Page 20 of Offside and Off-Limits (Love in Maple Falls #2)

But I don’t care. So what if the guys know I’ve got a thing for Clara. That’s our business, no one else’s. And it’s not like anything has happened between us.

Even though I want it to, more and more each day.

Most of the team hits the showers, leaving me, Asher, and Clément with Clara.

“I have the most amazing trick for you, mademoiselle . I call it the French Kiss,” Clément says before he skates toward one of the nets.

Of course he does. That guy is as French as they get. I half expect to hear accordion music playing whenever he’s around, the scent of croissants in the air.

Clara lifts her phone, ready to capture his trick. Clément flips the puck in a perfect arc before it drops onto the crossbar, bouncing off of it, at which point he slaps it into the net.

“Where’s the french kiss in that?” Asher calls out, and Clément skates back to us.

“The puck delicately kissed the bar before hitting its target, like a man in love kissing his woman,” Clément explains in his typically French, poetic way.

“I guess that one takes some imagination. Am I right?” Asher says, and he fist bumps me.

“I thought it was awesome, Clément,” Clara says, shooting us her mom look, like we’re a couple of naughty kids.

Is it terrible that I find that super hot ?

Probably.

“Whose turn is it next?” she asks.

“Mine,” I say as I slide the puck from Clément and position it near the boards, lining up my shot. I’m ready to do a trick I’ve been performing since high school, one that has never failed to impress.

I can only hope Clara notices.

And yes, I know how tragic that sounds to use an old high school hockey trick to try to win her over. But impressing Clara has quickly risen to the top of my list of goals in this new town.

As my stick makes contact with the puck, I send it ricocheting toward the goal, where I chase it and slot it into the target.

Then, I flick the puck up in the air and balance it on my blade while skating backwards, flicking it over my shoulder into the net once more, only this time without even looking.

Satisfied with not one but two tricks, I skate back to Clara.

“Double the genius,” Asher exclaims appreciatively. “Respect, man.”

“It’s no french kiss, but it was skillful,” Clément concedes.

“Impressive,” Clara says, and her beautiful smile makes heat spread through my chest.

What can I say? The trick works. Every. Single. Time.

It's Asher’s turn next and he grabs three pucks and a helmet before he skates to center ice.

“Dude! What do you need three pucks for?” I call out.

“Watch and learn, my friend. Watch and learn,” he replies with a smug smile.

I lean back, confident he can't top my double trick. But in a matter of seconds, he’s done just that, flipping pucks off his stick, catching them mid-air like they’re pancakes and sending them flying into the helmet positioned on the ice, which spins each time a puck lands inside it.

As he returns to the boards, I give him a slow clap like he’s in a 90s movie, and he takes a theatrical bow that's more Clément’s style than his .

“The deepest respect,” Clément says, bowing back.

“Yeah, man. That was awesome,” I tell him and give him a fist bump.

“Better than yours?” Asher asks, and I give a begrudging nod.

“Yeah, better than mine.”

“You guys were all amazing. Thank you so much for this,” Clara says, tapping her phone.

“Will you tag us individually when you share them?” Asher asks.

“Of course. Our followers are going to love these.” Clara clicks her phone off. “Cade, we need to do another video, if you have the time?”

“Sure thing,” I reply.

Clément smirks. “You are enthusiastic when it comes to social media, non ?”

“Yeah, Lennox. Why is that?” Asher asks and wins the side eye from me.

He knows exactly why.

“My boss thinks Cade and I work well together on camera,” Clara explains, and I raise my brows at the guys as if to say See? Totally legit.

“We’re doing the Hockey 101 video, right?” I ask Clara.

“That’s right. Kind of like hockey for dummies,” she explains.

“Oh, Cade’s your man, for sure. He practically defines the word ‘dummy,’” Asher teases.

“Whatever,” I say with a good-humored shake of my head.

“I’m looking forward to seeing you at Drench for Defense this Saturday, Asher. Are you sure I can’t persuade you to join us, Clément?” Clara asks.

“I don’t like to have water thrown at me,” he sniffs.

“Dude, it’s not like we like it,” I say, but all he does is say au revoir and head toward the locker room .

“Thanks again for volunteering, you two. The forecast looks mild enough and sunny, you’ll be glad to know.”

“We’re hockey players. We’re used to the cold,” I assure her.

“Yeah, but we don’t usually have buckets of water thrown at us,” Asher replies. “We wear our game day gear for the event, right?”

“That’s right, plus a change of clothes. We’ll supply towels and hot chocolate afterwards to warm you back up in the tent,” she says.

“You got it, Clara. Enjoy your video ,” Asher says, emphasizing the word before he throws me a look and leaves.

I pull the door open and step off the ice. Towering over Clara due to the fact I’m almost a foot taller than her plus my skates, I sit, and she does the same.

“You’re looking especially good today, Triple. Red’s your color.”

“That’s nice of you to say,” she replies.

I shrug. “I just say it like it is.”

“Look, I want to say something that’s been playing on my mind.”

“You feel this thing too?” I reply, only half joking, because it’s obvious she does, even if she insists on fighting it.

“I’m being serious here. I wanted to offer once again to pay you for the toy you gave Benny. It’s only right.”

I hold my hands in the air. “I already said it’s a gift, and it’s not a toy. It’s a collectible.”

“But—” she protests.

“Seriously. It’s a gift. End of story.”

She lets out a defeated breath. “It’s so generous of you. You’re very kind to give it to him.”

“Yeah, I am,” I say with a grin, and she lets out a laugh.

“And modest. Did I mention that?”

“Just another dip layer, Triple. Is Hannah coming over for piano practice tomorrow? ”

She scrunches her nose. “I don’t know it’s a good idea, you know, with her dad coming to Show Quest.”

“Why would that be a problem?”

“I’m pretty sure he wouldn’t like another man performing with his daughter.”

I’m itching to say that I’m sure she didn’t like it when her ex ran off with her best friend, but that didn’t stop the guy.

Instead, I concede, “That’s fine. I get it. I don’t want to rock the boat.”

“Thank you,” she replies, her features relaxing.

“I’m still happy to help her get ready for the competition, though.”

“You are? You’re so?—”

“Amazing? Incredible? Hot ?” I suggest with my cheesiest of grins, which makes her smile.

“Kind. That’s the word I was going for.”

“I’ll take it. We can work on the others later.” I throw her a wink, and she barks out another laugh, this time shaking her head.

“You never quit, do you?”

“Not when it comes to you, Triple. Take me or leave me.” I lean closer to her, catching her scent, and say in an intimate tone, “Only I suggest you take me.”

I waggle my brows at her, and she laughs once more, and I decide there and then that hearing Clara Johnson laugh is the most wonderful sound in the world.