Tricky Puck: a Fake Fiancee Hockey Rom-Com (Portsmouth Whalers Hockey Romance)

Chapter 18

Iwait outside the friends and family room, far enough from the door not to be noticed with all the comings and goings. I saw them all inside, his family and mine. Granny introducing my family to his and his Grandma seeming to know Granny like they’re old pals.

That would explain things. I’ll have to have a long talk with Granny about that—when it’s all over. Right now, the less said about the matchmaking deal, the better.

Finally I see Link jump off the elevator and jog toward the lounge, so I emerge from skulking mode and pretend like I happen to be arriving at the same time.

Okay, so I’m a chicken. This one time, I need fortification and Link Milano is it. My back up, my co-conspirator in the scheme to out-foil the matchmakers—I’m including our grandmothers as official matchmakers along with their hired gun.

“Hey there,” I say, linking his arm with mine before he pushes through the door. I eye him in his sweats. “I see you dressed for the occasion.”

“I see you dressed.” He eyes my Whalers jersey and I spin around to show him his name and number on my back. “I like it.”

The low timber of his voice does something to me—and my butterflies—but I clamp down and he puts an arm around me.

“You ready?” He asks as if he knows I’m not, but I nod. “Let’s do this,” he says, sweeping me in the door to an elegant lounge fully stocked with all the food and drink my hungry brothers could ask for.

“And there he is,” says a very old and very lively woman with a gray bun and sparkling green eyes I’d recognize anywhere. Most of the crowd in the room belongs to our families as they all draw in around us.

“Delaney Collins, this is my grandma.” He draws me to meet her and she opens her arms to me, so I step in. She’s small but her hug is heartfelt and I’m feeling more comfortable as I back away, and more guilty.

“Your grandson is a delight and I can see why he adores you.”

“Didn’t I tell you she’d be perfect for you, Lincoln.”

His smile looks real to me as he hugs his grandma.

Link introduce me to the rest of his family and forget about handshakes—they all hug me and smile curiously, even reverently. Except when it comes to his sister Rose.

“My sister Rose plays hockey at UNH,” the pride in his voice is magic and I can’t help wanting some of that aimed at me. Rose shakes my hand like I might be contagious.

“How’s training going? I can’t wait to go to one of your games.”

“I have three games circled on my calendar that don’t conflict with your schedule. I’ll text you the dates.” Her smile for her brother matches his and when they embrace, he lifts her off the floor in true big brother style.

I dart a glance at my brothers who are waiting patiently for their introductions, eying Link with everything from curiosity to animosity. Oh boy. I start by introducing my Granny.

He hugs her and she laughs. “You’re bigger than I expected,” she says and she’s not joking.

I hear Rose say under her breath to her sisters, “That’s what she said just before the bed broke.” I bite my lip to stop my laugh.

I introduce him to my uncles and aunt. He holds onto me, making me feel like the lie is okay. Like maybe it’s not all fake.

But fuck no—I can’t go there. Not even soaking in all his warmth and confidence can make me cave into those feelings that creep around the edges of my consciousness. I need to keep alert and on guard at all times.

Like right now, the way he’s looking at me, the way he’s so sweet to Granny telling her how he can see how beauty runs in the family.

“Being a wise ass runs in the family too,” she says and he laughs, his eyes crinkling and his dimple showing, an authentic laugh, as if he likes Granny. For real.

Link shakes my brothers’ hands. The only one who smiles at him is Torin—maybe because he’s a hockey fan.

“I’ve seen you play in Madison Square against the Rangers.” Torin nods as if in approval.

“A hockey fan. Thank god,” Link grins. “Maybe you can work with Delaney on that.”

Everyone laughs and then they all talk at once. There are no shy wallflowers in this group. My brothers grill Link about his career and financial stability—and his reputation as a chick magnet, from what I can catch. I manage to not cringe out loud.

Because his sisters, mother and Granny surround me and gush over how happy they are that Link has someone special and how happy he looks.

Rose says, under her breath again, “Getting some action on the regular tends to make a guy happy.” Her mother elbows her and I barely contain a snort of laughter. I really like her.

In no time, Link takes my hand and says, “I have to get going. I’ll see you all after the game.”

