Page 15 of Just my Puck (Love & Laughter #1)

LUCY

T aking a few moments to get myself ready for the game, I choose my outfit carefully.

For starters, not the ballet pumps I wore the other day—too slippy.

So I’ve got a new pair of black jeans on, a tight black t-shirt that dips nicely at the neckline and my sneakers.

Brushing my hair so that the waves bounce, I leave it loose.

Grabbing my lightweight black jacket from the closet, I fold it over my bag and scoop it up.

It’s still so hot outside, but it will be chilly in the arena.

Texting Patty on my way out of the door to tell her I’m setting off, I hit the sidewalk and aim for the arena, about a ten-minute walk from my apartment building.

She replies with a blue and white heart emoji, making me snicker.

The Titans play in blue and white. She is fully invested in me and Steele, which is sweet.

Thinking of Steele as I walk, my mind drifts to lazy days on the grass at the beach and going for lovely dinners as the sun sets.

“Lucy!”

Tripping up on an uneven section of the sidewalk as someone bellows my name, I glance around as I steady myself, grateful I didn’t land face first on the hard concrete.

Seeing a man hurtling towards me, probably a little bit older than me, his phone held out, I cringe and turn around, scurrying off as quickly as I can.

“Wait up! Lucy! Are you going to watch Jason play? Did he ask you? Are you meeting him afterwards?”

“Go away!” I snap when he falls into step beside me. It was bound to happen. Running and I do not mix, not even when I’m running from the press. Or blogger or whoever he is.

He shoves his phone into my face. “On the record…you guys dating?”

“No. Leave me alone.”

“Lucy, come one. Give us the goss.”

“There’s nothing to tell!” I exclaim, getting angry about this now.

“But we saw the video. You on your knees, he called you princess and said it was a date. Storm doesn’t date, so come on. Who are you to him?”

“Absolutely no one,” Patty states, marching up to us. “She’s dating someone else, and you’re ruining it, so fuck off, you leech.”

Both the blogger and I stare at Patty open-mouthed. She makes a rude gesture, and the guy sneers and moves on, clearly not getting the gossip he was after, because there is none.

“Wow,” I say, impressed. “You’re fierce.”

She shrugs, her shoulder-length red hair bobbing with the movement. “What can I say? Hockey brings it out in me.”

“You like it then?” This is good, she can tell me when to cheer and when to boo.

“Love it. Huge Titans fan.” She slings her arms around me. “I’ve got you, Luce. Let’s eat.”

“Yes!” Letting out a soft laugh, I’m enjoying myself immensely already.

If I’d been with my other friends, I would’ve been hiding in a corner somewhere with my nose in a book.

Instead, we head into the diner and squash into a small booth which is only empty because everyone else is in bigger groups than us.

Thinking of my other friends as we peruse the sticky menu, I feel a bit sad.

Not a single one of them has contacted me since we were at the game the other night.

I don’t know if it’s because they don’t want to be associated with me or if they are just busy and don’t know what’s going on.

On the other hand, if they were really my friends, they would be here supporting me, so maybe I’m better off.

“You okay? Don’t let those vultures get to you. They suck,” Patty says, putting the menu down.

“Oh, yeah, I’m okay. I wasn’t thinking about that.”

“Thinking about Steele?” she asks suggestively.

Laughing, I shake my head.

“You should just tell everyone you are with him. It’ll put an end to this Jason Edwards stuff.”

“He might not want me to,” I mumble, suddenly feeling cold.

“Why not?” She scrunches up her nose to show her confusion. “He took you out in public. Didn’t anyone see you then?”

Shaking my head, glad we managed that night out without interference.

I guess they were watching this place to see if I’d show up for Jason.

It was kind of an obvious choice to stake out.

“No, it was lovely and peaceful…” Trailing off, I stare out the window, getting the creepy feeling of someone watching me. Probably just another vulture.

But when I look up, my eyes meet those bright blue ones that I’ve been too close to recently, and my mouth drops open. Jason is watching me from outside the diner with a sexy half-smile on his face that does nothing to quell the heat creeping rapidly up my neck to hit my cheeks full-on.

“What?” Patty asks and turns around to look where I am.

“Oooh, hello, Storm. Seems you’ve got an admirer, Luce.

” She waves enthusiastically at Jason fucking Edwards, who frowns and shifts his gaze to her, raising his hand to give her an awkward wave back before he is bombarded by fans, so much so, Security has to step in to clear them off.

The diner empties almost instantly, with cash flying all over to pay for half-eaten dinners in the mad scramble to get to their hero before he is escorted back inside.

“Fuck,” I mutter. “He’s…popular.”

Patty turns her head slowly, an incredulous expression on her face. “Wow, Captain of the Obvious squad. You’re a total noob, aren’t you, chicken?”

Nodding and giving her a sheepish smile, I say, “Total noob. I have no clue.”

She giggles. “Okay, don’t worry. I’ve got this. I cheer, you cheer. I boo, you boo.”

“So glad you said that because that is what I was hoping for.”

Casting my glance back to where Jason was standing a few moments ago, all I can see are masses of people.

“What are you thinking?”

“Hmm?” I look back at Patty, lost in my own little world.

She lowers her voice. “Do you have the hots for Jason?”

“No! I like Steele. He’s lovely and funny, and he gets how weird I am. Plus, he’s hot.”

“And a famous hockey player and a giant. Bet his ding-a-ling is as big as his hockey stick.”

“Doubtful, but I bet it’s close.”

We giggle like two teenagers as we talk about his cock some more and place our order of burgers and fries each when the server comes over and stops our fun.

When it arrives sometime later, I glance out of the window again, only this time I see my friends laughing and joking as they walk by.

“Oh,” I murmur, crushed. I know I’m here with someone else and didn’t tell them but seeing them having fun without me still hurts.

Feeling two-faced and ashamed, I drop my gaze to my burger and pick it up, taking an enormous bite, determined not to let it bother me.

That is until I sneak another glance at them.

Meeting Mae’s gaze, she raises her eyebrow and pulls her face into a ‘what the fuck’ expression before glaring at me and turning away.

Well, I guess that tells me all I need to know about how she feels about me being here with someone else.

She wanted me home and fretting about her, messaging her first to find out what was going on.

Fuck that on a sharp stick. It occurs to me that is what I’ve done our entire friendship since high school.

Always contacted her first and asked to join in.

Not once did she contact me and invite me out.

June and Holly are her friends. I met them through her.

So, it’s no wonder they have ditched me as well.

“Who’s the mean girl?” Patty asks, delicately wiping her mouth as she looks at Mae, storming off.

Turning back to her, I smile. “No one. Someone I knew in high school.” I guess that’s all there is to it now.

If she were happy to see me, she’d have waved or smiled instead of making me feel bad for going out with someone else.

My reluctance to acknowledge her was down to annoyance and feeling hurt, but I suppose it makes it just as bad. I should’ve…

“You know what. Forget her,” I say, taking another bite of my burger and pinching up a few fries. “Let’s finish up and head in. I’m excited to see Steele.”

“Attagirl,” Patty replies, and we eat up, chatting about work and Maple before heading out to the arena.