton shirt. Her soft hair is gathered in a messy bun on her head, and her face is freshly washed.
Today at the arena, she was in full pageant mode, with thick black lashes, glossy nude lips, and all the glitter and sequins. It was all very glamorous, but I like this way better.
Tonight, she looks so young. I walk down the hall to where she’s standing, and the closer I get, I see the faint freckles on the bridge of her nose.
“I got this for you after the last game.” I hold out the sweater with the Champions logo on the front and a giant Number 5 on the back under the nameKnight.
“It’s your jersey.” She takes it in her hands, turning it over and holding it up to her body.
It’s pretty big, but so was the one she wore for her cousin.
“I noticed you were wearing Mav’s jersey last game.” I don’t say it made me angry in a way I didn’t expect. “I thought you might wear this to the next home game. It only seems fair. Mav already has one beautiful lady cheering for him.”
Her lips poke out then twist. “I don’t think he’ll like you poaching his fans.”
“He’s got plenty of fans. I’m just getting started in a new town.”
“You’re not doing too bad. I noticed you talking to a group of girls after the game.” She slants those pretty blue eyes up at me.
Could that be a hint of jealousy in her tone? I decide to put a pin in it.
“What do you say?” I rest my hand on the door jamb above her, hanging on the edge of my seat for her answer.
Her eyes scan my chest quickly, moving up my arm, before quickly returning to the jersey, a touch of pink in her cheeks. “I think I can do that.”
A laugh huffs through my lips, and I take a step back,feeling like a weight has been lifted off my chest. “Okay, then.”
She might not have said she accepted my side of the story, but I take this as a promising sign.
Of course,our next four games are on the road.
Time is moving fast. The season is in full swing, and we’re playing at least three games a week, sometimes more.
I’m starting to understand the cousins’ call for dedicated nights to spend together, and with October winding down, I’m looking forward to finally having a game at home.
As we warm up on the ice, my eyes go to the spot where the girls always sit. A crowd is gathered at the glass to watch us stretch and hopefully catch a puck.
We won all our games on the road, most involving killer plays, a trip that resulted in a slap shot, a high-risk pinch that had me on my stomach sliding it through the goalie’s legs. Mav and I are on all the highlight reels, and it’s turning into Atlanta all over again.
