“Mmm… you might be right on that one.”
“How is the season going?” I ask, keep it normal. Let’s not drift back to uniforms. Because then I’ll just think about how good he looks on the ice, and that is not a good way to keep the relationship box shut.
“It is still early. It’s been a frustrating season, but I’m hopeful we will get it together.”
“Anders is too humble to say it, but I don’t think he realized just how good he was.”
Alexi shrugs his shoulders. “He’s doing something more important now.”
My vagina and heart are in complete agreement over the preciousness of that statement, and I have to hold back from biting my lip.
“They’re all really good dads. I’m glad Charlotte has them.”
“She’s just as lucky to have you as a friend.”
I can’t help the blush that takes over my face, and I shake my head. “I’m just as lucky to have Charlotte. She’s saved me more times than I can count.”
His eyebrows furrow, but I’m thankful that he doesn’t pry. I’m definitely not ready to open that box. It stays tucked in that dark corner of my mind.
“What about you? Who’s your best friend?”
“I quite like Mikael,” he says with a shrug. “I’ve some friends in Dallas, but it’s hard to stay close in this profession.”
“And in Russia?” I ask, so curious about how he ended up here.
He smiles and shakes his head. “I go back at least once a year during the offseason. My ma wouldn’t accept anything less. I still have friends from childhood there, but it’s difficult.”
I nod my head and wonder how hard it was for him to leave his home country to play in the US.
“Did you know English before you moved here?” Obviously his English is great, if not accented. Every now and then he says something odd, but it’s more endearing than anything else.
“Not much, no. Luckily there were other Russians on the team. It took a while to learn.”
I nod my head, and I appreciate how honest and easily he answers questions.Why can’t I be the same way?
“How much longer do you have in your program?” he asks. I swallow and sigh.
“Probably another five years.”
He whistles and takes a sip of his smoothie. “But you will be saving lives. It’s a very important job.” I shrug my shoulders, and he notices immediately. “I know a little something about giving up time for my career and nothing else, if you would like to talk about it.”
I take a sip of my smoothie to give myself a moment to think. He’s picked up on this small piece of me that I’ve been trying to hold back—even with Charlotte. I think she knows I struggle with this specialty but not the magnitude of just how much it’s affecting me.
“I’m not sure if it’s about the length of the program.”
“Then what is it about?” His brown eyes are soft as he asks, and I have to blink a few times so I don’t go and sit on his lap and tell him my whole life story. Getting smoothies was a bad idea. I groan internally, liking and hating how much I enjoy being around him.
My pager beeps, and I give him a soft smile. I look down, and it’s non-emergent, but I’ve got to get the fuck out of here.
“Sorry, emergency,” I lie, holding up the pager.
“Of course.”
“Thanks again for the smoothie.”
“Anytime,malyshka.”Oh, I’m so Googling that shit later. I wave him off and nearly run out of the smoothie shop.
The cool air hits my face, and it’s like a splash of cold water. I cannot let myself get cornered by Alexi again.
