The Puck Drop by Jaqueline Snowe

CHAPTER SEVEN

Michael

I prided myself on thinking quick on my feet. Years on the ice made me intuitive, able to see the play before it happened. This was a blindside, and I chewed my lip before deciding the plan. Sibling betrayal struck a chord with me, and judging by the tremor in Naomi’s hand, this wounded her.

“Hey, you two!” Cami said, all charm and cheer. She either had to be the best actress within a three-hour radius or she just didn’t care that her sister was upset? Anger had my head pounding.

I’d rather die than hurt Ryann. If I upset her...I’d do whatever I could to mend that bond. Everyone was different, and maybe life circumstances made it tougher for the twins, but I had no warm feelings toward Cami. None.

Naomi didn’t answer, and my heart hurt for her. I’d gotten used to the wit and sarcasm, and seeing her sit there, upset and quiet, made the pressure grow in my chest. Momma Bear is coming back.

“Hey,” I said, narrowing my eyes at Gage. “You look familiar.”

“Oh, you probably know Gage. He’s just one of those guys who is friends with everyone,” Cami said, nudging his side with her elbow. Gage paled, and his mouth was pressed in a firm line as he stared at Naomi.

What a bastard.

“Yeah, he was bothering Naomi last week.”

Cami frowned, her cute face scrunching. “What do you mean?”

“Babe, come on, let’s leave them alone. They’re on a date or something.” Gage tried pulling her away, but Cami looked back and forth between me and Naomi.

“What do you mean?” Cami said, her voice stronger than before. This time, she spoke directly to Naomi. “Why did he just say that? Was Gage upsetting you?”

“Cami, ignore this shit,” Gage said, making me want to punch him in the jaw. I wasn’t sure if it would ruin my internship or not or get me in trouble with the school, but it would’ve been worth it.

The dick totally knew what he did and didn’t care. It was unclear if Cami did though. Her frown deepened, and she took a step closer to Naomi. “Nana, is this true?”

Naomi froze. There was no other way to describe it. Her eyes went wide, her mouth wouldn’t move, and all the color in her face washed away. “Uh, well,” she stuttered, blinking at the table instead of her sister.

“Here’s your food, y’all!” The waiter came around the service station with a large tray, and Gage’s relief was visible. He smiled, the asshat. He pulled Cami back from the booth and led her toward their table.

“It all seem good?” Billy asked.

“Sure does, thanks,” I said, smiling to rid the moment of the horrible tension. The waiter didn’t give us a second glance before greeting someone else at the door, and I waited until Naomi looked at me. “Hey.” I lightly tapped my foot against hers. She didn’t react, so I kept it there with our legs touching. “Want a bite of my pancake?”

“You’re not going to… talk about what just happened?”

“Nope. I’m going to eat this sexy pile of sugar carbs and offer some to you.” It was tough not saying what was on my mind, but the topic of conversation wasn’t my choice. If Naomi brought it up, I’d talk with her, but she needed to lead the way.

She snorted, and just like that, she was back. “I’m not a fan of sharing food.”

“Whoa, excuse me.” I feigned shock. “Then we can’t be friends.”

“I bet you eat at buffets too.”

“Are you trying to insult me? Of course I eat at buffets. It’s where I can make some gains. Ten dollars for all you can stuff in your face? Yes, I’m devouring everything in there.”

She picked up a spoon and took a bite of her shake, her gaze sliding toward the entrance for a second before landing on me. “You must think I’m pathetic.”

“Why the fuck would I think that?”

“Because I couldn’t call out what my sister did.” Her cheeks pinkened, and she sucked her bottom lip into her mouth. “This isn’t the first time, either.”

Gut punch. I blew out a long breath and chewed my extra-large bite of pancakes, tapping my fingers on the table. Multiple times? That was so shitty. I swore I saw confusion on Cami’s face, like maybe she had no idea what Gage did, but if this wasn’t the first instance? There was no way. “Okay, question.”

“Answer,” she said, her eyes flashing with humor for a beat.

“Are you not a fan of confrontation? Is it the drama that makes you nervous? What do you have to lose by having a conversation with your sister?”

“That was three questions. You only said question, as in singular.”

