Alex:If you don’t, I know my way to your bedroom.
Goosebumps break out over my skin, and I contemplate pretending I’ve already gone to bed.
CHAPTER 27
ALEX
I knockbut then let myself into Nora’s house because, of course, the door isn’t locked. We really do need to talk about that.
She rounds the corner from the kitchen as I shut the door behind me, immediately kicking off my shoes, then heading straight for her.
“I’m sorry I’m even later than I expected. I got to talking to Teddy about going to work with him later this week.”
She gives me a beautiful, soft smile. “I don’t mind, Alex.”
“Well, I kind of do.” I don’t stop until I’m standing nearly on top of her. “I wanted to see you all day.”
“Same.”
I lift my hand and cup the side of her face, pushing my fingers into her silky hair and loving the way she presses her cheek into my palm. But I frown, heart suddenly pounding as I think about what she said. She wanted to see me all day? That doesn’t sound like Nora. “Are you okay? Did something happen? Fuck, I’m sorry I haven’t been around. Is everything?—”
She squeezes my wrist. “Everything is great. Really great. I love what you’ve been doing.”
I pause. “You do? What do you mean?”
“I love that you’ve been going to work with everyone and posting about it. Your posts are amazing and the comments are…awesome.”
I’m having a great time, but it’s blowing up quickly, and I haven’t talked to Nora about it at all. “You’ve seen the social media posts?”
“Yes. I’m following you everywhere now.”
That pleases me more than I would have expected. I grin. “Today was especially good. I mean, the kitten gota lotof likes, but people are so into these women doing jobs like this and playing hockey, they’re all over my comments. They want to meet Ingrid next and she said she’s in. I don’t even know what she does.”
“She’s a cosmetologist and tattoo artist.”
I pause. “She’s a tattoo artist?” That’s very cool. And actually seems fitting for Ingrid now that I think about it.
Nora nods. “She’s really talented. And does amazing piercings too. And, of course, can do anything with hair. She’s also incredible with nails.”
“She’ll be so fun to go to work with,” I say with a grin. Then I study Nora’s face. “Maybe you should let us tattoo you the day I’m there.”
Her grin is sly. “Hmm…I could maybe be convinced of that.”
Oh fuck, I like that. I like the idea of Nora getting a tattoo. Something small and sweet and in a place where I’m the only one who will ever see it. A sun. Or an otter. No…a wildflower.
I wonder if I can talk her into three tattoos.
“And Teddy is so excited to talk about LGBTQ rep in hockey when I go to work with him. And I want to encourage people to start looking at leagues closer to them, the smaller leagues. I’d love it if people really discovered local hockey, you know? Maybe start something if they don’t have one.”
Nora nods as she steps back. “I love that. Those are amazing ideas.” She unzips the light gray hoodie she’s wearing.
“And after the kitten posts blew up, I was thinking I could also maybe do something with animal rescues? Like cats and dogs. After I go to work with all the players on our teams, I was thinking I could just keep doing that… going to work at different jobs I know nothing about. Which is basically every job except hockey.” I stop and shrug. “That’s maybe dumb. I might be the only person who has never really thought about all of that.”
I watch as she toes off the slippers she’s wearing, kicking them toward the door. “I’m sure you’re not. We all tend to take some things for granted, like the people around us doing jobs we depend on. I think it’s great to focus on the jobs that make communities work.”
“You do? I mean, it’s just a small thing I can do, but my followers seem into it so far.”
Nora laughs as she pulls on the drawstring holding up the loose cotton lounge pants she’s wearing. “Some small thing? You have one point five million followers, Alex.”