“We won’t be able to stay,” his grandma says. “Me and Bernadette need to get home. We might even need to leave early—I hope you don’t mind. I brought cookies to make it up to you. We had to bribe the security guard to get them in here, but he wisely relented when we told him they were for you.”

He takes his grandma into a hug so fierce and emotional I almost feel a tear coming on. I put an arm around my Granny and give her a half hug while I watch him and my heart tumbles. There are no butterflies and I’m almost terrified to think about what that means. Am I past the crushed stage and into seriously dangerous territory?

“I’m disappointed, Grandma, but I’ll think of you every time I eat a cookie. And I’ll try and get home again as soon as I can.”

He lets her go and takes my hand. “Leave the cookies with Delaney. I trust her not to eat them all.” He squeezes my hand in warning and I laugh. “If you’ll excuse us—” He’s drawing me toward the door, but his Grandma stops us.

“You can kiss her good-bye in front of us. In fact, I’d prefer it.” Everyone laughs and claps and Rose whistles. My brothers stare and a bubble of nerves lodges in my chest. I can feel Link stiffen next to me.

But he nods and smiles at his Grandma and turns to me. His pirate eyes don’t look hesitant as he pulls me in and lowers his mouth to mine, scorching my soul and sending me instantly into a state of hot desire. I see visions of orgasms in my near future and when he lets go, cold disappointment suffuses me.

I see a flicker of something in his eyes, like fierce determination as if he’s promising me more. He recedes from me slowly until his hand reaches mine and squeezes one last time. Then he walks out the door to a chorus of well wishes for the game and a shout of kick their asses from Rose and Torin.

That wasn’t so bad. My heart hammers, telling maybe it was too good.

At the game,I’m sitting between the two grandmothers. We have great seats not too far from the Whalers bench where I mostly stare at Link until he hops over the boards onto the ice. I watch him closely no matter how fast he skates like he’s trying to escape my stare—until some beast of a guy from the other team crashes him into the boards with his stick.

I clap my hands over my face and my whole body shudders in empathy. His grandma pats my back. “Don’t worry he’ll be fine. He’s a big boy and he wears pads. Plus number 9 is getting a penalty for cross-checking.” She sounds almost happy.

“Is that a good thing?”

She nods and continues to educate me on hockey. At half-time or whatever the break is called, my granny asks about my song writing.

When I confesses that I’ve written a song about him, Granny starts humming Here Comes the Bride and I bursts out laughing. But when my laugh dies down, a frisson of fear replaces it.

I can’t lose control of my life. I have too much I want to do, too far to go when I’m just getting started and I can feel I’m about to turn a corner.

When we have a safe lead some time during the 3rd period I’m told—it’s five to one--I get up and go to the lady’s room. It’s almost empty, but I hear a familiar voice and around the corner I see Cherry, Emery and Tina, the girlfriends and wives of Link’s teammates.

“Great game isn’t it?” Cherry says.

“Link is on fire. You must be so proud,” Emery says.

“Yes.” I bob my head and realize with a burst of horror that it’s true. Shit.

“Who are you here with?” Cherry asks. “I saw you sitting with a crowd of people.”

“It’s my family. And Link’s family. It’s the first time I met them.”

“Oh boy,” Cherry rolls her eyes. “Fun times, right?”

I laugh

Emery says, “What are you doing tomorrow afternoon? Would you like to come to lunch with us?”

“That would be fantastic.” I say the words with uncharacteristic enthusiasm and no hesitation. Shit. I’ve missed having girlfriends to hang around with. Or anyone besides Link, and it gets lonely when he’s away.

“Perfect. I’ll text you the deets.”

I barely get back to my seat in time for the end of the game and then it’s time to says good bye to both families. We hug it out and I’m left with waiting for Link in the restricted area outside the locker room. This time I feel satisfaction when I show the security guard my credentials and he nods respectfully at me.

I almost stop and wait for an apology for the last time, but I realize he might not even remember me. Why would he? It looks like I’m one of a hundred people who come and go through here every game.

Maybe one of a thousand who tell him they’re with Link.

Shit. Why does that thought bother me so much?