Total pages in book: 89
Estimated words: 86422 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 432(@200wpm)___ 346(@250wpm)___ 288(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 86422 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 432(@200wpm)___ 346(@250wpm)___ 288(@300wpm)
“I’ve seen you on the ice before. What position do you play, Mac?”
“I’m defense,” he replies.
“Are you the same year as Brody and Chase?” Roman watches Callie but continues with the questions.
“I am. Brody is my roommate.”
“He’s got a good head on his shoulders. He’ll be playing pro come the fall.”
Callie blocks a shot on net. “Nice work out there, Callie!” He turns back to Mac. “What about you? What are your plans after graduation?”
Mac and I haven’t talked about what’s next for him. But why would we when we’re just pretend?
“I’ll have a kin degree under my belt, but the dream is to be called up by a team,” Mac confides.
“Do you have interest?” Roman presses.
“Uh, yeah. Ottawa, Edmonton, and Florida.” Mac rubs the back of his neck.
Florida and Edmonton are both a plane ride away, and Ottawa is five hours by car. I still have a year left. How would it even work if we were actually real?
“You have designs on any of those teams?”
Ariel climbs out of my lap and pushes past Mac’s knees to tug on Roman’s sleeve. “Da-ee! I need to pee!”
“Okay, kiddo, let’s go.”
I’m grateful Lexi doesn’t offer to take her.
“I’m really sorry about him,” I mutter to Mac once Roman is heading for the bathroom with Ariel doing the pee-pee dance.
“It’s okay, I really don’t mind.”
Lexi moves into Roman’s seat while he’s gone, preventing further interrogation, but he side-eyes Mac when he stretches his arm across the back of my chair halfway through the period.
Mac offers to go to the concession stand at intermission.
I turn to Roman. “Can you cut it with the hairy eyeball?”
Roman arches his brow. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Ariel pokes between his eyes. “S’mood.”
Connor scoffs. “He must really like you if he’s willing to brave Daddy Roman.”
“Do not call me that,” Roman grumbles.
Dred does a circle motion around her face, then points at Roman. “This is why Hammer and Hollis hid things from you.”
Before we moved to Toronto, Roman’s daughter, who is older than me by a few years, started dating one of the Terror players. That player also happened to be twelve years older than her and Roman’s best friend. Hammer and Hollis dated in secret for several months before the shit hit the fan. Apparently, Roman didn’t take it well at first, which tracks.
Roman pokes at his cheek with his tongue and glares at Dred.
“Don’t look at my wife like that,” Connor warns.
Dred pats his hand. “I can handle myself, Connor.”
“I’m aware, darling.” He kisses her temple.
“He’s a hockey player,” Roman states.
“Uh, yeah. I’m not sure if you’ve noticed, but I’m surrounded by hockey players all the time. He’s my friend.”
“You two seem pretty cozy for friends,” my sister pipes up.
“Whose side are you on?” I grumble.
“It’s just an observation.” She smiles innocently.
Mac returns with popcorn and drinks from the concession stand for everyone, ending that conversation. He even bought Ariel a box of animal crackers.
I shoot a see? look at Roman.
Mac puts his arm around me again.
Lexi gives me a look which I ignore.
While I relish the closeness, my pit of longing gets deeper the more time I spend with Mac.
Callie’s team wins, so upon her request, we go to Just Desserts for ice cream sundaes, despite it being the middle of winter.
“You can sit right here, Callie.” Connor offers the chair to the right of him, since Dred is already on his left.
Callie’s lips pull to the side. “Thanks, but I’m going to sit beside Mac.”
Connor frowns, making his regal face severe for a moment.
Dred smothers a laugh by pressing her face against his arm.
He crosses his arms. “This isn’t funny, darling. I’m being replaced.”
“You’re still my favorite player, Connor, but new friends need to feel welcome.” She slides into the seat next to Mac, looking up at him with starry eyes. “Roman said you play hockey. What position?”
“I’m defense.”
Her face lights up. “So you help protect the goalie.”
I exchange a look with Lexi, while Connor scowls. Of course Callie is trying to mack on Mac. The boy-crazy era will hit her hard.
“I do, but the whole team needs to help the goalie protect the net, don’t you think?” Mac says.
Callie beams up at him. “I totally agree.”
I love how seamlessly Mac fits in with my sisters and the family I’ve found in the Terror, even if we’re destined to just be friends. As Mac interacts with the people I care about the most, an idea starts to form.
I have access to all these amazing pro players, and Mac has already admitted that he hasn’t asked Brody for help because he doesn’t want to take advantage of his friend’s connections.
Roman coaches up-and-comers, Connor plays for the Terror, and my sister is a coach. It’s not taking advantage if I’m the one who orchestrates it. He’s already playing so much smoother, but if I can get him on the ice with Connor and Roman and my sister…it could change his whole game around. He could have his pick of teams in the fall. And maybe he won’t end up on the other side of the country.