“He was at the bar the night I met Tag.”
“That’s right.” Her eyes widen. “You wouldn’t let me talk to him.”
“No,” Sienna interjects. “She said she could talk to Tag on her own.”
“You’ve definitely been holding out on me.” Imogen ignores her. “You’ll have to introduce me to him. He’s a snack.”
I snicker, grabbing my drink and taking a long gulp. I love these two women, but once they get going, they don’t stop.
I turn my attention back to the game as Wagner, the center, steals the puck and takes off down the ice.
A thread of tension travels through the crowd as everyone gets to their feet in hopes that he puts the puck in the back of the net.
And that’s exactly what he does. The red lamp lights up as fans start cheering.
“Well, that was exciting,” Sienna says. “I don’t know why I’ve never been to a hockey game before now.”
“You’re always welcome to come with me.”
Feeling a set of eyes on me, I look around and connect with Tag. He wiggles his fingers at me before play starts.
My heart catches in my chest.
What is he doing to me? I am completely undone at this man. One look from him and I’m a puddle of goo.
“You are so fucking cute. I can’t even stand it,” Imogen says. “Seriously, that man looks at you like you’re better than a Christmas pudding.”
“Are you two going to be spending the holidays together?” Sienna asks.
“The holidays?”
I’ve been so swept up in my own thoughts that I haven’t paid much attention to the upcoming holiday.
Crap. We haven’t discussed it. It sends a fissure of panic sweeping through me. Why didn’t I think to discuss the holidays?
It’s not like I can take him home to my parents’. And with such a short break between Christmas and New Year’s games, it’s not like he really has time to fly home.
“Stop spiraling,” Sienna says, resting a hand on my shoulder.
“Well, you asked a question that feels weighted, and I don’t know how to answer it.”
Grabbing my soda, I take a sip. The cool, effervescent bubbles help to calm my racing thoughts.
It’s still too early to be worrying about these things. The team is doing well, but there is still no guarantee Tag will be sticking around after this season. It was a one-year deal. I saw the paperwork. Is he going home at the end of the season? And if he is, does that mean he wouldn’t be going home over the holidays?
These are so not the thoughts I wanted to be having tonight. A blinding light is now flashing across my future with Tag.
“You know, you can ask him. It’ll solve your problem.” Imogen elbows me in the side.
“It won’t be too forward?”
“No. You should do it so you don’t spend the holiday all on your own.”
I spend the rest of the game fretting about it. It’s hard to enjoy the win because I’m worrying myself ragged thinking about it.
“C’mon, Livvy. Let’s go see the guys. Introduce me to Alfie. That’ll take your mind off things.”
Not that Imogen needs my help. By the time we make it back to the locker rooms, the guys are already funneling out.
