Page 55 of Holidating
“First, a big test in organic chemistry. That's going to take some work. And then back-to-back games against Notre Dame.”
“You fly there, right?”
“Thank God. It's too far for a bus ride. And we always play both the season's games on the same weekend.”
“Are road trips fun?” she asks me.
“Totally fun. But Sunday night is always a doozy for me. It’s hard to catch up.”
She tilts her head and studies me. “It’s Sunday night right now. Should you be studying?”
“No,” I insist. “I’ve been looking forward to seeing you all week.” Things like that don’t usually fall out of my mouth. I don’t like to give anyone the wrong idea.
It is, however, true.
I see another stain of pink hit her cheeks. But she doesn’t engage the topic any further. “I’ll bet not many hockey players are premed. They don’t work as hard at the academics as you.”
“Some don’t,” I admit. “Next year when I'm trying to write med school applications during hockey, it's going to be hell.”
“Where do you want to go to grad school?”
“Here, actually. Burlington's program is pretty good. I'm close to my crazy family, but nottooclose. And there's the possibility that I could use my fifth year of NCAA eligibility. I was injured my sophomore year and didn’t play.”
“Oh! So you could play hockey in grad school?”
“Yeah, or maybe do some coaching if I can't make the schedule work. Coach has been building this team so well the last couple of years. Great things are coming, and I want to see it play out.”
“That's fun, Westie.” She gives me a bright smile. “Table seventeen wouldn’t be the same without your leadership.”
I nudge her feet under the table. “You're trolling me.”
“Just a little. Someone else will have to serve the beer, though. I’ll be too busy running the world.”
“Or at least the world’s TikTok account,” I point out.
“Exactly,” she says with a grin.
After dinner, I hold her hand as we walk back toward campus. The night is frigid, and we have January air blasting in our faces. “I guess I didn’t think this through.”
“We’re from Vermont, Westie.” She squeezes my hand. “We can take it.”
“If you need warming up, though, I’m volunteering.”
She snickers. “Maybe youdidthink this through.”
“Not to brag, but I don’t usually have to freeze a woman to get her into bed.”
Abbi gives me a sly glance. “Is that where the night is headed?”
“It is if I get to choose. Can I come over?”Please say yes. I’ve got it so bad.
“Yes,” she says softly.
“If tonight isn't good timing, I'd understand. I know it’s your only night off.”
“No, it's nice,” she says sounding a little shy. “I’d like to spend my night off with you.”
Something warm and delicious curls through my belly when I hear this. “My place? Or yours.”
