“Me too, but he’s doing better. I didn’t talk to Brody again until he reached out and asked if I would be interested in coaching his daughter. And while I’ve been doing that, he’s been helping me on my edge work. Running drills with me and just…” I shrug. “Skating? Having a good time? One thing led to another, and we hooked up again before Christmas. We’ve been hooking up since.”
“Does Grant know?” she asks, and I’m quick to shake my head.
“No way. I’m not sure how that would go. Would he be mad at me? Mad at Brody? Is it breaking some team rule I don’t know about?”
“How can it be breaking a team rule if you’re not a member of the team?”
“I don’t know. I haven’t considered the logistics of Grant finding out, and honestly, I don’t want to. It feels like Brody and I are in a bubble right now, T, and I’m afraid if word gets out that we’re sleeping together, hell will break loose.” I sigh. “I keep my personal life private because I don’t need the media digging intomy previous relationships just because I’m Grant’s sister. He has a daughter, and that’s not fair to drag her into something public just because people want some gossip.”
“Does his daughter know about you two?” Tierney crosses her legs and sips her wine. “Would she be okay with it?”
“I think she would be. When Brody comes to pick her up from our lessons, she’s always making comments to him about how pretty my hair is or how cute my figure skating outfit is.” I laugh. “She’s definitely trying to play matchmaker.”
“Hannah and the hockey coach.Wow.” She grins. “How’s the sex?
“God help me. It’s the best I’ve ever had. I told him the first night we were together that I don’t come from penetration, and no man has ever made me finish during foreplay either. Then along comes Brody, with his magic fingers and magic tongue, and suddenly there are no issues. It’s like he’s written by a fucking woman.”
“Can I ask the question I’m not sure I should ask, but I feel like I need to because you’re my best friend and I love you.”
“Anything.” I reach for Tierney’s hand. “And I’ll answer.”
“How old is he? If he has a kid, he has to be?—”
“He’s thirty-nine. I don’t even notice the age difference, if we’re being honest, and it doesn’t feel… dirty? I know that’s a creepy word to use. If I was four years younger, I might feel differently, but I’ve always thought I had an old soul. And Brody is…fun. He has this persona he slips into when he’s in coach mode and on the ice, but away from all of that, he’s…” I shrug again, the words to perfectly describe him hard to find. “Lovely.”
“Hannah. This is so cute. I’m happy for you. Are you two dating? Seeing other people?” She tips her head to the side. “Falling madly in love?”
“Way too soon for that word.” I laugh. “We’re exclusive, and he told me he didn’t sleep with anyone in the eighteen monthsapart because he didn’t think it would be fair to lead another woman on when he was still thinking about me.”
“What the fuck?” Tierney groans. “Okay. So heiswritten by a woman. I’m not jealous at all.”
“I’m excited to see where it goes, and you know that’s not my usual approach to dating.” Reaching for my glass, I take another sip of wine. “I even have a contact photo for him.”
“Let me see.”
She makes grabby hands and I grin, tapping over to his name in my phone. The picture of him and Liv is there, and my heart swells at the sight of the them. Matching faces, matching expressions, they’re the perfect pair.
Liv has been busy with a science fair project and Brody was on a four-game road trip, and it’s been over a week since I’ve seen them. Imissthem, I realize, the admission hitting me straight in the chest. I hope they’re having a good night. I hope they’re laughing at whatever funny story Liv is sharing, and as if I’ve manifested them to reach out to me, a message from Brody appears on my screen.
“He’s hot,” Tierney concludes. “And he’s messaging you this late? He’s down bad.”
“Stop.” I smile, biting my lip as I tap over to his text. “We always text late at night.”
“What did he say?”
GC
I’ve been requested to ask you something, and please do not feel compelled to answer yes.
Me
I have no clue where this is going, but I need to know.
GC
Liv doesn’t have school tomorrow, and we’re about to head out to do some cosmic bowling. The pins glow in the dark or something? I don’t know.
She wanted me to ask if you wanted to join us, but given it’s Thursday and almost ten o’clock at night, I’m certain you have something better going on.
