I shake my head, laughing. “I doubt that. Watch me do something like that in the NHL and then maybe people will talk about it.”
“Stop being so modest. You’re a shoe-in for the Draft,” Travis says, releasing me from his grip. “Dad even mentioned you last night.”
Nick Baldwin is a commentator for the NHL Network. Travis’ words bring a goofy smile to my lips. Hoping you have a shot at the NHL is one thing but having Nick confirm those beliefs is another. And hearing news like this on a day like today makes it even sweeter.
“Nice,” I say, nonchalant, even though I’m beaming on the inside.
After I finish up with the twins, I skate over to the bench, where Kat is waiting for me. She throws her arms around my sweaty neck and smacks a kiss on my cheek.
“You did it again, Dean. I’m so proud of you. You were unbelievable today.”
I strip the gloves from my hands and drop them onto the ice. “Thanks, Kitten. I couldn’t have done it without you cheering me on in the stands.”
Kat pins me down with her bright blue irises. “I was sending you positive vibes the entire game.”
A smile tugs at the corners of my mouth. “Well, I felt them.”
“We have reservations in one hour.” She smacks me on the back. “Go take a shower. I’ll meet you at my hotel.”
“You’re such a bossy kitty,” I joke.
She purrs, and we both laugh.
Kat walks with me to the locker room, where we part ways, promising to meet in the lobby at her hotel. As I watch her go, I wish I could attend dinner as her boyfriend instead of her best friend. If only our lives were that simple.
Chapter Six
Kat
I care how I look now. Before I kissed Dean, I never worried about my hair or makeup or even my clothes. Now, I stop to take a second look in the mirror. I try harder, something I haven’t done since I liked a guy in my English Lit class sophomore year. Of course, my brothers cockblocked the hell out of him, and Dean wasn’t much help either. He was happy to see him go. I think Dean has always secretly liked having me to himself.
After messing with my hair for far too long, I give up on the curls that refuse to stay in place and rush downstairs to the lobby to meet Dean. Last night, he stayed with his team a few blocks away at a more affordable hotel. But tonight, he said he would hang out with me at The Peninsula.
The elevator doors open. I step out to find Dean in the lobby, dressed in a black oxford and slacks. Waiting with his palm against the wall, as if he’s holding the damn thing up, Dean looks like a Greek god. His wavy hair is styled to perfection, and one look at his muscular body makes me think about how good every hard ridge of him felt.
Our situation is complicated, to say the least. Regardless, I have no regrets. We haven’t spoken about it since that night, and nothing has changed. I told Dean we could kiss and still be friends. I proved Silvia wrong. My friendship with Dean can survive anything, even the most amazing kisses on the planet. When his lips met mine and his tongue slipped into my mouth, I felt alive. Like I had been waiting for that kiss all of my life. And now, I need to stop thinking about his lips and tongue and…
Stop it, Kat.
“You clean up good,” Dean says with a wink and his usual cocky grin. “I haven’t seen you in a dress in a long time.” He eyes up every curve of my body, from my face to my legs, making me feel somewhat self-conscious in this tight red dress. “For once, you look like a girl.”
I roll my eyes at him. “If you weren’t my best friend, my fist would be connecting with your jaw right now.”
Dean gets away with things no one else could manage.
“It was supposed to be a compliment.” He extends his hand to me, smiling like an idiot. “Ready for dinner, Kitten?”
Once I’m snuggled against his side and on our way to the steakhouse, he takes my hand and massages my skin. Before we kissed, I never thought much of this. Now, I find myself studying everything Dean does, wondering if he wants the same things as me.
The restaurant has a Western theme, decorated with wood accents and leather. My dad loves this place. Whenever all of us are home he insists we meet for dinner.
I tip my nose up as the smell of yummy steak fills my nostrils. My stomach growls from the delicious scents. Steak is one of the few things my dad can cook on the grill. We practically lived on it as kids until my dad hired a chef to cook for us when he was out of town. Duke almost burnt the house down once with a grease fire, and that was the end of him touching the stove.
I stop in front of the long, wooden hostess desk, where we’re greeted by a pretty brunette that’s checking out Dean. What is wrong with her? She can clearly see we’re together. It never used to bother me when women looked at Dean. But now, I’m… jealous. No, I can’t be. I’ve never felt that way. How could a few kisses change my feelings almost overnight?
Ignoring her, I say, “Hi, we’re here for the Baldwin party.”