Page 47 of Meet Your Match
“Alright, easy there, Bobbers,” I said.
“What, you two dating?”
“No,” Maven answered quickly.
Bobby grinned, looking at me like he saw something I didn’t. “Then I guess I’m free to remark on her beauty all day if I want to, Vinny.”
“And I’m free to tell your wife about it?”
He pointed at me. “You win. Alright!” He blew his whistle, calling his team over. “Well, boys. We have approximately sixty minutes with Vince Tanev.” He grinned at me when they all buzzed with excitement at the confirmation of it really being me. When he turned back to them, he asked one simple question. “Where should we start?”
He was met with silence.
And then, every player talking over each other trying to be the one to answer first.
Once I had on skates and pads, I took to the ice, running drills with the team and offering pointers where I had them. When I’d look over at Maven, Bobby was always yakking it up beside her. The guy couldn’t help himself.
I spent about forty-five minutes on the ice, and the last fifteen taking pictures and signing autographs. Then, with one last hug from my former teammate and friend, Maven and I were back in the car and on our way to the hotel.
I already felt more refreshed, energized by the excitement of the kids at the rink.
“Bobby had some fun stories to tell,” Maven said as we rode across town.
“About all the records I broke at Michigan?”
“More about how many girls you left heartbroken in your wake.”
My smile flattened.
Damn it, Bobby.
Maven snuffed a laugh through her nose. “Don’t worry. I told him it was nothing I didn’t already know.”
I realized then she was preparing a post on her phone, a video of me skating drills with the kids pulled up. I covered it with my hand.
“Don’t.”
She frowned. “What?”
“Don’t post it.”
Her jaw went slack, confusion drawing her brows together. “But…”
“Some things aren’t for public consumption.”
I held my hand over her phone while she watched me, only pulling it away when I was sure I’d made it clear. She kept her eyes on me even after I removed my hand.
And there was something in her gaze, something that was becoming my new favorite drug.
Proof that I’d proven her wrong about me.
Not with any help from my former teammate, it appeared.
I looked out the window for the rest of the ride, and when we got back to the hotel, the rest of my pre-game routine was waiting for me. I didn’t have the nap, but I did have the pasta, and the pushups, the call to my sister and the closet light.
Maven and I didn’t fight, but then again, we hadn’t really talked atallsince that night outside the bar.
So maybe it counted.
