Clearing my throat, her head perks up, and an awkward smile graces her mouth. “Oh, hey, you don’t happen to have some magic skill to get this dog to cooperate, do you?”
“Sorry, Isla. I left my dog-whisperer talents at home.”
It earns me a laugh, and she stands up, abandoning her efforts. Isla doesn't seem shy around me, and her face lightens when I’m here. A cute kind of bashful.
“It’s okay.” She steps closer to me, scans the area, then pretends to whisper. “I’m kind of hoping when the dog catches sight of that ridiculous cold-meat section inside that he will make a rookie move and land himself in the doghouse.”
I rumble a laugh. “That sounds like a plan we need to initiate.”
Isla brings her hand to her hip and tips her nose up. “We?”
I gently roll my shoulder back, relaxing, because I’m liking the ease of our conversation so far. “I didn’t get much chance to talk to you last night. All I know is that your Briggs’s sister, best friend of the bride, and you work in marketing at the Spinners training facility. For all I know, you actually hate hockey.”
She tilts her head slightly with a hum that drills straight to my groin. “Well, you know I can’t hate hockey considering that’s my brother’s career. You know, the brother who I’m positive would like to rip you into shreds, and that’s when he’s having a great day. The brother who will lose it if he glances outside to see we’re talking.”
I forgot I had a mimosa in my hand and use this opportunity to take a sip. “You’re just being polite to an out-of-town guest.” I’m unfazed.
“Fair enough.” A gleam flares in her eyes before she takes the mimosa from my hand, with her fingers briefly sweeping across my knuckles, and her touch has far more impact on my body than I should want. Then her lips purse against the rim and she drinks from my glass. I love how the shyness I thought she had seems to have been obliterated into a sexiness that I don’t even think she means to be transmitting. “Ready for your new season?”
“I am. After a trip to the Turks and Caicos back in June, I’ve been developing my skills all summer.”
“On or off the ice?” Now, now, that was 100% a playful inuendo that I fully support.
My grin stretches. “Are you this forward with all out-of-town guests or do I get special treatment?”
“I don’t know what you’re thinking, but I meant did you try cooking or sewing over the summer?” She’s coy, and her smirk doesn’t fade.
“Is that what you did this summer?”
She scoffs. “My summer was enjoying the lake, coffees at Jolly Joe’s with jellybeans with an obscure food coloring that means you get a surprise at the end of every coffee, and calming down my friend because she accidentally married a guy. Typical Lake Spark shenanigans.”
“Sounds tranquil.” I take back my glass of spiked orange juice.
We both watch the dog run to the other Labrador that I think belongs to Connor’s parents. “Not my problem anymore.” She seems relieved the dog is gone and drops the bandana to the ground. “Connor and Hadley stayed at the Dizzy Duck Inn last night to have a wedding night, even though they’ve already had one or three. It meant their furbaby stayed here.”
“That makes sense. You didn’t get much chance to party last night,” I comment.
A beaming smile spreads on her face. “I enjoyed last night, just didn’t hit the dance floor too often. I really wanted to help the happy couple’s parents with everything, not to mention Hadley’s dress required assistance once or twice. But I don’t mind, they are all family to me, the closest thing except for Briggs. I mean, I got to talk to a lot of people.”
I admire her selflessness wrapped in every word. “You talked to everyone except me.”
She holds her finger up. “Wrong. I talked to everyone except any hockey player who doesn’t play on the Spinners and happens to be single, and my deep study of the guest list and table arrangements meant there were four men who fell into that category. Those are the ones I didn’t get to talk to, including you, Vaughn Madden.”
“Ouch. Unlucky for them, good news for me.” We both glance out across the lake and seem to find a peaceful moment. “I’ve only been here a few times. I volunteered once at the summer camp and partook in a developmental skills camp. But that was a few years ago. A shame my trip is short this time around.”
“Probably for the best. Winter is fast approaching.”
My face turns puzzled. “It’s only early September.”
A deep rumble of a laugh escapes her lips. “It’s Illinois, it could be flurries of snow or beach weather come October. We are not graced with Florida weather.”
“Are you ever in Florida?” I’m a winger, which means being forward is natural.
She laughs, and it vibrates down my spine again and my attraction spikes. “Funny you should ask. I’m actually going down to Tampa in November for a conference.” That’s my city, and this must be a sign.
“November is a good time. You can escape the temperatures beginning to change here, in exchange for warm weather down there. The chance for hurricanes is not very likely either.”
Isla doesn’t say anything, instead keeping her wry smile as she studies me. “A shame we weren’t sitting at the same table last night so you could give me some tips on places to go to, as I’m staying a few extra days, but there was a clear instruction for the seating chart that you and my brother were not to be at the same table.”
