Chasing Charli - Kat Mizera Page 0,6

English, between the translation programs on their phones and her ability to read between the lines, it wasn’t a big deal at all. She was looking forward to seeing him again.

“So when do you want to meet next?” she asked him.

“Two days,” he responded. “Tomorrow we have game so I must go to morning skate, then nap.”

“I don’t get to many games,” she said ruefully.

“You want ticket?” he asked.

She hesitated. He’d already been so kind and it felt like she was getting the better end of the deal, but she loved hockey and normally didn’t splurge on the tickets, so this was a rare opportunity.

“Yes.” He encouraged her with his quirky smile. “Is fun.”

“Okay. Yes. Thank you.”

“I will leave name at gate?”

“The gate or the will call window?”

He frowned. “I don’t know. I will tell Dani, yes?”

“Perfect.”

He paid the bill and they walked out to their respective vehicles.

“See you tomorrow?” he asked.

“Yes. Thank you. You’ve been very kind today. I can’t say thank you enough.”

“One time is good. Hei hei!” Bye. He waved as she pulled out of the parking spot.

Her students were at lunch the following day when Charli got a text from Dani.

DANI: So Miikka asked me to get you a ticket. It’ll be at will call. Is that okay?

CHARLI: Yes. Thank you. He wasn’t sure what the process was. I’m guessing he doesn’t have many guests?

DANI: No, but it’s fine. I got you a seat with the WAGs so you won’t be alone. My friends Hailey and Whitney know you’re coming and they’ll make sure you don’t feel weird.

CHARLI: You didn’t have to do that. But what’s a WAG?

DANI: Wives and girlfriends. Hailey is married to Kane Hatcher and Whitney is married to Jake Carruthers.

CHARLI: Oh, okay. Well, thank you. Will I see you tonight?

DANI: Absolutely. Hailey and Whitney will bring you back to the family lounge after the game so you can say hi.

CHARLI: That’s wonderful. I have to go pick up the kids from the cafeteria, but I’ll see you later!

Charlie closed her phone and did a mental jig. She was more excited than she should have been over a ticket to a hockey game, but more than that, she was looking forward to seeing Miikka again. It had been a couple of years since her last date and last night’s dinner had felt like one. That it was with a hunky professional athlete made it that much more fun.

Not that she was expecting or interested in anything long-term—guys like him didn’t go out with mousy little kindergarten teachers—but a little attention from someone of the opposite sex might be good for her. She’d been alone far too long. One terrible high school relationship had changed the course of her life, but maybe it was time to dip her toe in the waters once more.

Or maybe not.

4

Charli got to the arena early and treated herself to a glass of wine. She strolled through the noisy concourse to the section listed on her ticket and went down the aisle towards her seat.

“You must be Charli.” An attractive brunette stood up when she got to her row and Charli looked up.

“Yes, hello.”

“I’m Hailey.” The brunette smiled. “Dani told us to look out for you, so come join us.”

“Thank you.” Charli squeezed into a seat between Hailey and a pretty blonde.

“I’m Whitney,” the blonde said. “Nice to meet you.”

“So you’re Niko’s teacher?” Hailey asked.

“I am.”

“That’s awesome,” Whitney said. “You must have the patience of a saint!”

Charli laughed. “Sometimes. They’re usually very sweet, but there are days when I wonder what I was thinking.”

“Have you been teaching long?” Whitney asked.

“This is my third year,” Charli replied. “I was lucky to find a job right out of college, but I had to relocate here from Seattle. Everything kind of fell into place because my grandfather passed away and left me his house here in Anchorage. They had a shortage of teachers when I applied, so it worked out perfectly.”

“Is your family here?” Hailey asked.

Charli shook her head. “They’re in Kansas.”

“Must be hard to be so far away.”

“Not really.” She shrugged. “We’re not that close. Where are you guys from?” She deftly deflected that line of questioning because she never ever talked about her parents. To say they weren’t close was an understatement, but she hadn’t told anyone here in Alaska, except her friend Kendra, the reasons why, and she wasn’t going to start now.

“Hi, sorry I’m late.” A pretty brunette with curly hair and freckles, whom Charli recognized, sank down