“Ah, nice catch, Fletcher. But your wit will not help you avoid my questionssss.” I made the s last really long, getting her to smile a bit.

Score.

“Just thinking about speaking my mind makes me terrified. I was sure I was going to throw up. I could’ve caused a scene with all these people watching me,” she paused, swallowed, and cracked her knuckles. “Plus, what if I’m wrong? What if she likes me even less? Our family is broken, and I just...these excuses sound so lame, don’t they?”

“Don’t downplay your reactions. It’s not helpful at all.” I cut my pancake in half and set the piece on a napkin. “You should take a bite. It’s recommended to help with situations like this.”

She stared at it with an arched brow. “Germs.”

“I’m a healthy, safe guy. Just minor cooties.”

She shook her head and let out something that sounded like a laugh, but it could’ve been a cough. Wasn’t sure. Still, she took a bite of my food and rolled her eyes. “Oh, wow.”

We ate in silence for a few seconds, and I didn’t tell her that Cami and Gage were in an animated discussion across the diner. Didn’t feel right. Once Naomi drank her shake and I devoured every crumb of sweetness on my side, I leaned back into the booth and smiled. “Today was a good one.”

“Uh, maybe for you.”

“No, in general.” I leaned onto my forearms and stared at her soft brown eyes. They weren’t pure dark brown. There were flecks of golden hues, maybe even a little green if the light hit them right. “The days aren’t all good or bad. It’s the little moments that add up. Today was overwhelmingly positive. Besides the thing with your sister, was there more bad or good between you two?”

“Good.”

“Then you can’t let one bad moment determine your whole day.”

Naomi’s gaze softened. “Why are you so good at this?”

“All the counseling,” I said, also thinking about Ryann and how we had to learn to communicate. Also, my previous coach, the team. “It’s easy to focus on the negative, and it’s human to feel shitty, but it’s a choice to let it dominate your life.”

I stood up, hoping she’d let the conversation go because while I tried to stay positive, the wound about not playing hockey and losing my parents was still fresh. “Come on, Fletcher. I’ll escort you home.”

I held out my arm, and she walked into it. She held her head up high and her button nose stuck in the air. She adjusted her ponytail and kept her face blank as we went to the counter.

“My treat,” I said.

“No, no way,” she said, trying to pull out her card. I swatted it away.

“You get next time, how about that?” I handed some cash over and winked at her. “If we’re going to have multiple late night food runs, we’ll take turns. I think that’s fair.”

She narrowed her eyes. “You’re assuming we’ll do this again.”

“Uh, yes. The season can be long, and I’m enjoying my retirement by eating carbs.” I rolled my eyes. “Duh.”

Naomi let out a snort in an oddly adorable way, and I led her out of the diner. The air had chilled immensely, and I was glad I had a sweatshirt.

“Lead the way,” I said, shoving my hands into the hoodie pocket. A part of me wanted to keep my arm around her and hold her close to me, but that had to cross some line.

“I’m ten minutes west of here,” she said but then stopped and gave me an odd look. “Can I ask you something?”

Warning bells went off, and I quickly said, “Yes, I am charming all the time. Thank you for asking.”

She laughed. “No, I mean, yeah, you are. It’s annoying. But that wasn’t my question.”

My throat tightened just a bit because I knew what was coming. I could sense these things. But before she could even ask, I said, “I’ll tell you about it all someday, but not right now. I’m sure you want to ask about why I had counseling, and I just… not tonight.”

“Okay.”

She didn’t sound put-off or sad, but I could also be a dumbass. If a girl told me she was fine, I believed her. I mean, why wouldn’t you just say I’m upset? It was the reason dating was a no-no for me when I’d played. Too much drama when hook-ups were so much easier.

I’m not playing anymore though. Did that mean I should try dating? My gaze slid to Naomi, and for a few seconds, I stared at her pursed lips. Her cute nose and soft eyes. Her birthmarks and sexy neck. She smelled so good and was easy to talk to. She was also the first person I’d felt comfortable with in years. But, but, but her dad. My internship. Even thinking about dating her made me deserve some time in the penalty box.

God, my mind was all over the place.

She shivered, and without thinking, I put my arm around her and tucked her tight against me. “You should wear more clothes.”

“Next time I’ll prepare for midnight food runs better.”

