Icing (Aces Hockey #1)(75)

She laughed. “Come on, Easton, I don’t think either of us is going to fully appreciate Hooters.”

“I hear they have good food. Okay, not Hooters.”

“Actually, I’m supposed to go out with Lovey and her friends tonight.”

“Oh. Fine. Go ahead and ditch your best friend who’s been with you through thick and thin.”

She bit her lip. “I’m sorry.”

“I’m kidding. It’s good for you to have new girlfriends. Anyway, I’m happy for you, boo. Go have fun tonight.”

“Thank you.”

Well, damn. She would have invited Easton to join them, but since she didn’t know the other girls, it wasn’t really her place to invite someone extra, especially a man to a girls’ night out, even if he was a gay man.

But at least if she couldn’t celebrate with the one person she really wanted to, this would be fun. She and Lovey had gone to a couple more games together and had lunch that day, and she really liked Duncan’s sister.

She would take a taxi rather than drive. She still had that rental car that Duncan was paying for, and every time she drove somewhere in it she both cursed him and thanked him. She should soon have the check from her insurance company and then she’d go buy a new car. Maybe she could get something better, since she now had a job!

Amber did a little spin of happiness as she moved down the hall to her bedroom to start getting ready.





Chapter 20


Amber was meeting Lovey and her friends at Roma, one of their favorite places. Lovey had assured her the big-screen TV would be playing the Aces game. She dressed in her best jeans, tucked a snug black long-sleeved T-shirt into them, and added a pretty scarf in black, gray, and pink looped around her neck. With her black high-heeled boots, she thought she looked okay.

Since she’d been seeing Duncan, she’d become aware of her limited wardrobe—jeans for school, black for working at the Sin Bin, which meant most of her wardrobe was dark. She’d learned that cheap accessories like pretty scarves and costume jewelry could make a black T-shirt look completely different. Maybe now that she had a full-time job, she’d be able to go shopping and buy a few new things.

Maybe she should also be thinking about getting a place of her own. That thought made her bottom lip push out as she tucked her cellphone into her purse. Leaving Easton would be sad, but he and Jamie seemed to be getting serious and maybe Easton would rather have his apartment to himself. But ack, her own place would no doubt be expensive.

Changes. Her life was changing. Even though it was good, even though she felt like an adult moving on with her life and her career, decisions about money and how to spend it and thinking about cars and apartments made her insides squeeze up with anxiety.

She locked the apartment door behind her and rode the elevator down to the lobby.

What was she so afraid of? She’d been through hell the last few years. She could do anything!

That got an earworm started in her head, the song by Hedley that also told her she could do anything, but it was a good refrain to play over and over as she sat in the taxi.

Lovey was already there with her friend Jillian. Introductions were made, Amber hung her jacket on a hook near their table and sat to look at the drinks menu. “What are you drinking?” she asked Lovey.

“A Porn Star Martini.”

Amber blinked. “Is it good?”

“It’s awesome. Here, taste.” She slid the glass across the polished wood table.

Amber took a sip. “Wow, that is good.”

“I’ve got a mojito,” Jillian said. “Lovey likes to try new drinks all the time.”

Lovey grinned. “Maybe I’ll try one of everything on the menu tonight.”

“And who’s going to carry you out of here?” Jillian asked. “Your big, buff boyfriend’s not around.”

“I’m the one who should be drinking everything on the menu,” Amber said. “I’m celebrating tonight.” She told them about her new job.

“Oh, congratulations!” Lovey jumped off her stool and came to throw her arms around Amber, startling her. “That’s so great! I’m happy for you!”

“Thank you.” Amber smiled and hugged her back, a little shimmer of happiness going through her that her new friend cared. “I think I’ll try a Rasmopolitan. I don’t usually drink cocktails. I’m more of a beer girl. But that sounds good.”

Lovey’s other friends, Dior and Leigh, arrived together then. More introductions and drink orders and congratulations ensued. As the others chatted, Amber sat back a little and listened. Jillian and Leigh and Dior had known one another for a long time; Jillian and Lovey had gone to college together in Madison and had just reconnected a few months ago when Lovey’d moved to Chicago. Leigh was quieter than the others, especially quieter than Lovey, who was so bubbly and energetic.