Page 24 of Mister Hockey
“Family thing?”
“One of many. Quality time is big on Mom’s side. But... hmm... how can I put this nicely, they can be a lot to deal with.” Aka Aunt Shell would drink too much hard lemonade and try discussing politics with anyone in an eighty-foot radius. Mom would follow Neve around encouraging her to eat because she was “skin and bone” while making atsksound every time Breezy reached for anything from a carrot on the veggie platter to a whole pie to face-plant in.
“Want backup?”
Her heart skipped a beat. “That all depends on the who, what and why.”
“Me, by your side, because I’d like to get to know you better.”
“My sister will be there too.Neve.” Ah, there she went. Dangling her sister’s name to see if he’d bite.
“I like Neve.” A pause. “But got to say, I like you more.”
It was official. She’d burn in some sort of terrible, disloyal sister hell for the amount of joy that simple sentence brought her.
“I have to arrive by three. Can’t be late on pain of death. I’m bringing the flag cake. I don’t mean to brag but it’s probably the reason at least half of my family is going to be on time. It goes fast.”
“I’m intrigued.”
“You’ve seen my badass kitchen mixer. I don’t mess around.” She barely recognized herself. This bold, confident woman getting sassy and a little sexy on someone who to any outside observer was a solid ten to her average five.
“Now that’s a lie,” he rumbled. “Because you’ve been messing with my head for forty-eight hours.”
“Wow.” She crossed her legs and plucked the phone cord. “That might be the worst pickup ever.”
“Nah. That would be the GMC Syclone. Can’t tow with it. Has limited payload and no chance of ever going off-road.”
She smiled at their banter. “Sounds like you’re talking from experience, wise guy.”
“That piece of crap was my first truck. Dad bought it off a neighbor who was too ashamed to own it a day longer.”
Another fun fact to file away on Jed.
She had so many already.
Her half smile faded to a full frown. That was a little weird actually, knowing so many random tidbits about his life.
Especially when he didn’t know any of that.
But how exactly does one break out with:Hey,so...Jed... you might find this funny, funny weird rather thanhaha, but see, I’m your biggest fan. And don’t let that put you off or anything because I’m prepared to focus on the real you rather than the legend.
He’d run screaming for the door.
Anyway, she hadn’t technically said she didn’t like hockey. It was more like an omission. If a miracle happened and she and Jed were ever to start something, that’s when she’d tell him. When the moment was right.
All she knew rightnowwas that their chemistry was mad-scientist-cackling-in-the-laboratory insane. And on top of the fact she wanted to eat his face every time he glanced her direction, she wanted to also just hang out. Make ice cream sandwiches and homemade ravioli. Joke around. Laugh.
“One last thing.” Because there was one thing she couldn’t omit in good conscience. “You do remember that the women in my family are hockey crazy? If you go, I can’t promise that it won’t come up. But even though they are all a little nuts, they are good people.” Her people. And she wanted Jed to like them too, or at least actively tolerate their quirks.
“Can’t wait. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Sounds good.” What it sounded like was holy fucking shit what is life but that didn’t seem like the best idea to share. “Looking forward to it.”
Understatement of the year.
Chapter Eight
Jed parked his Land Rover on the shady street in front of the old brick home decorated in red, white and blue bunting. By the time he’d climbed out and gotten to the passenger door, Breezy was climbing out.
