Page 3 of Blind Date with a #HOCKEYBOY (Love Canyon: Blind Date with a #BOOKBOYFRIEND #2)
NOAH
OLIVER: Hey #HOCKEYBOY. Flight rescheduled. Corey and I are doing a Make A Wish weekend with a few kids. Hockey Camp.
I groaned, then typed out a response. It sucked, considering we only had four, maybe five days max to hang out and I hadn’t seen Oliver in almost six months.
But, considering his family practically let me move in with them when we did hockey camps, they were like my family, so it wasn’t all a lost cause.
And Ollie’s stepmom made the best sugar cookies, frosting and all, and for Valentine’s, she put those cute little cinnamon candy hearts on them.
Just for me.
NOAH: You’re just jealous my February Calendar pic shows off my fabulous personality. And my abs. I’ll just have to make do without you, and eat all the cookies.
EDEN: OOH! Bring me cookies!!! Abs. Just thinking of your abs!
ZOE: Me, too. PLEASE!
COLE: No thinking about Noah’s abs, Bunny. I’ll give Eden her cookies. So give them to me first.
EDEN: I’m sitting right next to you…and I wasn’t thinking about his abs. Cookies, Romeo.
COLE: I hate that damn nickname. And I am the only one giving you cookies, Bunny.
NOAH: As much as I love you Cole, the thought of you giving Eden Ollie’s mom’s cookies sounds really inappropriate.
OLIVER: DUDE. That’s my mom.
ZOE: NOAH! Do you have an age gap kink? KIDDING!! Wait!!!
EDEN: Mr. ‘Get Out Of My Kitchen’.
NOAH: What?
EDEN: I think you have an ‘acts of service’ kink. And I approve.
COLE: Please stop talking about kinks before I have to do something about it, Bunny.
EDEN: TEASE
OLIVER: And I’m out!! See you Tuesday, Noah.
I tossed my phone next to the bag I packed last night, along with my checked luggage. Weather in Love Canyon was the polar opposite of Montreal, thank fuck. Because even though I grew up and loved winter, the cookies and warmer temperatures made me…giddy.
Yep, I was fucking giddy. The season was two thirds of the way over, and having my brother Brett coaching the Triumph was a dream come true.
But more and more, my two besties were off with their other halves, which don’t even get me started, was as complicated as a fucking interconnected way too close for comfort ties here and there.
Zoe dating Brett, and Eden paired off with Cole.
The winger was possessive as fuck about Eden, and even though he knew there was nothing going on and I loved to chirp at him, I also knew that Eden and Cole didn’t need a third wheel.
Neither did Zoe and Brett, though at least with that one, I had two of my favorite people in one space.
Win win. But, still. Third wheel vibes every now and then.
Not to mention I couldn’t stop thinking about the girl in that damn sparkly ghost-face mask from the Triumph’s Haunted House annual fundraiser.
One fucking kiss after she’d tripped and fell into my arms before disappearing off into the night, never to be seen again.
I could still smell her, fell her petite frame in my arms.
And I couldn’t help but think I’d lost my chance at love. Especially with how much it was around me. Cole. Brett. Jaxon even hooked up with his old flame, the owner of Book Boyfriends & Lattes, who sponsored the #BOOKBOYFRIENDS Calendar with the team.
I was #HOCKEYBOY.
Mr. February.
January went to Theo Gerard. Mr. #BOOKBOYFRIEND himself, thanks to Theo’s reading romance books on his social media. And the fans, especially the female fans, loved a single dad.
Zoe and Eden gushed about him at dinner a few weeks ago, much to Brett and Cole’s annoyance.
I enjoyed every second. Travis, Theo’s son was fucking adorable.
I could tell Theo was stressed about balancing everything, but he had help from Travis’ grandparents and Nia’s cousin, Indra, had started to nanny off and on for him a few weeks ago.
His game hadn’t changed. If anything it was like he stepped things up even more.
When he was on the ice, I knew it was going to be a rare thing to have a puck flying my way.
The only other single guy, besides a few of the guys that weren’t in the #ghosthockeydaddies chat was Zoe’s brother, Walker.
Guy was a lone wolf, though, and as much as I tried to thaw his exterior, still kept mostly to himself.
The #ghosthockeydaddies were the core group of guys that worked the adult side of the haunted house that fateful night that has literally haunted me ever since.
Kiss. Her smell. Obsessed. Slightly.
More than slightly.
And annoyed that Lanie, the team’s PR magician, hadn't been able to find anything about the girl in the mask. I raked a hand over my face. Yep, definitely needed to get away. To anywhere where I wasn’t looking around the corner to see a glimpse of blonde and a whiff of citrus and something else that made my mouth water even now.
