Page 85 of Freezing the Puck
It’s been almost two weeks since my signing, but people keep patting me on the shoulder and talking to me in public. I was already well known, easily identifiable due to the fact I play hockey and sometimes lose my teeth, but people on campus, especially the girls, well, they’re getting in my space a little. I don’t tend to suffer from claustrophobia, but I find myself hoping it all dies down soon enough so I can go back to being one of the lesser known hockey players.
I dunno how the de la Peñas handle their rockstar level attention.
I walk intoBitches Brewand cast a glance around. It’s early, only eight, so I’m not expecting to be accosted by anyone. But that also doesn’t mean that no one’s around. My girl should be here studying, but instead she’s parked right up at the counter chatting away to Taryn. Taryn’s hands move animatedly as she talks, and her bright pink high pony tail swishes back and forth when she laughs at something Vannah has said.
Taryn jerks her chin at me and starts making a drink behind the counter.
“You ready to go?” I’m picking Savannah up to take her on a road trip back to Minnesota to see her folks, and mine, but yeah, mostly hers. They have no idea we’re coming, and I didn’t want to risk my circulation, or my girl’s mental health, by taking Vannah on a plane again.
I have a curated playlist, a giant bag of snacks, and a cooler full of picnic food for lunch, and once Taryn hands me a coffee the size of my head, we’ll be ready for the road.
“Ruth Bader-Brewsburg?” Taryn questions Savannah over the top of the coffee machine, I’m guessing she’s already made a start on my Whoopi Gold-brew. I texted her before I left and told her I was on my way.
Yup, as a hockey player we have some perks around campus. One of them is a direct line to the caffeine. Since the tacos we get atGuac n’ Rollare free, the caffeine comes second in the perk standings, but it’s pretty handy to be able to just text in your order.
“Actually, I’m going to have the Queen Latte-fah today.” My girl sounds confident, sure, and only for the stunned look on Taryn’s face I wouldn’t know she’d probably spent the past twenty five minutes talking herself into ordering a new drink from the menu.
Taryn doesn’t ask if she’s sure, she simply gets to it behind the coffee bar while I plant a kiss on my pretty girl’s temple. “Hey, you ready to roll?”
Savannah picks up a plastic packet from on top of the bar in front of her and waves it at me. “Got my ear plugs, so yeah, I’m good.” She cracks up laughing, drawing stares from the early morning patrons scattered around the coffee shop.
I laugh with her. I’m so fucking proud of her for stepping out of her comfort zone and ordering something new from the menu, but I don’t want to make a big deal of it. She likes her routines, she has her favorite things, and straying from those is something she struggles with. It doesn’t have to be a thing, even if I want to celebrate it. I don’t want to risk her changing her order before she’s had a chance to try a new drink.
“I have something for you.” She’s going to lose her mind, but I can’t wait another second to give her the pages in my bag. I present the spiral bound dumpster fire mess that is half of the first draft of my next book. This one has put me on the struggle bus, and I’m hoping that she can cast her eyes over the catastrophe that it is and maybe help me out of the hole I seem to have dug myself into.
I’m nauseous. The idea ofanyoneseeing one of my drafts in such a state is enough to damn near give me hives.
I don’t even let Mom see my drafts this rough, though. I’ve probably misspelled my heroine’s name and forgotten how to use basic punctuation and grammar. But I trust Savannah. She won’t be unkind. And she could help, that’s the important thing to remember. I need to get over myself enough and let her.
I wave the manuscript in front of her face. “One condition.”
Her eyes light up as she reads the front page. “Name it.”
“You can’t read it on the drive and leave me with nothing else to do but sing to myself.”
“If you’re singing on the drive I won’t be able to concentrate enough to read it.” Nudging me, she lays one on my cheek, and the tingles rush all the way to my toes.
Taryn hands me my coffee, but instead of taking that first, precious sip, I hand it over to Vannah. “Try this one. I’ve decided I’m going to work my way through everything on the menu and let you try each and every one.”
Taryn smirks, nods, then goes back to making Vannah’s drink. Savannah sighs, her shoulders loosening before she takes a sip. “You’re the best.”
“Did you like it?”
Her head bobs up and down. “Not as good as Ruth, but this isn’t bad.” She steals another taste.
“Shit. Okay, I lied. Two conditions.”
She curves her brows and widens her eyes like I’m pushing my luck, but waves her open palm at me, indicating I should continue.
“Don’t tell Mom you got it before she did.”
CHAPTER31
Savannah
Justin and Sophia are in the next room playing what sounds likeGo Fish!I’m sitting at my parents’ dining table, an untouched mug of coffee in front of me, too busy twisting my hands together in my lap to drink it.
I haven’t been here in a while. My stomach is churning, anxiety chewing on my raw nerves, and I’m grinding my teeth to fight the tears welling, but my jaw is so tense a headache is forming behind my eyes.