“Damn straight,” I said, enjoying her body pressed along mine. Her long sleeve shirt wasn’t enough, and she trembled. I ran my hand up and down her arm a few times and stopped. “Here.”

“Wait, what are you doing?”

“Giving you my sweatshirt. I’m chivalrous, obviously.” I took it off and placed it over her head, despite her protests. The chilled air sent goosebumps all over my body, but if I walked back fast, I’d be fine. Plus, I’d grown up back east. I could handle some cold temps.

“But what about you!”

“I’m meatier.”

She shoved her arms through the sleeves, and it was four times too big. She looked ridiculous, and I smiled at her.

“What?” she said, her tongue wetting her bottom lip as she stared at me. “It goes to my knees.”

“I know. It’s adorable.”

I’m not thinking about what you’d look like in just my clothes. Not even a little bit. Nope.

“That’s me. The adorable little nerd.” Her gaze warmed, and we continued back on our walk. She tried putting her arm around me this time, in the process stumbling over her feet and falling into me.

I was forced to put my hands on her hips to catch her. “Naomi, Jesus. You okay?”

“Uh, yeah. Just my dignity took a hit.” Her hips were full, and suddenly, I wasn’t cold anymore. Not when her chest pressed against mine and my hands were still on her.

Take them off. Stop touching her.

“Score is 2-0,” I said, looking down at her. Our mouths were inches apart. Maybe six inches. Her chocolatey breath hit my face, and she wet her lip, sending a bolt of lust through me. How easy would it be to lose myself with Naomi for a night? Hear what sounds she made when I kissed her and see how she reacted?

“Michael,” she said, her voice deep and throaty. My stomach tightened with need when her gaze moved to my mouth.

“Hm?”

My mind buzzed, and I lowered my head to hers, just a bit. She sucked in a breath, and just as our noses touched, a car drove by, blaring their horn. The intrusive loud noise had me jumping back, letting go of her. She breathed a little heavier, as did I, but this was for the best.

Her dad was my boss for the entire season, and it was just game one. Get it together, Reiner.

“Be careful with those two left feet,” I said, my voice a little husky. I cleared my throat and glanced down the road. Bricked buildings lined either side of the street with lots of trees that had been here for years. It was generally student or professor housing in this area, and I admired the ivy on the walls.

It was better than thinking about how I almost kissed her.

“This is me,” she said, sounding a little dazed. I totally understood. “This unit.”

“You live on the ground floor?

“Yes, with three other roommates,” she fired back. I held up my hands in surrender, and she gave me a small smile. “I’m sick of all the oh no you shouldn’t do that as a woman stuff.”

“Then I will keep my dumbass mouth shut.”

“Appreciated.” She pulled her keys out of her bag and gave me a long look, one I couldn’t decipher. “Oh, here.”

She started taking off my sweatshirt, and in the process, her shirt rose, exposing her midriff and a very sparkly gem right in the center of her stomach. She had a bellybutton piercing.

God, why was that so hot? I wasn’t a teenage boy, and I’d certainly seen piercings before on nipples, stomachs, you name it. But seeing the blue diamond on Naomi’s body sent a wave of heat through me because it was a secret part of her.

“You need it for your walk back.” She shoved it at me, and I didn’t think twice before putting it back on.

Fuck. It smelled too much like her. Lemon and cookies.

“Thank you for letting me borrow it,” Naomi said, running a hand over her hair as she leaned against the doorway. She had a great pose. One leg propped up, one arm hanging down. She looked incredibly kissable like that, but maybe it was the moonlight hitting her face.

“You’re welcome,” I said, my feet weighing me down like two cement blocks. I needed to go. It’d be smart to leave and walk home to see Freddie. But I didn’t want to. That was the problem. Being around Naomi was...refreshing. “I should—”

“I’ll see you next game, right?” she said at the same time, interrupting me.

“Sure will.”

“Good night, Michael.”

“Yeah, good night, Fletcher.” I lifted my hand in an awkward wave and forced myself to walk down the sidewalk. The cold air could knock some sense into me, making me push all those inappropriate thoughts of Coach’s daughter out of my head.

The last person I should be thinking about kissing was my boss’s daughter who hated the sport I loved.