Chapter 10
LAINEY
What am I doing?
I pace by the front door, waiting for a knock. My black dress with a small glitter pattern clings to my body but not in a too-much-skin kind of way. Why did I agree to this?
Enzo is at a sleepover, and I haven’t dated in a long time.
This isn’t exactly a date, is it? I’m doing him a favor.
A big one, because the idea of standing in a party full of hockey guys isn’t exactly up there on my list of holiday wishes.
But Bjorn has always been kind and respectful when my brother was around.
However, when Tyler asked me to join, maybe this caused my blood pressure to spike a bit, and it wasn’t half bad.
Maybe it’s time to get out of my comfort zone.
The knock on my door stops me in my tracks, and my eyes drill into the back of the door as if it will suddenly burst into flames. It’s nerves. That explains the butterflies letting loose inside of me.
After a calm reassuring breath and rolling my shoulders back, I decide I can do this.
I open the door, and Tyler is standing there with a cocky grin already painted on his face.
His hair is slightly gelled back, causing his eye color to intensify, and his blazer with dress shirt and dark jeans is formal enough but shows his laidback, albeit sometimes uptight personality.
He has a clearly expensive bottle of wine in his hand, too.
“Hi.” Maybe he can hear my nerves.
His eyes roam all over me, and without any words leaving his mouth, I’m getting concerned. “Is everything okay?”
“Yeah, it’s just the dress.”
Now I’m examining myself and drop my gaze down to check my body. “Oh, is it too much? I guess I can go change.”
His hand darts out to touch my arm and ease me. “No, no, it’s not that. It’s perfect on you. You’re beautiful. I’m kind of scared that I’ll be warning the rookies to stay on the other side of the room.”
My smile spreads because a compliment is a compliment.
Then we both seem to stall. I notice that his eyes squinch together, and I feel self-conscious.
“What?” My brows knit together.
His smile is almost wistful. “There’s glitter on your hand.”
My eyes plunge down, and the corner of my mouth snags. “Hazards of my job. Preschoolers and glitter that never wants to come off. It’s holiday season, which means every day there is a new craft and holiday. Today was decorating your own dreidel for Hanukkah.”
The back of his knuckle scrapes along his stubbled jaw. “It suits you at least. Matches your eyes.”
“Don’t try to charm me through cheesy lines.”
“I would never. Ready to go?”
“Yeah. It will take us forever to get there,” I tease. “You know, traffic on the stairs and all.”
I twist my body to reach behind me for my sweater on the hook by the door. To my surprise, he takes my sweater and opens it to help me slip it on. Lines form on my forehead as I pick up my own bottle of wine from the side table. A gift is a gift no matter if the bottle was on sale.
“Not going to lie. Gentleman Tyler is kind of discerning. I’m not used to this.”
He chuckles once. “I can be full of surprises. Just like, we will be wearing Santa hats.” On cue, he pulls them out of his back pocket. “Asher issued a memo that the team should have a little more positive holiday cheer.”
“He said it like that?”
“No. But then marketing told us that we need to get it together because our pre-game arrival photos are not up to par with other teams’.
When one of the guys said he has an elf hat and another guy said reindeer ears, I opted for Santa.
It’s sophisticated enough if I had to choose from those options. ”
The way this guy thinks puts a smile on my face.
It’s when we begin to walk down the stairs that I become positive that this is going to be a night to remember.
I’m grateful when the group at Bjorn’s isn’t too big or small.
The apartment is beautiful, with garland and white lights all around.
I also appreciate that Tyler introduced me to some of the new players as his neighbor.
Many already know that I’m Seb’s little sister, but there have been a lot of trades lately, though a few faces are the same.
For a millisecond, my mind sends a signal to my body that I would probably be disappointed if Tyler got traded.
Tyler’s hand is on my back as we stand with drinks in hand, listening to Bjorn. He is telling us about how his parents are going to fly in and stay a few weeks later in the season. He’s superstitious and believes having his mom at a game will bring extra luck.
“I hope one day my son thinks that way,” I quip before taking a sip of my wine.
“He will. Enzo is crazy about you,” Tyler assures me.
Bjorn smiles as his eyes swim between Tyler and me. “When will he start playing hockey?”
The question on everyone’s mind when it comes to Seb’s nephew. “Believe it or not, I’m not so great on skates. Seb was in charge of Enzo when it came to anything hockey. But until the season breaks, Enzo is just going to have to wait.”
“Nah, I can take him,” Tyler offers.
