Spying Under the Mistletoe (Love Undercover #2) - Stina Lindenblatt Page 0,44
I belong here. That, for a few hours, I’m part of something bigger than just being a job for Landon and his two colleagues.
By the time the game is finished over two hours later, I’m bouncing with excitement. Things got tense in the second period when the opposite team’s luck turned around. But in the end, Landon’s team won—with Landon scoring the winning goal.
He eventually joins us at the main entrance, his dark hair damp. “So what did you think?” he asks me.
I fling my arms around his neck, surprising us both, temporarily forgetting we’re not alone. Isabelle and Jayden are with us.
But as his girlfriend—okay, fake girlfriend—it’s my duty to show him how amazing I believe he is.
“It was great. You were great.”
Before I have a chance to release my arms from around his neck, he wraps his free arm around my waist and pulls me close. “Glad you enjoyed it.”
“Definitely. I can’t wait to see your next game.…” The enthusiastic words quickly fizzle in the air.
Because of what they imply.
Naturally, I’m hoping whoever wants me dead will be caught ASAP. But once that happens, Landon will move on to his next mission, and I’ll move on with my life.
A life without him in it.
And that includes no more of his hockey games.
“When’s your next game?” I ask, only too aware that my body is tingling where we’re touching. I release my arms from around his neck.
My body shouldn’t be reacting this way. Landon works for my cousin, and as much as I love Nikolai, he’s still the one who’s no doubt taking over my grandfather’s role of crime boss. He’s still the bad guy.
Which makes Landon the bad guy by default. Right?
Except Landon has already told me that he and his team work on the right side of the law—and that’s why Nikolai hired them.
Plus, Landon is nothing like the men who associated with my grandfather. Those men always left me with the sensation of a thousand tarantulas crawling over my body.
But with Landon, that’s not the case. Nothing about him has set off my “bad guy” alarms.
“Saturday,” Landon says, answering my question.
“Do…do you think by then you’ll have caught the person who wants me to disappear?”
“That would be preferable. The sooner everyone involved is in prison, the better. Is it likely?” He shakes his head.
For some strange reason, relief rushes through me at his words, like a warm summer breeze.
But the relief isn’t from the thought of having my life back, which, according to Landon, isn’t going to happen soon. It’s for a reason I don’t want to put a name to.
“Can I see your next game?” I ask.
Landon threads his fingers with mine. “That can be arranged.”
“You really were great out there.”
“I think you brought me luck.”
From beside me, Isabelle snickers.
“What?” I ask her, confused at why she’s laughing.
“I…Jayden just told me something funny?”
I look at him, waiting for him to explain. He doesn’t say anything. He stares at his fiancée with the same level of confusion that I feel.
“What are your plans for Thanksgiving?” Isabelle asks as we head to the vehicles. I drove to the arena with her and Jayden, but I’ll be returning to Landon’s town house with him. “Are you spending it with family?”
“I don’t exactly have a family anymore. Or at least not a family that I’m part of,” I say. “Which means I don’t get to spend the holiday season with them. It was part of the deal I made to gain my freedom from that life.”
I don’t need to mention what life I’m referring to—they all know.
“What do you usually do for Thanksgiving and Christmas?” Isabelle asks.
This why I don’t usually tell people about my holiday plans. Being on the receiving end of their pity is never fun.
“Watch a lot of bad Christmas shows and drink eggnog.” I laugh. It’s neither forced nor faked. If there’s one thing I don’t feel when it comes to my lot in life, it’s sorry for myself. So many people in the world are doing so much worse than me.
“And I hang out at Golden Sunshine Retirement Village,” I add, “spending time with the seniors who aren’t visiting with family during the holidays. It’s a lot of fun.” And that’s the truth.
“You’re more than welcome to spend Thanksgiving with us,” Isabelle says. “Well, more like with my grandmother. And her friends. Some of whom you’ve already met. She already told me she would love it if both you and Landon joined us.”