He smiles at my asking inappropriate questions as well. “Tatum’s my half-brother if you want to get scientific, and I’m sure it’ll be hard to be as close with him as with Izzie, because we’ve never lived in the same house, and I don’t plan on moving home when I graduate, but the second I held him in my arms, I felt the same love I had for Izzie, not half of it.”
“That’s really sweet.”
“You look envious. I imagine it’s a very different relationship when you’re so close in age…”
“It is,” I say, then look down at my notes. “They have offsides in other sports, but what’s icing?”
“Back to business.” Noah smiles, but I convince myself he looks a touch disappointed.
“I don’t want to waste your time.”
“I’ll give you the answers you need, but I promise you, you’re anything but a waste of time.”
His smile makes it feel like it might be a line, but that in no way stops the butterflies from reacting, or the heat in my core when he licks his lips before going back down to his diagram.
I thought I’d be relieved to get back to work, away from the topic of my brothers, but I liked the parts where I was getting to know Noah. And to be honest, it started to feel like a date.
Chapter Ten
Savannah
Puck Bunnies
My parents were so excited when I asked to switch our Sunday dinner to brunch and left after to ‘meet a friend’, which tells me that I need to try harder to make friends because they’re clearly worried about me. And I feel like shit for lying about this, but saying I’m babysitting felt like it would warrant too many questions, since it not only implies I have a friend, but one who trusts me enough to watch their child. Or in this case, sibling.
I’m way earlier than anyone should be, unless they’re here to play, or in my case, babysit, but I’m far from the only one. Which is odd, because I don’t think hockey has tailgate parties.
Noah and Izzie are at the tables in front of concessions, exactly where he told me he would be. Izzie is cradling what looks like a hot chocolate, reproaching Noah every time he makes her laugh and almost spill it, which seems to be often.
“Savannah!” she exclaims as soon as she sees me, handing her drink to her brother before rushing over to me and wrapping her arms around my waist. I’m not sure what I’m expecting from Noah, but he smiles like he’s also excited to see me.
“I’m so glad to see you,” I tell her. “How was hockey practice?”
“I scored a goal,” she tells me proudly.
“And two assists,” Noah adds.
“Very cool. Think your brother will be as good as you?”
“Of course, he’s the best,” she says like it’s not even a question, so he shoves down whatever he was about to say and ruffles her hair.
“Her bag has snacks and money if she gets hungry or wants something, but I made sure there’s no homework for her to annoy you with,” Noah assures me.
“It really didn’t bother me.”
“Regardless. I have to get to the ice, but you girls have fun, and if there’s anything you don’t understand, ask Izzie. She’ll either be able to tell you the answer or let me know where I’m failing as her coach.”
“I didn’t peg you as someone with so little confidence,” I call him on it. “Unless you’re cocky and expecting compliments at the end?”
“I’m only cocky when I have the right to be, and I haven’t proven myself as a coach.”
“I’ll be sure to quiz her, then.”
Noah smiles before taking his sister in for a hug, then he’s off for the changing rooms and we wander around a bit, with Izzie telling me all about her week, before we get to our seats.
There are a lot of people in the stands, probably as many as Clay’s high school championship games, but there’s still a half an hour until the game starts. That’s when the guys come out and do their pre-game warm-ups, which I remember fondly from practice. Girls are waving signs with slogans like ‘I can handle your stick, Callahan’, ‘#30, you’re mine!’, and one girl wearing a jersey as a dress proudly brandishes her, ‘4 down, 18 to go’ sign, which is covered in glitter, and kind of makes me gag when I understand what the numbers mean.
I want to reach over and cover Izzie’s eyes, more from the signs than the players this time, but she’s entirely focused on the ice, screaming so loud I’m momentarily concerned I’ll go deaf when Noah stops at the plexiglass in front of us. He makes a heart that Izzie reciprocates before he turns to me with a smile. The jersey chasers turn to us, to see where he’s looking, then seem relieved when Izzie is the one jumping up and down in Noah’s jersey, while I’m bundled up in my coat, still sitting, like I really am nothing more than a babysitter. Which is the case, but when he catches my eye before dropping his heart hands, mine flutters.
