Back Check (Aces Hockey #4)(50)

 

"Feel like I'm skating in fucking quicksand," Rupper said in the dressing room between the first and second, as he sat breathing hard. The game was still scoreless. "Can't get going out there, for fuck's sake."

 

Rupper was a guy who liked to skate with the puck, who liked to join the rush, as did Tanner, though he played defense.

 

"They're fucking dirty," Rico said.

 

"They're not dirty." Tanner stretched his legs out in front of him, water bottle in hand. "They're undisciplined, but they're not dirty."

 

"Fucking Landry," Rico said bitterly. "He's a monster."

 

The dude was six-five and probably over two hundred fifty pounds. Tanner couldn't argue with that. "He's an agitator," he said. "But he usually doesn't go over the line."

 

-

 

"How does it feel to be back at a hockey game?" Rachel asked Katelyn as they watched from their seats near one of the corners.

 

Katelyn had spotted Lovey and Amber as they came in and took seats in the section next to them, but they hadn't seen her. "Weird." She dipped her hand into her box of popcorn. "I've only ever been here for a concert. This is bigger than Munn." The arena at Michigan State.

 

"Oh yeah. Check out the Stanley Cup banners." Rachel nodded her head to where they hung from the rafters.

 

"Impressive."

 

She had no idea why, but she felt nervous. Her stomach was all fluttery and she couldn't sit still. Of course she kept looking for Tanner every time he was on the ice. Oh hell, she watched him when he wasn't on the ice. It was different seeing him in an Aces uniform, and yet it was familiar.

 

She tried to pay attention to the game, wincing at the hard hits into the boards, following the puck as each team tried to score. The Aces seemed to be outplaying the Stars and were definitely outshooting them, but there was no score at the end of the first period. She sensed the team's frustration with that.

 

It didn't take long for her to pick up on things and get invested in the game, her heart leaping with every Aces chance and every Stars shot on net.

 

As she and Rachel rose to go to the concourse between periods, Lovey saw her. Lovey's face lit up with a smile and she gave a huge wave. Katelyn waved back and Lovey pointed to the concourse. Katelyn nodded, smiling, and in the crowd they found each other.

 

"Hey!" Lovey said, giving her a hug. "So nice to see you here!"

 

"Yes, you too." She introduced Rachel and Lovey to each other.

 

"Are you a hockey fan, Katelyn?" Lovey asked. "It's so funny, I've never asked you that."

 

"I used to be."

 

"Right … when you were in college, I'm guessing."

 

"Yes. Michigan State." She sighed. "I used to go to all Tanner's games. I've never been to an Aces game, though."

 

"Never?" Lovey's eyes widened. Then she laughed. "Sometimes I forget not everyone lives and breathes hockey."

 

"That's understandable."

 

"You know I'm crazy curious about you and Tanner, right?"

 

 

 

        

          

        

         

 

Katelyn caught Rachel's amused look. "What do you want to know?"

 

"Look, there's obviously something between you. You're single. He's single. There's nothing wrong with that. And there's nothing unprofessional about it."

 

Katelyn bit her lip. "Thank you." She paused. "You sat us beside each other on purpose on Friday night, didn't you?"

 

Lovey laughed. "I confess. And it was so fun watching you two."

 

Katelyn groaned. "Please tell me not everyone knew what was happening."

 

"No. Just me. Well, maybe Marc. Who also told me to butt out and mind my own business." She grimaced. "Sometimes I interfere just a teensy bit in people's lives. But I have good intentions." Her smile faded and a little notch appeared between her eyebrows. "If you want to avoid him, just tell me and it won't happen again. I don't want to make you two uncomfortable."

 

Katelyn bit her lip. "Well, um, I guess I wouldn't be here if I were trying to avoid him."

 

Lovey's face brightened. "He knows you're here?"

 

"Yeah. He got us the tickets. He and I are, uh, going to see how things go … it's been a long time, but … " Her voice trailed off.

 

Lovey understood exactly what she was saying, though. "Yay!"

 

"I wasn't sure if I should tell you."

 

"Why not?"