Page 10 of Zero Pucks Given
It was a tradition that rookies lived with veterans for their first year on the team. At least, it was a tradition that the San Antonio Surge was trying to implement, considering the team was only two years old at this point. But that meant Mason was crashing with me.
I generally didn’t mind, except that the kid liked to talk my ear off. I just wanted to enjoy a glass of pre-dinner whiskey in peace.
“One date with afan,” I replied. “I’d rather get a colonoscopy.”
“What’s wrong with fans? They love us!”
“Exactly. Rather than acting like human beings, they treat us like a sports car. Something shiny to take selfies with and brag about on social media.”
Mason helped himself to a glass of whiskey from my bar. “So what? Let them have a ride and enjoy it!” He turned around and gestured with the glass. “In case my analogy wasn’t obvious, the ride issex.”
I grunted, but said nothing more. I’d had my fair share of meaningless sex since joining the NHL seven years ago. At first, it wasnice having countless women worship me, but it got old quickly.
Now, I craved somethingreal.
The problem was that my fame made it impossible to find a normal woman. Everyone already had a tainted opinion of who I was, and they were attracted to my fame more than anything else about me. Unless I moved to a country where nobody recognized me, there was almost zero chance of me finding my soulmate, if such a thing even existed.
Tonight was going to be a big waste of my time. And on one of my few nights off, too.
“You’re welcome to go instead of me,” I suggested.
Mason perked up a little. “You think they’d let me?”
“No,” I replied. “I’m not that lucky.”
Hockey players were required to dress up for games, so I had a full wardrobe of designer clothes to choose from. I picked out a charcoal gray suit, the kind I usually wore to press conferences. That’s all this was to me: a publicity event.
Manny, the team photographer, was waiting outside the restaurant when I arrived. He was a no-nonsense kind of guy who rarely wasted anyone’s time. I liked him more than pretty much anyone else on the team.
“Someone understood the assignment!” he said when he saw me. “You’re looking sharp. A little too formal than I would have advised, but the camera will still love you.”
I gave him a fist-bump in greeting. “Just want to get this over with.”
“Amen to that. I hate working Saturday nights.” Manny glanced at his watch. “Here’s what I’m thinking. The driver is going to drop her off around the corner, so I’ll snap a few photos as she comes around the corner. She’ll probably fangirl over you, so I’ll wait until she’s calmed down before we get some morenormalphotos of the two of you. I need shots of you standing underneath the sign here—we need Carlo’s branding in at least three shots, because they’re sponsoringthis.”
“Of course they are,” I muttered. One thing I had learned about professional sports was that every event was sponsored. Hell, the team had its fleet of SUVs because Cadillac was the official car of the San Antonio Surge.
“I’ll take a few candids during the dinner itself,” Manny continued. “Then a couple more at the end of the night. We’re imagining a polite kiss on the cheek, but that’s not required in the contract.”
“If it’s not required, then I’m not doing it.”
Manny rolled his eyes. “Sorry. Forgot who I was working with. Just see where the night takes you, all right?” He glanced at his watch again. “That’s the driver. He’s letting her out now.”
I took a deep breath and steeled myself for the night to come. I’d made hundreds of publicity appearances in my career, so I knew how to fake it when I needed to. I had zero intention of enjoying it, though.
I just needed to get this over with so I could focus on our game against the Tampa Bay Lightning tomorrow.
“Here we go,” Manny said, raising his camera to his eye.
I turned toward where he was aiming, and gave a start. Her blonde hair caught the light from a nearby street lamp like it had a spotlight of its own. Her dress was light and floral, swaying around her legs with each step, easy and effortless like summer itself had decided to take human form.
She moved with the kind of unintentional grace that made me forget how to breathe for a few seconds.
Manny’s camera clicked away. “Huh. She’s not fangirling.”
“Apparently not,” I replied. Somehow, walking toward me, she felt like something I’d been missing without even realizing it. And she was stunningly beautiful.
Shaking off the feeling, I nodded as she approached. “Are you Josie?”
