Page 65 of Cheap Shot

Sebastian got to his feet with Crawford’s help and just as he was about to apologize for his earlier comment about wanting to see the yard in daylight or clarify what he’d meant at least, his phone buzzed.

“Shit, I bet my ride is here,” he said with a frown. He dug in his pocket and pulled out his phone. Crap. He’d definitely cracked the screen protector. Hopefully the screen underneath was still intact.

“C’mon,” Crawford said gruffly as he turned away. “We’ll go through the house. It’ll be quicker.”

“Until I got the notification, you were planning to send me thoughmoreof your booby-trapped yard?” Sebastian asked, carefully picking his way through the yard and across the deck after him. “Thanks, jackass.”

His feet were starting to cramp and ache with the cold. He’d thrown on tennis shoes, not winter boots. He’d expected to drive Crawford home, then hop in a rideshare, not tromp through several feet of snow.

“Maybe.” Crawford stopped in front of a set of French doors and held out a hand. “Keys.”

Sebastian dug through his pocket and pulled them out, glad he hadn’t accidentally lost them in a snowbank somewhere. That would be just their luck tonight.

They entered the house through the doors and into a room that appeared to be under construction.

“You having work done?” Sebastian asked, glancing around.

“No, I do it myself.”

“Huh,” Sebastian said, glancing around.

“Look, do you want to stand around gawking or do you wanna get home?”

Sebastian rolled his eyes and shook off some of the snow clinging to him. It fell harmlessly onto a canvas tarp below. “Need me to take off my shoes?”

“No.”

Crawford sounded terse now and Sebastian sighed and followed him through the room. The man was a moody bastard, that was for sure.

They crossed through a tidy kitchen and dining room into a surprisingly homey and well decorated living room, before arriving at the front door.

“Thanks for the ride home,” Crawford said gruffly.

“Sure,” Sebastian said. “Sorry about your leg. I hope tonight didn’t fuck you up too bad.”

“Yeah.” Crawford kicked off his shoes with a groan. “Me too.”

“Well, good night then.” Sebastian hesitated. What was the protocol now? Did they hug? Kiss? Give each other manly handshakes?

“G’night.” Crawford turned away, hanging up his coat.

“Right, yeah. Good night,” Sebastian said, reaching for the door handle just as his phone buzzed again.

He fled out onto the front stoop and down the properly shoveled and salted sidewalk, hurrying toward the ride waiting for him.

What a weird fucking night all around. The hazards of hooking up with Luke Crawford, apparently.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

It took every ounce of energy Luke had to get to the rink the next morning. He’d had to take a rideshare there because he was in no shape to make the walk back down the hill to his car, much less drive.

By the time he limped into the training room at HCI, he felt like death warmed over.

Andy lifted an eyebrow at him. “Well, that doesn’t look good.”

“It’s not,” Luke said with a grunt. He settled on the training table face down, forehead propped on his hands. The padded cushion smelled vaguely of old sweat and bleach.

Thankfully, he was the first one in the room today.