Talk Hockey to Me (Bears Hockey #3) - Kelly Jamieson Page 0,56
one.”
I look helplessly at Kate.
She makes a “yikes” face. “You don’t have to,” she whispers.
“Just one.” I smooch her as I pass by, following Joe.
She heaves another sigh and follows too.
I’m pretty shellacked by the time we all head upstairs. But we’re having fun! Joe and Ryan are hilarious, and so is Kate, even though she’s not as drunk. She’s kindly patient with our hilarity and bad jokes.
She shows me the spare room and the bathroom. I drop my suitcase on the floor and squint at the small bed. “I’m not sure I’m gonna fit on there.”
She bites her lip. “This is ridiculous. Come sleep in my room.”
“Nu-uh. Your dad said to sleep in here.”
“I can sleep in here. You can have my bed.”
“No. I’ll be fine.” I kiss her. “See you in the morning.”
“Okay. Good night. My room is next door, if you need anything.”
“Okay.”
Once she’s left, I hit the bathroom to take a leak, then strip off my clothes and lay down on the cot. It’s small and hard, but I don’t even care because I immediately pass out.
I’m jolted out of sleep in the morning when Kate creeps into my bedroom.
“Hunter!” she yells.
“Jesus! Shhh.”
“Sorry. I was whispering but you didn’t hear me. I want to get into bed with you.”
My first reaction is hell yeah, but then I realize I probably smell gross. “Uh…”
She lifts the covers and slips in next to me. I wrap an arm around her and then WHAM. With a loud crash the cot collapses and we both hit the floor. Kate lets out a shriek and I grunt.
“What the fuck?”
We both lie there unmoving for a few seconds. What just happened?
The bedroom door flies open and bangs the wall. “What’s going on in here?”
Joe stands in the doorway. He flicks the light on and glares at us.
Oh fuck me.
“Dad! The cot collapsed.”
“I see that.”
“She just came in here,” I yell. “Nothing happened.”
Kate fights her way out from the covers and crawls onto the rug. She sits and shakes her head. “This is ridiculous. We’re adults.”
Luckily she’s wearing flannel pajamas that cover her up. And socks. I rub my aching forehead. “I need some Advil.”
“Can’t hold your liquor, Morrissette?” Joe says.
I risk a glance his way, which hurts, and see him trying not to smile. “That scotch is fucking rot gut.”
“You gave it to me.”
“And you can drink it.”
Joe laughs. “I’m heading to work for a while, but I’ll be back later this afternoon. We’re meeting Jenelle at the restaurant at seven.”
He leaves.
Kate falls to her back and starts laughing. “This is nuts.”
“Advil,” I remind her grumpily.
“Right, right.” She rolls onto her hands and feet. “Do you want to go back to sleep? You can get in my bed. Dad’s gone to work.”
“I guess he didn’t think we’d want to bang in the daylight.” I drag myself out of the broken cot. “And he’s right, because my mouth tastes like I licked the bottom of a litter box.”
“Eew. I was feeling a little frisky, but that does not sound appealing.” She stands. “I’ll get you Advil and water.”
Damn. Maybe later.
17
Kate
“Your dad likes me.”
I pucker my lips and look at Hunter. “Until this morning.”
Hunter grimaces. “Oh yeah. He’ll forgive me though. But I may have to buy him a new cot.”
“That one was probably fifty years old.”
“Still.”
“I don’t know why he doesn’t have a bed in the guest room. It’s not like he can’t afford it.” I shake my head.
“Sorry about last night.” Hunter sets his coffee mug on the counter. “We shouldn’t have abandoned you like that.”
“It was kind of weird.” I shrug. “But I’m glad you and Dad and Ryan all got along.” They more than got along. They all got drunk, ate popcorn, played pinball, and bonded like bros. Jeez.
“Thanks for understanding.”
“I hope you feel better by tonight.” He looks a little pale, with shadows under his eyes. I didn’t get a good look at Dad before he left, since I was lying on the floor, and Ryan’s still asleep, but I suspect they feel much the same.
“I will.”
“Okay. Let’s get out of here. I’m meeting Van at one o’clock.”
We’re meeting at Navy Pier, which is Van’s suggestion, so Hunter’s driving me there and he’ll roam around and be a tourist while Van and I have lunch. Then I can join him and we can both be tourists for the rest of the day.
I give Hunter directions from Dad’s place in Bucktown and we park on a street off Lake Shore