Fuck.
Last October…
“Ghost Hockey Daddies!” I walked up and put my arms around the shoulders of my two grumpiest teammates.
Cole Sunders hung his head, and Walker Miles, Zoe’s big brother, just glared at me from underneath the cowboy hat and skull makeup without saying a word.
“You two trying the strong silent type like this is creepy as fuck and incredibly appropriate. Ready to mingle?”
Lanie, Triumph head of PR and hockey boy wrangler, roped us all into the after-party get together with donors and a random fan or two.
While I loved Beetlejuice, the face makeup caked all over felt like a pancake with the eyes and mouth cutout.
But, Zoe and Eden orchestrated most of the haunted festivities, and I’d do just about anything for my best friends.
Hence, the birth of the #ghosthockeydaddies. Not that I didn’t love all my teammates. Teamwork makes the dream work. But the #ghosthockeydaddies were hand selected, each for their unique talents. On and off the ice
As much as Cole thinks he’s been smooth, asking about Eden, I caught on pretty quickly. I liked Cole, even if he was a grumpy asshole sometimes. It just made it all the more fun to mess with him.
Eden and Cole needed each other. But they didn’t know it, not yet.
Out of the corner of my eye, a flash of something sparkled off the dimly lit path.
A weird feeling slithered down my spine.
No, not slithered. Fucking melted , like honey or caramel.
The good kind you’d let drizzle on a bowl of ice cream then moan as it hit your tongue.
Or maybe that was what I was smelling. Either way, I mumbled something and headed toward where I thought I saw… what? What the hell was I doing?
Leaves crunched under my feet, the black and white striped polyester pants and jacket not exactly inconspicuous as I tracked whatever it was had caught my eye.
There. There it was. Fuck, yes.
A figure, petite, blonde hair peeking out from the side of a hooded short cloak.
She, I thought as I eyed her curves. Her head whipped around to look at me as I neared, covered by a, no joke, rhinestone ghost face mask.
As she spun around, her black boots caught on a random branch and she tumbled forward.
Right into my arms. I twisted, not wanting her to get the zombie-like makeup all over her or the short, body hugging dress that showcased her body to perfection.
Having girls as besties trained me well not to mess up their clothes and other things.
We probably looked like one of those cheesy romance movie dance dip moments, but I didn’t care.
Her mask had slid back, gorgeous full pink lips visible and nothing else.
Softly parted and revealing white teeth that then scraped along her full bottom lip.
A breath tickled my face, and I realized how close we were, but she wasn’t pushing me away.
“Thank you,” she rasped and then…
She kissed me. Softly at first, but then she arched in my arms, traced her tongue along my lips, and I was lost. I kissed her back, exploring and savoring this ghostly, gorgeous creature, her scent invading my senses.
Her body, pliant and soft against mine, a drug I was already addicted to. Seconds, minutes, hours passed, until…
“LECAV!” A voice boomed from not too far away, shattering the reverie we were lost in. Our heads both jerked into the direction of where the voice that sounded suspiciously like Cole. The grumpy tone gave it away.
I straightened, still not willing to let her go when he yelled again. My mystery woman straightened her mask as she pulled away. I reluctantly let her go, because I was pretty sure kidnapping and keeping her was a felony…or something.
“Hey,” I called out just before she disappeared. “I don’t even know your name?”
She laughed and threw over her shoulder, “Don’t go catching feelings for me, hockey boy.’”
Too late, mystery girl.
The amount of time I spent in the air far outnumbered the miles I clocked in on the streets, but flying commercial felt like a different experience because I could actually unwind and relax.
Read one of the books Theo, who read more than his fair share, suggested along with some book about dragons and riders Eden and Indie added.
I chuckled as I made my way through the throngs of people in the airport.
The trip to Book Boyfriends & Lattes had been hilarious, and even if I hadn’t needed a book or two, I would’ve gone.
Between Cole glaring from the couch, Theo and Indie verbally sparring every five seconds over books, Eden and I had far too much fun.
Theo scoffed at first. No gaming, or calming Jaxon, who hated the whole landing thing and halfway through a flight on the Triumph’s private plane needed a distraction.
As the head of the #ghosthockeydaddies, it was only one of many of my solemn duties.
Guy possessed the worst poker face, though. Good thing we didn’t bet money.
EDEN: You didn’t text me when you landed.
ZOE: Or me. Also, your brother is not happy with you. Tacos are on you next time. Also, please send food porn pictures at the Prickly Pear so we can live vicariously through you.
NOAH: Deal.