Tending Tara (Alaska Blizzard #7) - Kat Mizera Page 0,7

liked holding hands, even when they were new and totally in love. Ironically, that was one of the things she was looking for in a man, someone who didn’t mind showing his affection, and she couldn’t help but wonder if Donovan was one of them.

The movie was good, and the four of them talked about it as they left the theater.

“Tonight was fun,” Tara said to the group. “Thanks for distracting me from the crappy morning I had.”

“How’s your jaw?” Charli asked her.

“Sore but not bad. I might take something for pain before bed, just so I can get a good night’s sleep, but I think I’m okay.”

“Well, we have a morning skate tomorrow, so I should get going,” Donovan said. “Thanks for dinner, Charli, and I’m glad you’re feeling better, Tara.” He held out his fist to Miikka. “See you at practice?”

“See you tomorrow.”

“Bye, Donovan.” Tara smiled at him before getting into Miikka’s SUV.

“This was great, right?” Charli asked, glancing into the back seat where Tara was sitting.

“You like Donovan?” Miikka asked.

“Yes, he’s nice.” Tara nodded.

“But do you like-like him?” Charli pressed.

“I barely know him,” Tara responded. “Why?”

“You held his hand this morning,” Miikka said.

As if she didn’t already know that.

“I was nervous about my jaw,” she protested. “He was just being nice. There’s nothing going on, you guys.”

“Bummer,” Miikka said. “Donovan is a good guy.”

“No time, and we still don’t even know if I’ll be able to stay,” she replied. “We’re friends, though, and that’s okay. I needed a friend today when I got hit.”

“Are you going to keep playing?” Charli asked.

“Dr. Newman said to take it easy for a week, but I think so, yes. Nothing was broken or fractured, and I don’t want to give up hockey.”

“Don’t tell Aiti,” Miikka muttered. Mom. “She’ll kill me, say I’m not taking care of you.”

“It was an accident.” Tara laughed. “And I’m fine.”

4

The team left on a road trip two days later, and Donovan fell into his normal on-the-road routine. He hung out with some of his teammates, but mostly he kept to himself. He’d always been a bit of a loner, and though he spent time with the guys, there was a part of him that had already started pulling away. His agent had said to settle into the season and there would be interest. They had to wait to see who wasn’t playing well, look out for injuries, things like that. It was a little morbid, but it happened, and it wasn’t his fault, so he was biding his time, doing what he was told.

They were in Buffalo this weekend, which didn’t help his melancholy mood since it was where his ex-wife was. They’d spent summers here, and it was where she’d moved after the divorce. He had a feeling he would hear from her and wasn’t surprised when her name flashed on the screen of his phone while he was in his hotel room relaxing before the game.

He ignored the call, put the phone on the nightstand, and closed his eyes. The last thing he needed was a booty call with his ex. Jane was beautiful, and their sex life had been insanely good. She was into anything and everything, sometimes to the point he’d yearned to tone it down, maybe try some straight missionary for once. Not that he wasn’t willing to get wild now and then, but Jane was all about pushing the envelope, all the time, and after six years, it had gotten old.

He dozed for two hours and found three messages from Jane when he got up to head to the arena, so he deleted them without listening. He’d made the mistake of hooking up with her at the end of last season when they’d played in Buffalo, and then she’d started making noises about him getting traded to the East Coast, maybe giving the marriage another go. And that was a big fucking no. He’d loved her once, but not anymore, and he knew her well enough to know she would be as unhappy in Philadelphia or Boston as she’d been at the idea of moving to Anchorage.

“Hey.” Jake Carruthers, the team captain, fell into step beside him once they got to the arena. “You ready for tonight?”

“Always ready,” Donovan laughed. “Now if Coach would just put me in…”

“You have a great job, making lots of money, on a team with good friends,” Jake said. “It’s a pretty cushy gig, if you think about it. You don’t have the pressure or