Total pages in book: 126
Estimated words: 116231 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 581(@200wpm)___ 465(@250wpm)___ 387(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 116231 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 581(@200wpm)___ 465(@250wpm)___ 387(@300wpm)
“Fuck off,” I bark, pushing his shoulder as we skate back to the boards. We do another five drills by the time our coach finally calls the end of practice. My ass is dragging as we skate off. “Maybe I shouldn’t have done the bike for an hour before ice,” I mumble, unsnapping my helmet and walking back down to the locker room.
I place my stick against the wall before tossing my gloves in the gray plastic bin in the middle of the room, then take off the jersey and throw it in the bin right before heading to the bench and sitting down. I start to unwrap the tape from my socks before untying my skates.
“Hey,” Jaxon says to me, and I look up as I start on my other sock, “you getting the kids tonight?”
I shake my head. “I get them tomorrow,” I tell him as he takes a sip of his protein shake that was waiting for him when he got off the ice. “Why?”
“We are going out for dinner,” he says, and I just look at him. “Kirby and Lexi are coming.”
“Have fun,” I tell him, taking the roll of tape I just took off me and tossing it into the garbage bin but missing it.
“You said you were lonely, so tonight it’s not just us. Lexi’s cousin is also joining us.”
“With a couple of guys from Nash’s office,” he mentions of Zoey’s husband, one of Ariella’s many cousin’s husbands, who I’ve met a couple of times when we went to play golf during the summer.
“You sure it’s not a thing for couples, right?” I ask him and he shakes his head.
“Yeah, send me the information,” I tell him, getting up after I take off my skates. I shower and when I get home, I collapse on the bed.
I pull up to the address Jaxon texted me at five, seeing the parking lot is pretty much slammed. I park in the back of the place, almost away from everyone. Getting out, I reach for the long sleeves of my black shirt, pulling them up to mid-forearm. As I open the door to the restaurant, I look around, seeing if I can find them. I step up to the hostess, who has her black hair high on her head in a ponytail. Her face forms a smile as she blatantly scans my body up and down. “I’m meeting friends,” I tell her. “Stevenson, maybe.”
“They are in the private room,” she says, “follow me.” she motions with her head to the side as we walk to the side of the restaurant. Then she stops right beside the bar, gesturing to a room off the side, but still in view of the bar.
“Hey,” I greet, walking in and doing a sweep of the table and seeing that it is, in fact, couples and I’m the odd man out, again. I turn to look to Jaxon, who avoids looking at me. I walk to the end of the table and pull out the seat right next to Kirby that is empty. “I’m going to kick his ass,” I mumble and then look at Lexi, who is sitting in front of Kirby with an empty seat across from her. “Hey.” I give her a chin lift, and I’m pissed.
“Hi.” She smiles at me. “How are you?”
“Good,” I start to say and then stop when I sense someone else walk into the room and I turn, hoping it’s not who I think it is.
“I’m sorry I’m late,” Kylie apologizes as Kirby pushes out from his spot to get up, blocking my view for a second but not for long. Once he walks to her, I see Jaxon get up to greet her too. My eyes roam, starting at the strappy white heels that are crossed over her toes then over the tops of her feet, moving up to wrap twice around the ankles. The white skirt she is wearing hits mid-thigh and has a little slit on one side, so you get an even better view of her leg as she walks. The top is white and looks like a blazer, but is cropped, showing a touch of her stomach. The lapels are folded and tied to the side. “Traffic and then getting an Uber was like the hunger games.” Her black purse dangles in her hand.
“It’s the Hunger Games.” Kirby kisses her cheek after she says hello to everyone. “You remember my teammate, Knox,” he says of me.
“How could I forget.” She smiles. “It’s nice to see you again.” She looks at her brother. “I’m going to go get something to drink.” She points to the bar. “I’ll be right back.”
I push off from the table. “I’ll join you,” I say, shocking her and myself, but I owe her a thank you for not telling her brother I was a dick.