Page 4 of Hat Trick
Madeline Galloway, his girlfriend, and Lucy, her daughter, are recent additions to Hudson’s life. He’s joining my other friends who are settling down, and I don’t know when everyone on the team went from perpetually single playboys to blissfully betrothed.
It’s hard to keep up.
“Are you hitting on me, Hayes?” I joke.
“See if I ever invite you over again. Maddie made a cake, but now you don’t get any,” he says.
I whine. Her affinity for cooking and baking is dangerous to the top-tier shape I keep my body in during the season, but it’s summer now. I can eat whatever the hell I want without Coach getting on my ass about nutrition.
Plus, some quiet sounds nice.
It’s getting pretty loud in here.
“Not fair. You should’ve led with that. I would’ve had a different answer.”
“Too late.” He stands when he spots Ethan taking off his shirt and waving it around his head. Hudson is a responsible guy, one of the oldest on the team and a veteran who’s spent years mentoring the younger players. He’s about to slip into dad mode, and I can’t wait to see who gets in trouble first. “You okay?”
“Hell yeah, I’m okay. We’re champions.” I grab my cigar off the table in front of me and take a puff. “I’m on top of the fucking world, man.”
“I’m going to put out a couple fires. See you soon?”
“Don’t worry about me.” The alcohol I’ve been nursing all night to keep up with everyone else is starting to seep into my blood. I feel loose. Light.Good. “I’m a big boy.”
Hudson smirks and beelines it to the bar. He grabs the trophy from Maverick before any damage can be done and I relax in my chair, surveying the club.
Grant is tucked away in a corner with his phone out, grinning at something on the screen. Liam is glaring at everyone like he’s secretly planning our murders. He probably is. Connor McKenzie, one of our second line guys, has his arms draped over the shoulders of two women, and Ryan Seymour, my backup, is dancing with his wife.
Even Coach came out tonight, but he disappeared an hour ago. He mumbled something about being under the weather, but it’s probably for the best. He’d kick our asses if he saw how we were acting, and we’d be skating laps until next season. Fuck if we won tonight or not.
My attention can’t help but drift over to the booth where Emmy, Piper, Maven, and Lexi are, and I frown at the man squeezed in next to Lexi. He’s chatting her ear off. Touching her shoulder and laughing at something no one else finds funny. Her eyes meet mine, and she gestures at the dude. It’s acan you believe this guy?move, and no, I fucking can’t.
Anyone with half a brain can see she’s not having fun. She’s trying to distance herself, to not giving him any attention, and it reminds me why I hate men who think every woman in the world wants to listen to them talk about something boring like the goddamn stock market.
I grab a napkin and flag down a server, asking to borrow a pen. I scribble on the folded paper, holding it up so Lexi can see.
HELP?it reads.
I’m awarded with a smile. She reaches for her own napkin and borrows a marker from Piper’s purse. I laugh when I see her answer under a smudge of lipstick.
GOING 2 SAY IM MARRIED. WANT 2 BE HUSBAND?
Turning the napkin over, I write out a response.
HONORED.
Lexi gives me a thumbs-up. I take another puff from my cigar and tap the ashes into the ashtray, then stand and make my way across the club.
“Ladies,” I say, grinning when I get to the girls’ table. My gaze bounces to the brunette with mischievous brown eyes. “Lexi.”
“Hey, sugar,” she purrs, and I should be embarrassed by how easily I blush.
I can’t help it.
She’s attractive. Out of this world sexy with her long, toned legs and sly grin. I’m pretty sure I’ve had heart eyes for her since the minute we met, but I’ve never tried to cross that line.
I’m twenty-six. She’s thirty-two.
She’s the team’s trainer, and I don’t want people to assume she got her job because a player called in a favor.
