Page 35 of Pinch

“You’re really unexpected, you know that?” My head tilts to the side.

“I could say as much for you.” He gives me a wink.

“Other than Mav, I haven’t met a lot of guys who have the patience for little kids.”

“It’s not about patience. They just want somebody to listen to them and care.”

My eyes follow his to a beefy man in a Champions sweater picking up the boy with the “snake-dad.” I hold my breath a second as he excitedly shouts to his dad everything he learned today, including “a lady who’s a princessanda scientist!”

The man laughs, holding up his hand for a high-five, and he puts his arm around the little guy as they walk to the exit.

We both exhale a laugh, and I take Gav’s arm as I walk up the red carpet to the bench where I left my stuff. “I don’t know what I was expecting from that guy.”

“Something more sinister?” Gav’s tone is serious. “I was waiting to see what he’d do.”

“He must hide his snakeyness under a bushel.” I pick up my stuff. “Or maybe it was a joke, and his son didn’t get it?”

“Hard to know.” Gav shrugs. “Do you need a ride home? Give me a second, and I’ll get changed.”

It’s not long before he’s helping me into a black SUV that will take us home. Mav likes to drive his own car, but the team all have drivers available if they need them.

I notice my cousin standing with one of the little attendeesand talking to reporters. They take pictures, and another reporter has a mic and a television camera.

“You don’t have to do that?” I nod in their direction.

“Not yet.” He’s in jeans that stretch attractively over his thighs and a black hoodie. “I’m the new guy, but I expect that’ll change before long.”

His confidence is pretty much on par with all the hockey players I’ve ever met, but I can’t argue after watching him. “You and Mav play really well together.”

“We always have. It was tough when he left Atlanta, but he’s the reason I’m here.”

“I can understand wanting to play with your friends. Your schedule is about to go crazy.”

Every fall it’s the same. Mav’s games start up with a vengeance at the same time I go back to school and Gigi heads into dog show season.

She’s as busy with all the training and qualifying. It’s like dog-pageant-world.

It’s also the reason we came up with a schedule for spending time together. Otherwise, we’d be ships passing in the night, “same planet, different worlds.”

“I don’t know how you guys do it.” I look over at Gav. “You play so much all the time. You must be exhausted.”

“Nah, we love it.” He gives me that grin that makes my stomach tingle.

Clearing my throat, I look out the window. “I was surprised how many little girls were at the clinic today.”

“Girls can do whatever they put their minds to.”

“Right.” I glance back at him. “I noticed one little girl was a big fan of yours.”

“She was a good little player—and she wants to be a princess now, too.”

I think about that. “They’re not that different, you know.Pageants and hockey, I mean. Not when you get down to it. They’re both hyper competitive, and some participants take it way too seriously.”

“Are you saying pageant girls draw blood?”

“They can, figuratively speaking. I hate to take my mom’s side, but I’m not sure I’d want my daughter to do either one.”

“You’re making both our moms right,” he chuckles.