My eyes swing to him. He says it so casually, and that’s what surprises me. I should be fighting the idea that he could be a male figure in Enzo’s life, because it’s dangerous. Enzo needs stability. However, everything inside of me reassures me that all is well.
“Want another drink?” he asks because he has no clue the current status of my brain.
“Sure,” I nimbly reply.
I can’t help it, but my eyes follow Tyler working his way through the crowd of people.
“He’s a good guy,” Bjorn mentions. “Strong ethic out there on the ice, and off the ice, he’s kind of quiet. Actually, a bit reserved at times, but every team has one of those guys. You’re close with him?”
My lashes flutter because I take a moment. “We’re just neighbors.” I shrug.
He curls his lip and makes a noise as his head tips gently to the side. “He kind of has this… what’s the word…” It’s obvious that he’s searching in his head, which is fair enough, as English isn’t his first language, then he snaps his fingers. “Aura. That’s it.”
I scoff a laugh. “That would be because Scrooge is in the midst of holiday season.”
“What I meant is lately he’s been… He actually smiles… voluntarily,” he simply states.
Is it because of me?
“Must be because of the garland above his door or something.” I quickly pretend to take a sip of my empty glass as my eyes scan around the room in an attempt to avoid any further details.
I’m thankful when Tyler reappears with a drink for me. “What have you two been talking about?” He hands me a new small glass, and I set the old one down on a nearby table.
“You.” Bjorn stares at him seriously, only to break out in a wide grin a few seconds later. “You look good in a Santa hat. It will help you when we break out some games later. Someone’s girlfriend mentioned Who Am I or whatever the hell that game is.” Bjorn pats Tyler’s back in passing.
Tyler stands in front of me with a subtle wry smile. “Should I be worried?”
I laugh once. “You’re fine.”
“They were handing these out in the kitchen.” He holds up his small glass of clear liquid.
Glancing down at my own, I shrug and decide to give it a try, only to nearly spit it out. “Whoa. What is this?” It’s enough alcohol for the entire year.
“Some kind of schnapps or something. I’m not sure, but it tastes kind of lethal.”
“Yeah, I’m gonna go easy on this one.”
He chuckles, and his brows rise as he quickly clinks my shot glass then downs his as if he is a pro. He smiles at me. “What? He made the team drink this at the end of last season. It’s not my first rodeo.”
“I noticed.”
For the next hour, we each get caught in conversations with others. Tyler is busy talking to teammates but appears to be relaxed, and I only hear various tail ends of his conversations but there isn’t much hockey talk. Meanwhile, I catch up with girlfriends of a few of the guys that I already knew.
It’s getting late or at least for my standards. Quickly I go to the restroom and emerge only to nearly run into Tyler.
“There you are.”
I stare at him strangely. “Scared I ditched you?” I tease.
He lifts a shoulder, and I wonder if he is buzzed, but he doesn’t appear to be. Maybe a little loose from a drink or two but definitely completely aware of the way his eyes are spearing into me, and my body is beginning to quicken.
“I like the necklace.” He steps forward, and his hooked finger glides along a strand of gold garland wrapped around my neck because I added it half an hour ago when someone wanted to swap for my hat.
The way his eyes drop down to where he is touching me below my collarbone, it’s as though his finger is a feather dancing around my chest.
I step closer to him, feeling a wave of sensuality flood me. There is nobody around, but it still feels dangerous. “Sorry, I decided being Santa’s helper isn’t for me,” I softly inform him, and I notice how my voice is flirty.
His eyes meet mine, and for a second of silence, it’s clear what we both want to suggest.
“We’ve made an appearance, and they’re setting up for karaoke which is my sign that we should escape.”
“I couldn’t agree more,” I insist.
His lips purse as he blows out an audible exhale, as though he needs to cool himself off. He must be heating up the way I am.
It’s a quick goodbye and thank-you to Bjorn. I’m happy he is enjoying himself tonight, plus it was super sweet that he sent us home with knack, a sort of Swedish toffee for Enzo.
Arriving in front of our doors, we both stall. My eyes look everywhere except at Tyler. Everything inside of me is racing.
“Well, that was fun. He’s a good guy,” I attempt to make conversation.
“Yep.” Tyler taps his foot on the carpet, and I’m about to say something, but he beats me to it. “Listen, about that kiss…”
I’m going to go bold, and I ensure that our eyes lock together. “Can we just admit that we both want this night to end only one way?”
His entire body deflates as though he was holding air in. “Thank fuck.”