I curl up, grabbing the tangled sheets, and toss them over us as I lean over her as she tries to keep her eyes open but fails miserably. I kiss her neck as I roll to my side. She turns over, cuddles into me, and we fall asleep with her face in my neck, her hand on my heart, and my hand on top of hers.
I wake up the next day, looking around at the empty bed as I hear the water running and then shutting off. I grab my phone, checking to see that is it almost noon. There is no skate today, so it’s a relax day.
She walks back into the room, her hair wrapped in a white towel, and a white towel wrapped around her body. “Morning, sleepyhead.” She puts her knee on the bed as I grab her and yank her on top of me.
“Morning, angel,” I say, leaning up and kissing her.
“Want to go grab some lunch?” she asks as the towel from her hair comes down. “I’m starving.” She rolls over and gets off the bed.
I do the same, going to the bathroom, and starting the shower. “I’ll be ready in ten,” I tell her as I jump in the shower and she does her hair.
I get out and grab a towel as her phone rings.
“Hello,” she answers. “Really? Okay, but I was meeting up with Max for lunch, so if that’s okay, we will join you guys,” she says to whoever is on the phone. “Perfect, we’ll meet you there.”
I look at her.
“So my family is having a family brunch and we are going.”
“Isn’t it going to be weird?” I ask.
“No, we are friends. You drive me to and from the game all the time, so…” She shrugs while she grabs her black tight yoga pants and puts them on over her white lace thong. The pants mold her every fucking curve. “Don’t even think about it, Max. My family is waiting.”
“What are you talking about?” I ask her, hiding my smile.
“You look like the cat right before he pounces on the bird.” She points at me as she puts on the matching white lace bra with a big knitted sweater that’s falling off the shoulder. I grab my own boxers and get dressed in jeans and a T-shirt and slip on my jacket and a scarf. I take my beanie hat, throwing it on. “You look hot.”
I grab my phone and put it in my pocket.
“Don’t even think about it, Allison,” I mock her as I open the door and walk out and straight into Karrie and Matthew. I stand here almost with my mouth open, trying to think of a reason why I’m walking out of her room when Allison opens the door.
“Oh, hey, you guys,” she says then looks at me. “Thanks for returning my gloves. I almost forgot them again.” She saves us as she puts her hand up with the gloves. “Are you guys headed down?”
I see Karrie look at Matthew to see what he is going to say and we are so lucky because Vivienne cries because Franny pulled her hair. I look back at Allison, who looks at Karrie as she says, “Dodged that bullet.”
We all get into the elevator as Matthew presses the button for the lobby as he cuddles Vivienne and tells Franny to be nice. We get downstairs the same time as the rest of my family and we walk around the corner to the restaurant that we are going to be eating at. We don’t make it two steps before some fans come up to us and ask Matthew and me for autographs. We sign them all and walk to his family that is waiting for us. I sit down next to Allison and I feel out of place, almost like I’m not supposed to be here. I look around at the table, who are all looking at their menus, and I’m one second away from bailing. I don’t know how she does it, but she must know because she grabs the hand that is on my leg next to her.
“Did you hear that they have to redo the ice for the game?” Matthew says as he looks at his menu.
“No,” I say, “but what do they expect? Outdoor hockey isn’t like in the rink.”
“Did you ever play outside?” Cooper asks, and I let out a breath I didn’t know I was keeping in. I can talk hockey.
“I did, I still do,” I say as I take a sip of water that the waitress has just put down. “My cottage is set near a lake, so if I’m down and it’s cold enough I lace up with the kids up there.”
“I tried to do a rink in the backyard one year,” he says, shaking his head. “Let’s just say it’s a good thing the wife owns one that is covered.”