As much as he pretended it didn’t exist, his body knew otherwise. He was like a forward trying so hard to fake out the defence that he overskated and bungled the play. He couldn’t be himself around her. He was trying so damn hard not to look at that puck.
The girls’ table erupted in laughter, and Rhonda dragged Aelin and her friend—sister-in-law?—to the dance floor.
“Sounds like she’s got more baggage than Patrick Roy in ‘95.” Boyd nudged his shoulder. “Don’t blame you for wanting to try, though.”
Ryan dropped his eyes. “I was—” He cleared his throat. “Just thinking.”
Boyd laughed. “Bud, this isn’t the inquisition.” His expression sobered when he saw Ryan wasn’t laughing. He changed the subject to their summer practice schedule.
It didn’t last long. In less than two minutes, Rhonda, Aelin, and her friend were approaching their table.
Chapter
Ten
Ryan lookedup as the three women stopped in front of him, and Boyd stepped back to make room, his eyebrows raised.
“You know Aelin,” Rhonda stated.
Sean and Country’s conversation fizzled faster than wet Pop Rocks.
Ryan straightened, his hand still on his glass. “I do. Hello.” He needed to just look at the puck. It wasn’t a crime to notice, and if he was going to survive the summer, he needed to stop acting like a deer in headlights every time she entered his field of view.
Aelin nodded. “Hello.” Her cheeks were rosy, but she’d just been on the dance floor.
Ryan stopped letting his eyes slide past her. When she lifted her chin, he met her gaze head-on. A soft puff of air left her lips.
“Your kids go to school together?” Rhonda prodded.
Ryan cleared his throat. Might as well get it out in the open. “Right. They’re both in grade four at Meadowbrook. My plan for childcare this summer fell through. She’s nannying Amaya this summer.”
Boyd coughed as if he’d just choked on his beer. When hefinally composed himself, he shot a look across the table that Ryan ignored.
“That’s in my spank bank.” André took a long swig and finished his glass.
“Your what?” The woman next to Aelin frowned.
André leaned over the table, but Kelty cut him off. “He’s saying it’s his secret fantasy. To sleep with his nanny. Which he doesn’t have because he’s not in a relationship and doesn’t have kids.”
André looked wounded. “I have a dog. They have dog nannies.”
Boyd laughed. “Not as hot. She has to be at your house late at night, like, “Oh, I just put the kids to bed, I didn’t know you were back from that meeting?—””
Rhonda smacked his shoulder. “This is their real life. You realize that, right?”
Boyd scoffed. “I was kidding!”
André leaned into Aelin. “Serious question. Did you have a third party conduct the background checks, or did you check each other’s backgrounds?—”
Rhonda let out an exasperated sigh. “This is your best behaviour? So disappointing.” She motioned for Aelin and her friend to go back to the dance floor.
As soon as they were gone, Country grinned like a Cheshire cat. “Not sure how you forgot to mention that on the entire drive over.”
Ryan shrugged. “Didn’t seem notable.”
Country shook his head, seeing right through his bullshit. “Okay. Not notable. Got it.”
Ryan tapped his fingers on the table. “We only finalized things earlier this morning.”
