Page 20 of Pucking the Team

“Where are you from, Dylan?” I asked him. “I’m guessing USA.”

“You guessed right, I grew up in Florida.”

“Ah, so no big move to play for The Vipers?” I smiled. Chatting was good. It was taking my mind off Steven and what he would be doing now. Likely shagging Cheryl and laughing at how well the day had turned out for them with me out of their way. They could be together now, no more sneaking off and stealing gropes and kisses. With a bit of luck it was the illicit nature of the affair that was the attraction and they’d be bored and bickering within a week.

“I did move,” Dylan was saying. “My family is from Tampa. I couldn’t do that drive day in day out so I bought next to these guys.” He gestured to Benjamin. “We all joined the team about the same time, and the community was a new build. Eduardo lives there, too.”

“You like playing hockey for The Vipers?” I asked him.

Dylan set down his fork, leaned forward with his elbows on the table, and stared me in the eyes. He held my gaze with an intensity that almost made me squirm. “I don’t like it,” hesaid, his voice a low rumble. “I breathe it. I sleep it. I eat, drink, and live it. The Vipers are my big love, and being on the team is every dream I ever had come true. Going to work is like all my birthdays and Christmases have come at once. It’s not even like work, it’s my passion. Hockeyismy passion.”

“Wow.” I nodded seriously. “Good to know.” I paused and broke eye contact. “And having a job you love is the recipe for a happy life, right?”

“What do you do, Pippa?” Theo asked.

“Hey, can we have your autograph?” Several young fans in Viper t-shirts were standing by the table with pens and programs at the ready.

“Sure.” Ben smiled and reached for the nearest pen. “What name shall I write?”

“Gethin.” The kid grinned, showing a gappy smile. His mother stood close.

“Wanna photo, too?” Ben asked, standing. He’d finished his meal.

“Yes, please. And with your brother in it?”

“Of course, we come as a pair.” Theo laughed and also stood.

Suddenly, all around me there was a hustle of excited chatter and bustling bodies.

Dylan was accosted by two male fans in Viper caps and was posing for pictures. He didn’t really smile, just stared penetratingly at the camera. I guessed that was his way.

I sat back and sipped my water. These guys were a big deal, that much was obvious. Just because I had no clue about ice hockey and the top teams, it didn’t mean that thousands of adoring fans didn’t. And The Vipers being here, being accessible, was quite the occasion.

Ramrod the captain, seemed to be getting the most attention, though Eduardo was a close second and so was Brick.

Eduardo caught me watching and threw a wink my way.

I stood and went to the window, stared out. How had my life gotten so surreal so quickly? I knew no one here but still felt as if I had friends looking out for me.

It was a strange sensation, and I had to fight not to let the emotions topple through me in a teary outburst. That could wait until later.

“Hey, Pippa, how you doin’, hun?”

I turned at the sound of a female voice. Gina.

“Yes, fine thanks, just…fuck, is it okay that I’m here? The guys, they said…”

“Hey, of course.” She rested her fingers on my forearm and smiled. “We’re not in the habit of turning away someone in need.”

I sighed a little. “Thanks, it’s been a shit day, but I’ll be out of your hair tomorrow.”

“What are you going to do?”

“Fly away somewhere, anywhere.”

She nodded. “Heard from the groom?”

“No, and if I never speak to him again I’ll be happy. We didn’t have property together or joint bank accounts, so it’s a straightforward breakup, if you don’t include him screwing my best friend and me leaving him at the altar.”