Page 20 of On Thin Ice (Calgary Mounties #1)

Chapter Nineteen

YOU STOCKED YOUR FRIDGE FOR ME?

Lincoln

This road trip felt incredibly long. Every few months, we have to be on the road for close to a week while we play games in the southern US cities. Normally, I love being on the road, but for some reason, this trip was different.

When we finally land in Calgary, I’m one of the first off the plane.

“Where are you off to in such a hurry?” Seth asks when he catches up with me at security.

Of course, the passport-scanner machines are down. Now it’s going to take even longer than usual to make it through and collect our bags while we wait for the overworked border security staff to scan our passports and confirm we’re not here on nefarious business.

“Just happy to be home,” I reply, because the truth is something that I’m not ready to admit out loud.

I’m excited to see Adele. She got back from her trip three days ago and has had Milo with her since then while Kylie headed off on her latest tour.

Knowing that I get to see her in less than an hour, and also cuddle my dog…

Yeah, definitely not re ady for Seth to know any of that yet. Those are inside thoughts only.

I’ve never felt this way with anyone I’ve hung out with before. And I don’t know how to process these feelings. Maybe it’s just the fact that it has been months since I’ve slept with someone.

Yeah, this could get messy, but I’m starting to think I want messy.

All these years of not dating has given me a lot of freedom, which more than suited me.

But the more time I spend with Seth and Kylie, and my other teammates who are settled down with families, the more I’m starting to think that the idea of having one person isn’t such a bad thing.

Or at least, a mutually beneficial, exclusive sexual partner…

And that someone looks an awful lot like Adele when I close my eyes and imagine that particular scenario.

“What time do Mama Claire and Diana arrive tomorrow?” Seth asks, pulling me from my thoughts as we slowly shuffle forward in the long line.

“They are flying in around noon. Are you still on for dinner?”

“Yeah. Kylie is away for another two days, so I wouldn’t say no to the company.”

It’s a sign of just how much he’s changed since meeting Kylie, because I can remember the days when I used to have to physically force him out of his house for anything other than hockey.

I was always the social butterfly of the two, and it’s been great to see him finally come out of his hermit shell in the last four years.

“Okay. Well, I’ll pick up Adele on the way, and we can come to yours for dinner? Unless you want to eat out somewhere?”

He shakes his head. “No, our place is fine.”

Grinning as I step up to the glass to hand my passport over, I realize only some things have changed. He’d still rather hide at home, but at least he wants company there now.

“I didn’t realize you were bringing Adele,” he adds, once we are on the other side of the security area and heading towards baggage claim.

“Yeah… We’ve been hanging out, and she wants to see Mom and Diana.”

I ignore the side eye that he gives me, deciding it’s safest not to look directly at him when he is obviously able to see straight through my cavalier attitude.

Once we get our bags, we head to the private car park area, where the valet brings our cars around while we wait with the rest of the team. We might not be able to avoid the security line, but at least we don’t have to deal with the public parkade when we fly.

“Alright, well I’ll see you tomorrow,” I tell Seth, giving him a nod as I climb into my car.

“Yep,” he replies, taking the keys from the valet, his expression a little sad.

I almost cave and tell him I’ll come around after I pick up Milo. Almost.

The truth is, though, I kind of want to kick back with Adele and just hang out on her couch while she tells me about her trip…

Yeah… I’m not going to dig too deep into those feelings right now.

Adele buzzes me up when I arrive, and once I’m standing at her door, I can hear her trying to convince Milo to come out from under the bed once again.

Honestly, the dog is just a giant chicken, dressed up to look like a golden retriever .

She opens the door, shaking her head with a sigh. “Sorry, every single time someone knocks, he’s off.”

Grinning, I step through the door when she moves aside. “Don’t worry, he does that at home, too.”

A second later, a blur of golden fur flies out of her bedroom and crashes into me.

Milo’s entire body is shaking because of how hard his tail is wagging while he jumps up to put his paws on my stomach.

“Hey, buddy. Did you miss me?” I scratch behind both his ears while he looks up at me with a big doggy grin.

He woofs in response, and Adele laughs. “Ever the character. I’ve filmed a few videos, but I should have set the camera up for when you got here.”

I’d forgotten all about the social media stuff.

“That’s okay. He does it every time, I’m sure we’ll manage to get something.”

She moves towards the kitchen. “Want a drink?”

“Yes, please.” I push Milo down gently, and he follows me as I take a seat on the couch.

She joins me on the couch a moment later and hands me a can of diet pop.

“I didn’t know you drank this,” I say as I open it.

She blushes. “I started keeping it for you, since I’m home more now. Figured you might want a drink sometimes when you pick up Milo.”

I can’t keep the grin from spreading across my face. “You stocked your fridge for me?”

She shrugs, her cheeks growing an even darker shade of pink. “Whatever. It’s not a big deal.”

I lower the can, holding her gaze. “It’s a very big deal. You were thinking about me when you did your grocery shopping.”

She glares at me, a cute little pout forming as she pulls her sweater sleeves over her hands. “Don’t let it go to your head, Linc.”

“Too late,” I reply with a grin. She kicks me lightly, and I catch her foot in my hand before she can pull it away, pulling it into my lap and holding it there as I run my thumb up and down the arch underneath. “Admit it. You like me.”

“Not right now, I don’t,” she replies, although she doesn’t try to pull her foot away.

“You like me, and you like hanging out with me,” I say in a sing-song voice.

She leans her head back, looking up at the ceiling. “Ugh, you’re so annoying.”

“You like me annoying you.”

She looks at me again. “Lincoln?”

“Yes, Adele?”

“Shut up.”

I smirk and lift the can to my mouth again, taking another mouthful. The cool, sweet liquid feels like the best thing I’ve ever tasted, now that I know she bought it especially for me.

“Want to watch a movie, or something?” I ask after a moment, continuing to run my thumb along the underside of her foot.

She raises an eyebrow. “You don’t want to head home? I figured you’d want to just chill at home after being away so long.”

“Nah. I’m fine here.”

She considers me for a moment, watching as Milo jumps up and curls up on the couch beside me with his head on my thigh. “Yeah, okay. You pick, though.” She passes me the remote and I start scrolling through the movies she has available on her streaming services.

“Oh,” I say, stopping when I find a movie I haven’t watched in years. “We have to watch this one.”

“Eurotrip? What’s that?”

I stare at her, horrified. “You’ve never seen Eurotrip? It’s a cult classic!”

She shrugs. “It’s old. When would I ever have watched that?”

“I should leave right now. I can’t be associated with someone who hasn’t watched the classics.”

“You’re so dramatic. Just put the damn movie on and stop talking, O’Malley.”

I do as she says, pressing play on the remote and sitting back with my head resting against the back of her couch.

Sitting here, with my dog on one side and my ‘fake’ girlfriend on the other, the feeling of contentment that settles over me is unfamiliar, and I wonder why I’ve never let myself feel this comfortable with another person before.

I’ve spent my whole adult life actively avoiding letting anyone get too close, at least in a romantic way.

So, I have to wonder, was there something wrong with me?

Or is it just because this woman has managed to find her way through one of the chinks in my armour?