“The Raptors are going to be in the stands tonight to watch our first game of the season. They’re looking at a couple of us.”
“That’d be awesome to land a contract with them. You live here don’t you?”
“Born and raised.” He flashes her a smile and it makes me a little uncomfortable. Queasy almost. Probably all the drainagethat ended up in my stomach. Nothing to do with the fact he smiled at a very pretty girl. Besides, she has a boyfriend.
“Well, I’ll leave you two alone. If you decide you want to brave the cold, I’ll go get you some medicine from the store.”
“I don’t know…I don’t know anything about hockey.”
“Would you go sit with her, Christa?” Hutch asks. “That way you can explain what’s going on. We can pump Daisy full of meds and hot chocolate.”
I was close on her name at least.
“What if I don’t like hot chocolate?”
He frowns. “They serve hot apple cider and coffee along with sodas and beer.”
“I do like hot chocolate, but I don’t know if I’ll feel up to going.” A wave of coughing racks me and he looks alarmed.
“You need medicine whether you come to the game or not. I’ll be back.”
He takes off back downstairs and Christa stares after him. “That boy has it bad.”
“What are you talking about?”
“I noticed it at the pizza party when you moved in. He got you food before he fed himself. He’s never done that before. And I’m pretty sure he just ran out of the house to go find you medicine to make you feel better andnotbecause he wants you at the game. AJ was like that with me.”
“He’s just being nice.”
“When a man feeds you before he sees to his own plate, it’s more than being nice. He likes you.”
“I’m not looking for a relationship.”
“I said the same thing two years ago when I met AJ. He sort of snuck up on me and before I realized it, I was all in.”
“The only thing I want to be all in on is graduating.”
“All I was interested in was the library and studying and then this six foot five hockey player ran me over at the quad. I ranfrom him and he chased me. Best thing to ever happen to me. If he hadn’t knocked me over, I’d probably still be holed up in the library ignoring everyone.”
“Sounds like a romance book.”
She laughs. “Sometimes I think it is and then I remember it’s real when he’s the last person I talk to at night.”
I sneeze loudly and she takes a step back. “No getting me sick. If I fall behind on homework, I can’t fly down to Florida for AJ’s first starting game.”
I arch a brow. The way she’s been talking about her boyfriend, I have a feeling she’d let every assignment catch on fire and not give two shits if she’s behind to be there for him.
“Alright, fine. So I’d go and then kill myself making it up when I got home. Who wants to be exhausted though?”
“Somehow I think you’d manage.”
“I actually like studying so yes, I would.”
I hate studying but I do it because it’s necessary.
“If you decide to go to the game, I’m happy to go and explain what’s going on. I remember the first game I went to. I felt out of place among the puck bunnies and the few girlfriends who made me feel even more out of place. At least if you go with me, you’ll have a friend there. It wasn’t until I met Jenny that I felt like I belonged.”
I get that. Jenny is really nice.
