You Had Me at Hockey (Bears Hockey #2) - Kelly Jamieson Page 0,21
if he fails, but they won’t tell him why because he should know it.” She shakes her head. “I hate those kinds of games. But maybe that’s why I’ve never been super successful in the dating department. Maybe you need to be good at those games.”
“I don’t like games either.”
“Says the hockey player.”
I laugh. “Yeah. But in hockey, everyone knows the rules.”
“Right.” She tilts her head thoughtfully. “That’s exactly the problem with stupid dating games…nobody knows the rules.”
I eye her black dress with tiny sleeves. “Are you warm enough?”
Her laugh is rewarding. “Yeah. If I want to borrow your jacket, I’ll ask.”
I smile back at her. “Okay.”
We finish off the chicken salad cups. The waiter whisks the plates away and refills our wineglasses. Sara slides her glass closer to herself across the table. “I have an idea I want to run past you.”
“Yeah?” I take a sip of my wine, a dark red.
“What would you think about teaching me to skate and having it filmed?”
Not what I was expecting. I consider that. “For you to put on YouTube?”
“Yes.” She holds my gaze steadily. “I think it would be fun.”
I wrinkle my nose, then answer honestly. “I’m not sure.”
Her lips quirk and her eyes soften. “Can I convince you?”
“Maybe.” I rub my jaw. “I’m not into a lot of attention.”
“You’re a hockey star!”
“Nobody knows me here. Not many people knew me in Dallas. Hockey’s, like, the least important sport in this city.”
“True.”
“I have to do some media appearances and talk to the press. It’s part of the job. But I don’t really like it.”
“You did really well for the podcast.”
“I didn’t want to do that either,” I confess.
She pushes out her bottom lip adorably, but her eyes twinkle.
“No offense,” I add. “I’d never heard of you, and well, I’d rather lay low, but…I figured I had to do it since I’m the new guy.”
“I understand. You would look good on the video. I’d be the one making a fool of myself.”
I smile.
“Maybe you could think about it.”
“I can do that.”
She presses her fingers to her lips and rubs, frowning.
“What’s wrong.”
“Er, nothing. Thanks for at least considering it.”
“Sure. I watched some of your videos yesterday.”
“Did you?” She grins. “I’m amazed you actually showed up tonight. Now you really know how weird I am.”
“You’re not weird. You’re honest. You say what everyone else is thinking.”
“I guess I do. Sometimes I need to be a little less honest.” Her eyes shadow and she drops her gaze. “Especially around toxic people. I’ve made that mistake of being too honest and then they use it against you in some way.”
“That’s shitty. But I get that.”
She lightens the moment. “And when someone asks if they look good. Honesty is not the best policy in that situation.”
“True.”
Our meals arrive and we wait as we’re served. Sara holds her hands out palms up and peers at them. Then she rubs her fingertips together, frowning.
Her smile doesn’t return as she licks and bites her lips, staring at her food.
“Is everything okay?” I ask once we’re alone again. “Is that not the right order?”
“Um.” She draws in a deep breath. “I’m not sure.” She squeezes her eyes tightly shut for a few seconds. “Let’s just eat.”
“Okay.” I pick up my cutlery. My pork chops look amazing, and I cut into one but keep an eye on Sara. She pokes her fork into her pasta, a concoction of eggplant, zucchini, red pepper, onion, and goat cheese.
She spears a small piece of eggplant and pops it into her mouth, but she looks…uncomfortable. She’s blinking a lot and seems to be breathing fast. What is going on?
She rubs her mouth with her serviette and when she lowers it, my gaze lingers on her mouth. It’s a pretty mouth for sure, but right now…it seems bigger. Her lips are fuller.
“I think I have to leave.” She looks up at me. Her cheeks are flushed. She really isn’t well.
“Uh, sure.” I catch the waitress’s eye and she hurries over. “I’m so sorry, but we need to leave unexpectedly. Can we get our check?”
“Of course. Would you like your meals packaged up?”
I glance at Sara. She shakes her head. Her eyes look funny now. She’s already standing so I figure we need to leave quickly. “What was in that appetizer?” she asks, her voice a little wheezy.
The waitress lists all the ingredients: lettuce cups filled with chicken, feta, chopped