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“I need to borrow a cup of flour.”

“And you think I have that?” I ask with a scoff.

Remy rolls his eyes. “Your mother cooks here every week, she has to have basic baking supplies stocked.”

I shrug. “Help yourself.”

He brushes past me and finds the baking supplies right away, scooping out a cup of flour and walking back toward the front door. He gives Noel a small wave, and she waves back. I don’t miss the look of hero-worship on Helen’s face. She’s staring open-mouthed at my team captain like she has a shirtless poster of him in her bedroom back home.

I walk Remy to the door, and when we’re alone, his calm demeanor completely changes.

“You went from trying to stop her from murdering you, to having family dinner? Dude! Those dimples are miracle workers.” He chuckles at his own words.

“It’s the BDE,” I say, waggling my eyebrows.

“Gross.” He wrinkles his nose and opens the front door to leave.

“I meant, big, dimple energy!” I yell after him as he escapes back to his own house next door. “Get your mind out of the gutter!”

After I get back to the table, we all force our vegan food down our throats. Under the table, I hold a napkin out to Noel so she can place what’s left of her burger into it. She sneaks half her burger off her plate and onto the napkin with a whispered, thank you. Gram, the nosy scamp, clears her throat and raises one eyebrow. A silent plea for me to help her as well, which I do. She waits for Serenity to look away and sneaks her vegan casserole into the napkin.

When I get up to throw it away, my dad starts asking Noel questions from his seat across the table.

“So, Noel, what is it that you do?”

“I’m in my second year of teaching,” she says proudly.

“Ah, elementary?” He steeples his fingers together on the table.

She chuckles. “No, I have a doctorate in history and teach at Arlington University.”

His eyebrows shoot up. “Really? Wow. You know Colby never finished his degree, right?”

I take my seat again and level him with a confused stare. Because seriously, what the hell? “I was drafted by the NHL and couldn’t finish, Dad. You act like I’m a moron. Plus, I only have a year left. I might go back and finish my bachelors someday.”

“And what is it that you do?” Noel asks my father, her face totally serious. Her tone is almost defensive. I like it.

My dad puffs out his chest. “Actually, I’m a football coach.”

I try not to laugh. My dad coaches peewee football at the high school where he’s the custodian. I’ve never thought less of him for not having a college degree, and I didn’t realize that was something he wanted me to have.

“In high school I was captain of the football team. Could’ve gone pro.” He sighs, bringing his arms behind his head and stretching. “But football is so dangerous, you know? All the concussions and injuries.”

“Right,” Noel says, seeing right through the arrogant act. “Well, it seems you and Colby have both done pretty well for yourselves, despite not having college degrees.” She makes a show of looking around my mansion.

I’ve never wanted to kiss her more. I’ve never wanted to kiss anyone more. Never in my life, can I remember someone standing up for me like this. Coming to my defense. My teammates are always there for me, on and off the ice, but it feels different having Noel here standing up to my dad.

“Of course.” Dad chuckles awkwardly. “Didn’t mean to make it sound like he wasn’t successful.” He clears his throat. “What do you do for fun?”

Another weird question, but Noel is rolling with the punches.

“Mostly I read, I love fantasy. Which is why we went to the fantasy convention earlier.”

Dad’s eyes flick to mine. “Wait, that’s where you were at? With Ruthie?”

I lean back in my chair. “Yep! Noel is getting me hooked on phonics.”

My dad looks befuddled, and honestly, mildly offended. I don’t know why, what’s wrong with a fantasy convention?