My chest lifts then eases as I leave his apartment.
Because it seems that he has me feeling a different way than I’ve experienced before.
CHAPTER 9
TYLER
Leaning against my car after just leaving practice, Charlie is talking my ear off, and it’s bitterly cold outside.
He adjusts the strap of his gym bag on his shoulder. “We’re doing well,” he comments about our last away game and practice today.
“Are you sure the win wasn’t some fluke and we got lucky?” I wonder.
He scoffs in annoyance. “You’re too hard on yourself. Heaven forbid you actually enjoy a moment worthy of celebration.”
My eyes grow wider. “Let’s not get too confident. It could be our downfall too. So, no celebrations on my front.”
He pinches the tip of his nose, and I can see our breaths in the afternoon sun. “Speaking of festivities, are you going to Bjorn’s holiday party?” Charlie asks.
I almost forgot about that. There is not enough time to head back to Sweden for the holidays, which is why he invited the team for a low-key dinner. For anyone who is around, especially those who don’t have kids and want to dosomething. He is doing his best to connect with the team even off the ice. It’s hard to be with a team that was left in shambles by the previous coach.
“When the assistant captain puts out an invite like that, kind of need to say yes. Plus, he misses his family back in Sweden. He brought us all of those delicious ginger cookies when it was Saint Lucia’s Day. He misses Sweden this time of year,” Charlie reminds me with strong pressure for me to go.
“He does live in my building.”
“That too. I can’t go because we have the holiday show at school, and I already miss enough of my kids’ events during the season.” It has to be tough for him. Sometimes I believe having kids while playing pro hockey would be too big of a distraction, but these guys still deliver talent on the ice.
Rubbing my hands together, I decide that it is just too freaking cold. “I’ll go. Then we have two games and it’s Christmas break. Now, I’m heading out. It’s too beastly out here to talk.”
“Agreed.”
We give one another a fist bump, then he heads to his car. Once I’m in mine, I turn off my hockey focus while the engine warms. My mind heads straight to the other night when I kissed Lainey.
I most definitely didn’t forget. It’s imprinted in every non-hockey thought. Rightfully so, she’s a good kisser, and I enjoyed every second. And the coconut bars that was in that magic tin of hers? A fucking bonus to the night.
But now I’m in the situation where I’m back for a few days and I will run into her. What is the next step? There is no possible way to ignore that kiss, and I wouldn’t want to. I’m just not sure where it leads us.
I think about this the entire drive home, and all I cancome up with is that it was meant to happen, but do we leave it at that? I’m not sure what she’s thinking, but I don’t see this as any steps to a future path, only that it’s a current step. I’m not blind. She has priorities and so do I. It was fun.
Fun.
Doesn’t feel like the right word.
Arriving back at my building, I walk off the elevator, and down the hall, I instantly see a giant box in front of Lainey’s.
It has me curious as I approach it, but my attention is broken by the sound of the stairwell door whooshing open.
“Run any faster, will ya?” an exasperated Lainey calls out to Enzo who is bulleting ahead of her.
They must just be getting home from school.
“Hey, Tyler!” Enzo nearly crashes into me as he breaks from his run.
“Someone has energy today,” I remark and smile at him.
“We had to make our gifts for our family today at school. It’s a candle made from baby food jars,” he explains.
Lainey shakes her head as she trails behind him. “I’m not sure I’m supposed to know that.”
