Page 19 of One-Time Shot

“Well, this is as far from my comfort zone as the moon,” I admitted, gesturing between us.

Jett’s lips quirked. “Same for me. I don’t know anyone who reads science journals for fun.”

“They’re missing out.”

“No doubt.” He stretched his long legs under the table and accidentally bumped my knee. “Sorry about that. All right…if hockey is momentarily off limits, tell me about you.”

“Me?” I pointed at my chest. “Why?”

“We can’t just sit here staring at each other, Maloney. Gimme somethin’.”

“Like what?”

“Social shit, like…where are you from? What are you doing after you graduate? When did you start wearing glasses? Do you have siblings? A favorite movie, a favorite color, a favorite band?” He rolled his hand meaningfully. “I could keep going.”

I snickered softly. “All right, but try not to fall asleep. My life isn’t exciting.”

“Let me be the judge of that.”

“Okay, I’m from a small town outside of Rochester and—” I stopped as my dinner partner slumped in his seat and snored…loudly. “Very funny.”

“Kidding, just kidding.” He popped up, an affable grin in place and darn it, I was charmed all over again. “Keep going.”

I sipped my water, idly noting the businesslike way he tore paper from his straw. He was as precise and measured as a scientist.

Jett was hard to figure out. One moment, he seemed tough and unapproachable, and the next, he was silly and endearing and dreamy. A dangerous combination indeed.

And he was staring at me.

I shifted, sitting a little taller in the scuffed-up leatherette booth. “My parents are teachers. Mom is a biologist, and Dad is a linguist. My sister is a freshman at Cornell, studying computers and information science. I think that makes Audrey the rebel of the family.”

“A bunch of smarties,” Jett commented.

“I suppose so. What about your family?”

Jett pulled a comical face. “They’re a hot mess.”

“Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to?—”

“Nah, it’s not that bad.” He waved off my concern with a casual flick of a wrist. “My folks are divorced and have actively hated each other since I was eight. Thankfully, they live in different countries now. My mom moved to Toronto a few years ago, and Dad lives in Detroit—that’s where I’m from. I also have an older brother in California and an older sister in Florida. My dad’s new wife has kids, so I have step siblings too. Thankfully, they’re pretty cool.”

“What do you do during the holidays? Do you see your family?” I held up a hand, quickly adding, “If that’s too nosy, don’t feel obliged to answer.”

“It’s no big deal,” he said with a nonchalant shrug. “We usually have games the day after Thanksgiving in some city that’s nowhere near family. The last couple of holidays, I’ve had dinner at a teammate’s house. But three years ago, I turned down the invites, stayed at the hotel, ordered room service, and watched movies all damn day. It was heaven.”

“Oh, I wouldn’t like that at all.”

“It was perfect for me. My mom drinks too much, and she’s not great company after a few. And my dad…he’s got big expectations. He owns a real estate firm that does pretty well. He says he’s rooting for me to go pro, but we never have a single conversation that doesn’t end with him telling me that I should plan to move home next year and join his business. Shoot me fucking now.”

“Which do you object to—Michigan or real estate?”

“Neither. Michigan is great, and I have nothing against making money. I just…” He furrowed his brow intently, his voice raw as he continued. “I want to do it my way.”

Of course, I was more curious than ever now, but Shar arrived with our meals and spent a minute or so flirting with Jett. By the time she left, the moment was gone. Jett descended on his food like a vulture, sighing obscenely as he dipped his fries into the extra blue cheese dressing Shar had brought for his salad.

Conversation veered to neutral topics while we ate. Jett professed an unholy fondness—his words, not mine—for bacon, James Bond movies, Kendrick Lamar, and the Red Wings. His favorite color was blue but not just any blue. It was a shade of royal blue mixed with navy. I argued that the spectrum between those hues was vast, which sparked a debate about alchemy, science in general, and then physics in particular.

It was my turn to blab about my academic aspirations and my fascination with great minds like Newton, Faraday, and Einstein.