Page 189 of Pucking Sweet

Pulling my finger away from the precious fur baby, I huff, flicking my ponytail off my shoulder. “Hold your horses. And it’s not athing, Lukas,” I add, feeling raw and vulnerable under his heavy stares. “It’s a dog. A very rare breed of dog called a Chinese Crested.”

“It’s shivering, and it can smell my fear,” he says with a scowl.

Okay, who spit in his cereal? Why did he even come?

Ryan is the perfect distraction, stepping in with his big body to block me from Lukas. “So, uhh, what’s the deal here?”

“We’re shooting a short commercial for the Humane Society,” I explain. “It will go on all our socials too. Just pick an animal and take the card on top of their cage. Then you read out what’s on the card in front of the camera.”

“You, uhh…you want me to read what’s on the card?”

“Mhmm.” I take one off the top of the bulldog’s cage. “So, this one says her name is Gracie, and she’s a five-year-old American Bulldog. She’s house trained, loves kids, blah, blah, blah. Just read the card.” Slapping the card to his chest, I turn, taking a deep breath. “Colton,you’re up first.”

He’s still standing with Lukas, tickling his puppy’s tummy. “Dude, I swear, I’m gonna adopt this little guy myself.”

“At least yours has fur,” says Lukas. “I feel like I’m holding a raw chicken.”

Colton snorts as they both follow me over to the camera spot. Lukas steps in at my back. “Hey—can we talk after this?”

Down the other end of the rink, the goalies still haven’t finished their practice. “Hey, can you stop slapping pucks for five minutes,” I shout. “You can stay in the shot, but we need some quiet for this.”

Eric glares at me. “You realize this is a hockey rink, and this is a hockey practice!”

“I reserved this rink for 11:30,” I call back. “You were supposed to be done a half hour ago. Now, clear off my ice, or I’ll drag youallin front of the camera. Yes, I mean you too, Eric!”

He knows I don’t actually mean it. Eric is tough as nails as a coach, but a big softie once he steps off the ice. A box of my homemade toffee nut cookies will smooth this over easily.

Lukas isn’t deterred by my pathetic dodge. He’s right there at my back, still cradling that poor little dog like it’s a pit viper. “I’d like to talk to you,” he says again. “After this—like, not now. Not holding this,” he adds at the shivering dog.

“Lukas, I have an impossible day—”

“Five minutes of your time,” he pleads.

“Hear him out,” Colton says.

I glance between them. “Please don’t do this here,” I whisper, knowing the camera man is approaching. “Please. I’m barely holding it together.”

With a stiff nod, Lukas steps away.

It only takes them a few minutes each to shoot their spots. Colton goes first, charming the cameras with his little rundown of “Pepper” the puppy. The camera angle is perfect for when the excited puppy starts to pee, and we all laugh.

Lukas is also a natural. He sells the hell out of that little hairless dog. I can’t help but smile as I watch him. A picture flashes in my mind of him holding our baby like that, laughing and smiling as he swings him toward the camera, just to make him squeal. The image feels so real, it makes my heart physically hurt. I have to step away.

“Okay, Ryan,” I call out. “You’re up. Did you pick your animal? Let’s go, honeybun. We don’t have all morning.”

Ryan is distracted talking to Mars. The goalie towers over him in his full kit.

“Ryan,” I call again.

“We’re coming,” he says. “Mars and I are gonna shoot the spot together.”

“Oh…” I glance between them, confused. Mars Kinnunen Pricenevervolunteers to help with this kind of thing. It’s usually all we can do to get him to sit for press conferences to talk about hockey. “Oh, that’s wonderful,” I say, hurrying over.

Ryan steps over to the row of cages and pulls out the tiny gray and white kitten.

My heart squeezes tight again. “Oh, my goodness, that kitten is double cute.”

He holds it close to his chest, and I step in, unable to help myself from giving her a few pets, wiggling my finger under her chin. She turns her little face up, purring like she’s got a box of marbles in her chest. How can such a big sound come from such a tiny animal?