Page 69 of Instigator

My best friend breaks into a huge grin. “That’s great, Aid. I’m happy you finally found someone.”

“Okay, don’t get carried away. It was one date.” One spectacular date, followed by an even better evening, then waking up tangled together…

Yeah, I could get used to this.

On my other side, Gonzo perks up. “You went on a date? How did it go?”

All chatter in the room stops. Sinclair even turns off the radio, and what feels like the entire twenty-two-man roster stares at me, waiting for details.

Heat rises to my cheeks, spreading down my neck and over my bare chest. Fuck, being a redhead fucking sucks sometimes.

I clear my throat, but the words die on my lips.

“Did you get laid?” Jenkins asks. “Our celibate captain finally getting some?”

“Fuck off, I’m not celibate.”

“You never come out with us,” he counters. “When was the last time you actually took someone home?”

“Too long,” Ryan mutters.

I glare at him. “Fuck off.”

The traitor rolls his eyes. “I’m just saying, man, it was time to get back on the horse. Why do you think Hailey’s been setting you up? She wants to see you happy.”

“I’m plenty happy.”

I’ve got hockey, baseball season is starting up soon, my sister is awesome, and Annie…

“You’re thinking about her, aren’t you?” Sinclair says with a grin. “Look at that dopey fucking grin. You like her.”

“Shut up.” I ball up my T-shirt and toss it at him, but he dodges the fabric weapon.

“Seriously, Cap,” Gonzo says. “If you’ve found a little happiness, that should be celebrated. You should enjoy it.”

“I am.”

“Good. So when do we get to meet her?” His expectant grin stretches from ear to ear.

“Ha. Never.”

Ryan frowns. “Really?”

“Come on. We went on one date. I’m not about to propose anytime soon,” I protest. Maybe not ever, since that’s not something she’s interested in. “I thought Hailey would have said who she set me up with.”

“Only that it’s one of her friends. I want to meet her. We can go on double dates.”

“How about you let us go on a second date before we start making any more plans.”

He laughs. “Deal.”

Jenkins turns the stereo back on, blasting the room with pop-punk music.

We hit the ice, and Coach breaks us into a scrimmage before he runs us through penalty kill and power play drills. When we’re finally done for the day, sweaty and tired, there’s a lightness deep within me.

Ceci. Intimacy. Hockey. The unconditional support of my teammates. That’s all I need to be happy.

Okay, and baseball too.