Page 16 of Mister Hockey
Breezy worked hard too, but face it, she was a librarian who could barely chew gum and walk in a straight line.
Safe.
Simple.
Uncomplicated.
Ordinary.
Neve and Breezy never discussed their mom’s favoritism. What was there to say? Mom had coached group and private kid lessons at a family ice arena in the suburbs for years. Neve had found modest success with the sport while Breezy gave up in favor of reading romance novels in the rink bleachers. Her mother refused to read anything longer than aMartha Stewart Livingmagazine.
They were polar opposites and mostly the knowledge that Mom preferred Neve rolled off Breezy’s back. But today it froze like a film of ice.
Because the truth was that Jed West was inherhouse. Helping patchherleaky roof. Givingherthose curious lingering gazes.
Doubt chilled the blood pounding through her heart.
Because it could be that he was just nearsighted. Or she reminded him of someone he couldn’t place. Or he thought she was funny-looking.
She tried breathing in, but no dice, her chest was tight with tension. Goddamn it! Her mom was getting in her head, infecting her with a bad case of not-good-enough-itis.
Why couldn’t Jed West have been looking at her because he saw...something, a something that didn’t suck. A something that made him stick around for the whole afternoon.
Why couldn’t she be good enough to warrant attention from a guy like that?
The anger from when Rory dumped her and her mom didn’t look one smidge surprised bubbled up her throat in a molten gurgle. The hurt she swallowed every time Mom read one of her sister’s articles—heck, emailed them around to the entire family—but had never visited any of her library events, tightened her throat.
“Mother, you need to leave.” The clipped sentence was off her tongue before she could stuff it back inside. Maybe there was no room left.
“Breezy.” Mom’s fingers literally clutched her twenty-four carat ice skate necklace.
“I’ll see you at the picnic.” An invisiblegood day, sirexclamation hung in an invisible word bubble over her head.
Mom’s brows squashed. “Don’t start—”
“My vision isn’t what it used to be, but I think we’re looking at a grown woman,” Granny Dee said sagely. “One in her own home who is calling her own shots. I suggest we respect that.”
The stunned silence that followed had its own roar.
Mom straightened her posture and stalked out the door, for once surprised enough not to insist on the last word.
When the door slammed shut, Breezy turned and drew a deep, shuddering breath. The frame on the top of the closest bookshelf read Mirror, Mirror on the Wall, I am Sexy, Screw You All.She glanced down at her leggings.
They were so pants.
The floorboard creaked and she swiveled her head.
Jed West stood in the doorway.
Her world still existed, as ordinary as ever. And yet somehow everything had changed.
Chapter Six
Jed rocked on his heels. It wasn’t entirely clear what went down between Breezy and her family, and in the grand scheme, it shouldn’t matter. At least not to him. He’d meant to come in, rattle off a quick excuse and get the hell out of Dodge. That, of course, was the most intelligent course of action. This afternoon had been a distraction. That’s all that was going on here. A fun little break from stressing about whatever was wrong with his fucking head. He had drama enough in his own world. No need to forage for more.
He ran a hand up the rough side of his beard before smoothing it back down. Anyway, he couldn’t seriously be considering asking out alibrarian, could he? What the hell would they even have in common? If her stacked bookshelves were any indication, she was as avid a reader as her profession suggested. In a good year he made it through a couple of audiobooks.
She walked into the kitchen. “Hey.”
