Page 49 of The Big Puck

She cuts me off, keeping her voice low. “I most certainly do. I behaved like a shameless hussy last night, inviting you to kiss me, flirting like a harlot, and throwing myself at you, daring you to kiss me. It was all my fault. I crossed the line, and I—”

“Stop.” I take the coffee. “I don’t remember kicking and screaming, or turning you away like a gentleman, or like a mature adult. I behaved like a teenager overloaded with hormones when I should know better.”

She blows out a breath. “So, what does this mean, Spence? We’re attracted to each other when we both know getting involved would be stupid and all kinds of trouble.”

“What it means is we’ll start fresh and be professional. We’ll behave like adults and carry on. You’re too good with Krissy for me to ask you to leave—”

“I don’t want to leave.” She looks panicked. “I can’t leave.”

“No, you can’t. I want you to stay.” I honestly mean the words, and my gut churns at the prospect of her walking out. “I’ll behave, I promise. I’ll be too busy and focused on the team with our schedule between practice, games, and events.” I’ve made a reasonable argument. I almost have myself convinced.

Taking a sip of my coffee, I watch her get Krissy’s bottle.

“That’s right, tonight is the Whalers’ inaugural game. You must be excited.” Cue a hundred watts of sunshine beaming from her face.

I blink. “Excited. And busy. I have to go to the office for a while, but I’ll be back to check in. I got Shonda a ticket to the game tonight. She’ll be sitting with the wags.”

“What’s Shonda going to be doing while you’re gone?” The wattage of her sunbeam drops to nightlight levels.

“Don’t worry about her. She’ll be working. You won’t have to entertain her.”

“I have a ticket to tonight’s game. Jason got it for me.

I almost choke on my coffee. “You’re going to the game? What about Krissy?”

“Aunt Hildie got a babysitter for me. She wanted me to get out and to see the game.”

“Aunt Hildie? Since when is she your aunt?” And why am I not surprised? I never contemplated Lainey going out, but why shouldn’t she? Better question, why should it bother me?

Lainey laughs, and my chest tightens. “Sorry I appropriated your aunt, but she’s a lovely woman, and we’ve been spending time talking. Hey, how about if I give Shonda a ride to the game? I know you’ll have to be there super early.”

“You would do that?”

She shrugs, back to a hundred watts or more. “We’ll both be going to the same place at the same time. It would be silly for us to take two cars, and that way she can go home with you later.”

“True.” I’m trying to figure the catch and why she’s being so nice, willing to do a favor for the woman I kissed shortly after I kissed her. I could have sworn she was upset about it last night. “You sure you’re okay with that? With spending time with Shonda?”

Her smile turns super sunny, glaring even. “I know she’s your girlfriend, and I’m…not. It’s fine.” She lowers her voice. “One kiss isn’t going to destroy me or make me think there’s…” She waves her hand back and forth. “You know, anything between us. It’s cool. It is. We talked. We’re fine. I swear—”

“Got it.” I cut her off before she goes on for another ten minutes trying to convince me—which she hasn’t. Or maybe that’s me who’s not fine with how things are. I should be if she is, right?

No matter how many times she says there’s nothing between us, I can’t seem to make that fact stick. My gut sends me a different message about what’s between us, but hell if I know what it is.

There’s no more time to discuss the matter, even if I wanted to—which I don’t—because Shonda comes down the stairs and joins us in the kitchen.

“I thought I smelled some freshly brewed coffee,” she says, her normal pleasant expression in place. I go to her and kiss her lightly on the cheek because I feel bad about last night. Guilty, if I’m honest.

“I’ll get you a cup,” I say.

“And I’ll take Krissy upstairs to dress—and get out of your way,” Lainey says.

Shooting her a look, I notice her smile isn’t as convincing or real as before, and I wonder how real her being fine with things between us is.

“This kitchen is adorable and state of the art at the same time, Spencer. Good job.” Shonda takes the coffee from me after I pour one and adds a pile of cream and sugar the way she likes it.

“How about if I make you breakfast?”

“Normally I’d love that, but I have some business to take care of at the rink, some meetings, and I need to leave in ten minutes.”