I reach my hand out and watch as her eyes flick down to it and then back to my face. “I’m Matt.”
She softly places her hand in mine and I feel my heart give a little jolt at the contact. “Ellie,” she says.
Ellie, not Eleanor. I catalog the switch in my mind and nod my head in the direction she was going, reluctantly releasing her hand. “You walking home?”
“Yeah, just coming from Lola’s. I’m another block down this way,” she says.
Lola’s… Why does that sound so familiar?
No way.“Is Lola’s that bar that just opened a couple blocks away?” I ask her.
“Yeah, my friend convinced me to check it— What?” Ellie pauses at whatever she sees on my face.
“Ah, nothing, just my buddy also tried to convince me to go there last week. Maybe I’ll say yes next time.”
I’m momentarily distracted when I see Ellie’s teeth start to chatter.Shit, I’ve been making her stand here in the cold.
“Now that I’m not a stranger, can I walk you the rest of the way home?”
“Hmm. That depends, Matt. I usually know more than just a first name when I allow such intimate behavior. Can you tell me a little more about yourself?”
I stiffen at the thought, but remind myself she doesn’t know who I am and there is plenty else I can tell her that doesn’t involve hockey. Well maybe notplenty, but enough.
“It’s a big ask, but I think I can do that.” I smile at her. “Let’s see…” I pause to think for a minute, trying to come up with some random facts. “Just off the top? I don’t have any pets, but I have a lot of plants. I co-own that bar with my friend Nate. I’m not sure if you remember him, he was bartending.” I hike my thumb over my shoulder. “I think the best ice cream flavor is vanilla and I’m willing to die on that hill. Hmm…I hate the beach. My favorite book genre is science fiction. And my mom’s name is Shirley, like the drink.”
I study her face as I talk and watch her smile slip at the end. She seems to straighten her posture a little and nods before announcing, “That’ll do,” as she tucks her hands in her jacket pockets and continues down the street.
I sidle up beside her and take her in properly. She’s probably a little over half a foot shorter than my six-foot-one frame, but her heeled boots have her standing only a few inches below me. She’s got a long tan coat and a blue beanie with a familiar logo on the front. Any player would recognize one of the top-ranked schools for hockey.
“You from Boston?” I ask, angling my head toward her beanie.
Ellie reaches up to touch the logo there. “Oh, yeah, I am. I guess I should return the favor, huh? Can’t have you walking with a stranger either.” She looks over and the side of her mouth curves up.
That is a distracting mouth.
She faces forward again and I listen carefully as she shares tidbits of information I plan to hoard like a reality TV show spectacle.
“All right, I don’t have any pets either, but I’m thinking of getting a fish. Although I’ve really struggled to keep even plants alive, so maybe that’s inhumane to consider. A little ironic because I’m an ER nurse over at General. Should be good at keeping things alive and all that…” She trails off with a huff. “Hmm what’s next? Oh yes, I actually agree with you on the ice cream front, so no dying for you. Team vanilla, baby.”
She says the word “baby” with enthusiasm, emphasizing and dragging out theysound slightly, making it sound more likebay-beee.Her energy is infectious enough to make me forget about the cold.
“I love two very specific beaches, but otherwise don’t feel strongly about those. And my favorite book genre is historical romance. If you make fun of my reading preferences, Matt, we can’t be friends. You’ve been warned.”
She gives me a faux glare and I laugh, internally delighting in her easy use of my name.“I would never, promise,” I say with my hand over my heart. “Besides, my mom loves those books too, and I may have read one or two back when I lived at home.”
“They’re pretty good, right?”
“Oh yeah, very entertaining, but I couldn’t get past the idea of knowing my mom read…ya know. Teenage Matt was scandalized.” I give a little shudder at the memory.
“Gave you the ick, huh?” she jokes and pauses, pointing to the red door up a small set of stairs we’ve stopped at. “This is me,” she lets me know. She shifts a little on her feet and I’m not sure if it’s the cold or something else. I’m definitely not risking another semi-coincidental run-in as my only way of seeing her again.
“Do you think I shared enough personal information to get your number?” I try to keep the uncharacteristic nerves out of my voice, but I’m not sure how successful I am.
Ellie beams at me and my breath catches in my chest.Christ.
“I’ll do ya one better.” She tips her head toward the door. “Do you wanna come in?”
Um, hell yes I do.
