22. Sara
TWENTY-TWO
SARA
“Damn, girlie. Brooks is going to come in his pants when he sees you wearing his jersey.”
With a squeal, I spin around and throw my arms out.
Lennox launches herself into my arms, her platinum blond hair swinging back and forth in its high ponytail as we sway from side to side, holding tight to each other. Her sugary scent permeates the air, hitting me with a dose of pure elation.
“You smell like a candy shop.”
She pulls back, grasping my biceps, and shimmies her shoulders. “Thanks. I snagged the bottle and the lotion as my last F-U when I left the spa.”
“Wait.” My stomach flips over. “I thought you loved that job?”
Until this moment, I thought Lennox was still working for a nationwide chain of upscale spas. She traveled to each one to help them pick their stock.
With a huff, she throws her head back. “I did. But then I may have told Janine that she swallowed too many kids, and that’s why everything that comes out of her mouth is childish. HR wasn’t a fan of that.”
I snort. “You did not.”
“Sar,” she says, popping one hip, “she sucked. You know it takes a lot to get me to that point.”
I tip my chin down and scrutinize her, my lips pressed into a straight line.
She holds up her hands and takes a step back. “Fine. Okay, I’m always like that. I can’t help it if I’m incapable of lying. You see this face?” She moves one pale pink nail in a circle in front of her. “It conveys all my thoughts, with or without my permission.”
With a laugh, I turn back to my mirror. We need to leave for the arena in ten minutes, and the nerves are starting to eat at me. I still haven’t decided whether to tell Lennox the truth or stick to the fib that Brooks and I are really dating.
I trust her with my life and every one of my secrets, but Brooks and I haven’t discussed the idea of cluing her in to the ruse, and if I do so without checking in with him first, it feels like I’d be betraying him.
That is the last thing I want to do, but I don’t know if I can openly lie to my bestie.
“You look…”
She taps her finger against her chin and circles behind me, taking me in. I focus on my reflection and finishing my makeup, but her scrutiny is like a physical touch. It’s impossible to ignore the way she’s studying me.
“You got laid.”
“No I didn’t.” The words escape me far too quickly. Before they’re even out, I realize I’ve made a huge error.
“Oh.” She nods. “You’re right. You didn’t.” With a step closer, she lifts one brow. “But you did have a male-induced orgasm.”
She’s eerily good at this game. In college, she could tell a girl exactly what she’d done the night before, down to which hand the guy used to get her off. I’m not sure anyone would call it a talent, but it’s certainly a skill she’s perfected.
I cover my mouth with a palm to hide the way my lips tip up as she pushes even closer.
“And he used a toy.” In my periphery, her eyes go wide, and she clings to my arm. “Oh my God. He touched your ass.”
“How the hell do you do that?” I huff out an annoyed sigh and spin so I can stare her down. “It was Brooks. We’re a thing now, so don’t be weird about it.”
With an ear-piercing squeal, she throws her arms around me. “Oh, thank fuck. I was nervous it was Seb doing the ass stuff, and honestly, Brooks is so much hotter.”
“And nicer. That’s the important part, Lenny. He’s a nice guy.”
“With huge hands. That’s gotta mean?—”
I slap a hand over her mouth. “Please do not start talking about my boyfriend’s dick.”
I can feel her smile beneath my fingers, and her eyes light up. It’s impossible not to grin right back at her.
“You’re really happy,” she says when I pull my hand away, going all mushy on me.
I have to look away before I admit the truth. Yes, I am really happy. And unfortunately, it’s fake.
“’Scuse us. We’re just going to see her boyfriend.” Lennox steps right up in front of the security guard, hands on hips.
Behind her, I shake my head and flash my badge.My best friend is ridiculous. She’s done that to every person we’ve seen.
“Hey, Sar,” he says with a chuckle.
“Evening, Stu. How are Laney and the baby?”
In response to my question, he pulls out his phone and taps the screen, then turns it toward me. His chest puffs out a bit as I take in a picture of his new baby.
“She’s adorable. Hope she’s sleeping for you.”
“She’s an angel,” he admits, wearing a soft expression so contradictory to his size and the security uniform he’s wearing. “Enjoy the game.”
“Oh, we will. Her boyfriend is going to dedicate a goal to her,” Lennox says.
Stu squints at her, but he’s polite and keeps his mouth shut.
With a groan, I shake my head. “She’s joking. She grew up watching hockey. She knows goalies don’t score goals.”
Lennox shakes her head. “Of course I know that. But now that he’s your boyfriend, I’m pretty sure Saint Brookie can do anything he puts his mind to.”
I pull her by the elbow, waving bye to Stu. “Tone it down. Remember, I’m working right now.”
