“I was worried, Iz. I told you to stay there,” he chastises, but there’s no harshness to it, only concern.
“I know, but I saw Savannah. She was a camp counsellor and she’s going to watch practice too.”
He turns to me, and I am literally speechless. Those eyes are beautiful on their own, but him focusing them on me makes the world stop and I feel flushed before I remember I should be saying something. I open my mouth to explain that I’m not staying now I’ve been discovered, but before I can come up with a decent excuse as to why I’m here, a security guard comes out of nowhere and asks, “Who let you in?”
Chapter Four
Noah
Poker Face
“Sorry Ted, this is my sister, Isabelle. She came in with me,” I tell the relatively new security guard. I would say he takes his job a little too seriously, but I know what some of the guys have gotten up to in the locker room after hours.
“We saw, but I have no record of her,” he says with a head nod to the woman – Savannah – who’s sitting in the stands with what looks like homework spread around her.
Ted takes out an iPad, which I assume has security footage, or maybe a log of everyone who’s used their fob to get into the training complex, but all I can see is the terror in Savannah’s hazel eyes while she struggles to come up with an explanation as to how she got in, and my chest goes tight, like I want to protect her. Because she’s clearly about to lie. I don’t recognize her, which could mean she’s new, but I’m betting she isn’t supposed to be here.
I put Izzie down because she’s wiggling and too old for me to be holding her like an infant, but instead of staying with me, she goes back to sit beside Savannah. And I get an idea. A crazy one, but I’m in a bind, Izzie seems to trust her, and I can’t leave the poor girl hanging.
“That’s my bad too,” I say, shocked by how easily the lie comes once I make the decision. “My mom arranged for Savannah here to come watch Izzie during the game. She didn’t realize it was just a practice.”
I find it reassuring that Savannah has absolutely no poker face, because if Ted wasn’t focused on me, he would see that she has no idea what I’m saying and disagrees with all of it.
“Liv’s not coming today?” Ted asks.
“Unfortunately, not.” I give him a reluctant smile, hoping I can hide my emotions better than this woman can.
“All guests are supposed to sign in upon entry, but if you’re with Callahan,” Ted says, waiting for me to confirm it with a nod before giving Savannah a stern look. “I’ll put a note, and you can take care of it before you leave.”
“Will do,” I assure him, waiting until he’s down the stairs before I turn to my sister’s new friend.
“I’m so sorry about that. I just came and didn’t think, I—I’ll head out now,” she assures me, shoving things into her bag.
“You don’t have to— I mean, if you wouldn’t mind, Izzie could use someone to hang out with during practice. Unless she was wrong, and you’re not staying?”
“No. I…I definitely was planning on staying, but I didn’t know we weren’t allowed.” She’s flustered and looks like she’s trying to sink into the floor, letting out a huff that lifts a strand of curly brown hair off her face before she notices and quickly tucks it behind her ear.
“You are, unless this was a closed practice, which we don’t do often. Guests just need to register with arena security.”
I would probably feel safer leaving my sister with her if Ted had seen her ID, but now that she’s made it in without notice, he’ll be keeping an eye on them, and won’t let her leave without the appropriate signatures.
She looks at me like she really isn’t sure about this. I imagine she isn’t afraid of Izzie, so it must be me, or she’s way out of her depth.
“You were a camp counsellor, right?”
“I was.”
“And Iz doesn’t so much need constant supervision as an adult somewhere off the ice in case something happens.”
“I’m first aid certified,” she tells me quickly, then looks like she regrets it, but I smile, finding her eagerness – even if she hasn’t agreed to anything yet – adorable.
“Look, I’m in a jam because I didn’t have time to bring her home before coming here. I could ask a custodian, but if you don’t mind, I think she’d be more comfortable sitting with you. And I promise she’ll be on her best behavior.” I look to Iz and wait for her to nod. “I can pay you or owe you one to claim at a time of your choosing.” I smile, very aware that I’m trying to charm her into agreeing, but she focuses more on my sister.
“There’s no need for that. Of course I’ll watch her,” Savannah says, sounding anything but sure.
“Thank you, I really appreciate it.”
I hand Izzie her pink bag.
