When Tucker said he was going to win me a souvenir as a memory of this night, he wasn’t kidding.
The Cove Knight’s goalie is on a mission, and the second Colsen decides to join him, it turns into a competition.
I would have never thought that having two handsome men battling it out to win a prize to give me as a keepsake of this night would be this hot.
The first stand we encountered is the classic stack of cans that you have to knock down with a ball.
Colsen is the first to win a small teddy bear in a white t-shirt that says “I love Star Cove.”
“To the prettiest girl in town.” He whispers, offering me the cute stuffed animal.
“Thank you.” I don’t even think about it when I push on the tips of my toes to brush my lips on his cheek.
His skin is warm and his scent is sexy and intoxicating, spicy and masculine, vaguely reminiscent of the sea scented breeze that cools down this hot summer night.
“Hey,” Tucker gasps, tapping his own cheek with his fingers. “Where’s my kiss?”
Colsen pulls me to his side, wrapping a strong arm around my waist. “Where’s your prize? So far all we’ve heard is you talking a big game, but you haven’t won anything.” His grin has the obvious intention of provoking his best friend.
Tucker doesn’t skip a beat. “Challenge accepted.” He grabs my hand, pulling me away from Colsen. “Let’s go to the fishing game stand.”
The game consists of a rotating platform where plastic ducks are lined up at regular intervals. It reminds me of a merry-go-round.
To win a prize, you have to “fish” one of the ducks using a fishing pole with a metal noose at the end.
It’s easier said than done, since the noose bit is pretty wide; that makes it relatively easy to put it around one of the ducks’ necks, but lifting the duck you caught off the platform without losing your grip on it is a totally different matter.
“You get three tries for five bucks,” the girl working the stand explains. “Or ten tries for ten bucks. The ducks have a colored ring painted around their necks. The prize you win depends on the color of the duck you catch.”
Tucker hands her a five-dollar bill to receive his fishing pole.
“Are you sure you don’t want to spring for ten?” Colsen teases him. “This game looks easier than it really is. Those ducks are weighed and they slip out very easily when you try to lift them off the platform.”
“Three tries is more than I need.” Tucker’s smile is cocky as he ups the ante. “I’m gonna win the biggest prize on the first try.”
I’m a little impressed by Tucker’s confidence, but Colsen seems to love pushing his teammate’s buttons.
“Let’s see what you can do. If you fail, I have a tenner so you can get plenty more tries.”
Tucker shakes his head, barking out a laugh. “We’ve been playing hockey together for three years now. You should know that chirping doesn’t work on me. Now, hush. I didn’t try to distract you when you played.”
“That’s fair.” Colsen nods. “Let’s see what you can do.”
Tucker studies the sign with the prize values. “Ok. The gold corresponds to the best prizes.”
There’s only one duck with a golden ring painted around its neck. The lower tiers of prizes are easier to win with two or more ducks matching those colors.
We watch as Tucker’s gaze focuses on the rotating platform as he waits for the golden duck to come toward us.
I can’t help but notice the defined line of his jaw and the way the corded muscles in his forearm jump as he lowers the noose and hooks the golden duck.
“Gotcha!” Tucker cheers, lifting the fishing rod with his loot dangling from it.
But just when we think victory is in his grasp, the duck falls off the noose and back onto the platform.
“Aww, fu—shucks.” He corrects himself at the last second when he notices a family with young kids waiting for their turn behind us. “I really thought I had it.”
The stand attendant puts the fallen duck back upright and invites Tucker to try again.
