Jessica.
I follow the sound to the equipment room. She's got Marcus cornered by the helmet shelf, clipboard in hand, pen pointed at him like a weapon.
"Three helmets, Marcus. You've cracked three helmets this season. That's a record."
"I have a hard head."
"Clearly not hard enough, or they wouldn't be cracking." She makes a note on her clipboard. "I'm putting you down for reinforced. The good kind. With the extra padding."
"Those are ugly."
"Those will keep your brain inside your skull where it belongs."
I lean against the doorframe and watch. She hasn't noticed me yet. She's too busy cataloging Marcus's destruction, hips cocked to one side, that pen tapping against her bottom lip.
God, her mouth. Full and soft and pink without any lipstick. I think about it more than I should. Think about what sounds she'd make if I bit that bottom lip. If I sucked on it. If I—
"Coach." Connor appears at my elbow. "You okay? You look weird."
I straighten. "Fine. Get dressed."
"Who's the lady?"
"Team admin. Her name is Jessica."
"She's pretty."
My hand tightens on the doorframe. "She's helping with equipment. Go."
Connor grins like he knows something I don't and disappears toward the locker room. Little shit.
Jessica finally spots me. Her cheeks flush pink.
"I found gum in the penalty box."
"Marcus."
"That's what I figured." She holds up her clipboard. "Six helmets need replacing. Four pairs of skates are past safety date. Someone's been using a stick that's literally held together with tape and prayers."
"Tyler. He's superstitious about his gear."
"Superstitious or cheap?"
"Both." I push off from the doorframe. "You're fast."
"I like systems." She shrugs, but I catch the pleased curve of her lips. "Everything has a place. Finding it is the fun part."
Callum called her obsessive. Said she color-coded their grocery lists like a freak.
Callum was a fucking idiot.
"Come meet the team."
The locker room goes quiet when we walk in.
Seventeen faces turn toward us. Seventeen pairs of eyes land on Jessica and stay there.
She freezes beside me. I feel her tense. Feel her wanting to shrink.