“Technically,” she drawls, “you work after the game. When it’s time to deal with the press. Attending the game is a perk.”
I drop her elbow and sigh. She’s not wrong. It’s why Brooks told me to sit in the WAG section tonight.
“Just be good when we go down to the ice. I want to check in with Gavin before the game. Then you can go back to being your obnoxious self.”
Grinning, she loops her arm through mine and rests her head on my shoulder. “It’s so good to be home.”
“You don’t live here.” I drop my head to hers and soak in how good it feels to have her with me, even if it’s temporary.
“Boston will always be my home.” Her tone is wistful. It’s so unlike my always loud and extreme friend, it gives me pause. When she gets quiet, it means she’s really in her feelings.
“You can stay with me whenever you want.”
She snuggles closer. “No, you need space to boink your new boy toy.”
“Oh my God. Who says boink?”
“It’s like the new it saying. I read it in Jolie .”
“You did not. Jolie would never print that garbage.”
“You’re right.” She laughs as I push open the gate to the team bench. “But we could totally make it a thing. Especially now that you’re the future Mrs. Brooks Langfield .”
I suck in a sharp breath and then choke on my own saliva only to find every man in the vicinity staring.
The boys are already on the ice, thank God, so the number of people is far smaller than it could be. Just outside the bench area, chaos ensues as spectators crowd the glass, trying to get a good look at their favorite players before they’re forced to take their seats for the game.
Of course, Seb didn’t miss Lennox’s loudmouth insanity or my choking, and he stands with his arms crossed, eyes narrowed to slits. I swallow past the lump in my throat and pull my shoulders back. I won’t let him intimidate me.
Next to Seb, Gavin is dressed in a suit and watching the guys on the ice, completely oblivious to my predicament.
“Be good,” I whisper to my best friend.
She swallows her smile and nods.
“Hey, Gavin. Seb.” I keep the words clipped and my tone professional.
Gavin gives me a warm smile, but Seb’s expression remains dark.
“Puck bunnies aren’t allowed on the bench.”
Gavin reels back and swivels his head, blinking at Seb. Before he can speak, I take control of the conversation. “Not here to distract Brooks. Just making sure Gavin doesn’t need anything before Lennox and I find our seats.”
Gavin brightens at the mention of Lennox. “Oh shit.” He laughs. “If it isn’t Lennox Kennedy all grown up.”
She lowers herself in a ridiculous curtsy, and his smile grows as he pulls her in for a hug.
“Aiden know you’re here?”
Her smile falters for a half a second, but then it’s back and as bright as ever. “No. We didn’t really keep in touch.”
He nods, but his smile remains. “You should come by the bar after. I’m sure he’d love to see you.”
“Oh, I go wherever this girl goes.” She thumbs in my direction.
His lighthearted demeanor evaporates, and the look he gives me is full of sincerity. “Make sure you’re there.”
“Of course,” I squeak. I consider this man a friend. He’s easy to be around. But suddenly, I’m breaking out in a cold sweat under his attention.
Brooks skates over and pulls up his mask. “Hey, Pumpkin. Hey, Lennox.”
“Oh my God. He calls you Pumpkin.” Lennox splays a hand over her heart. “Gavin, did you hear that? He called her Pumpkin!”
Gavin stuffs his hands into his pockets and rocks back on his heels. “That he did. Good luck, Brooks. Looking good out there.”
Seb breaks into the conversation, all glowers and sharp words. “Enough fooling around, thirteen. Drop and give me a hundred.”
Brooks grits his teeth, his jaw going rigid, but he doesn’t dare fight Seb. Even as Gavin looks back and forth between the men, wearing a confused frown.
Once he’s tugged his helmet off, Brooks drops his stick to the ice and follows it down.
As he begins his count, women on the other side of the glass hoot and holler, and by the time he hits twenty, a crowd has formed.
Brooks pauses then and lifts his chin and hits me with a grin. “Hop on, Pumpkin. I could use a more challenging workout.”
Without hesitation, I throw a leg over the boards. Seb grasps my elbow but releases it quickly when Gavin pulls him back. “Let her be. The crowd is going to eat this up.”
Cheeks heating at all the attention, I settle my ass on my man’s back. “You sure about this, thirteen?”
He chuckles, glancing at me over his shoulder. “If it means getting close to that ass, then absolutely.”
Laughter rolls through me as he takes me up and down, all while Seb stews behind his iPad. After twenty push-ups, he snaps up straight and storms away.
Daniel and Tyler skate circles around us, spinning and dancing with one another like figure skaters, making the scene even more ridiculous. The crowd is almost deafening as they count along with Brooks.