Page 76 of Hot Shot
“Madison is staying in Florida to spend Christmas with her family. But hopefully you can meet her soon.”
“Amanda and I were talking about coming down there in the new year for a visit. She’s been dying to get out of the snow. I can’t say that I blame her,” Uncle Mark says.
“It was seventy degrees today.”
“I’m so jealous.”
“You won’t be when it’s in the high nineties in the summer,” I say with a laugh.
“Yeah, you can have that weather.” Mark chuckles.
I laugh again.
Mark’s tone sobers as he asks, “Any word on a contract?”
“No,” I answer with a sigh.
“I’m sure it’ll come. You’ve scored three goals and gotten how many assists now?”
“Five.”
“It’ll come, Hunter. Don’t you worry.”
“If it doesn’t? If they decide I’m not good enough for another year or two on the team, then what?”
“I don’t think it’ll come to that. But if it does, you’ll find another team. You’ve more than proven that you’re cut out for the NHL. Someone will want your talent if the Storm don’t.”
I scrub a hand over my face. Somehow Mark knows exactly what to say to make me feel better.
Even though it’s exactly what I’ve been telling myself for the past few weeks, hearing him say it makes it sink in.
We spend a few more minutes catching up, and I promise to call in a few days when my aunt is home so I can talk to her too.
I hang up the phone and decide that it’s about time to take a nap, my usual pregame tradition. As I’m climbing into bed my phone goes off.
Elias:I thought we’d mended this gulf between us but I feel like you’re still ignoring me. Can we talk?
I sigh. I don’t know what to say to him. I need more time to decide what to do so I don’t respond. Instead, I pull up my text thread with Madison and send her a quick text.
Me:Hi sweets. Just wanted to tell you I’m missing you. Wish you were here taking a nap with me. I’ll call you on my way to the rink.
Madison:Miss you too, hot shot. I wish I was napping with you too. I’m so tired. It’s been a long day.
As I drift off I think about the dark-haired hazel-eyed beauty that I get to call mine.
Chapter twenty-nine
Madison
“Readytogo?”Hunterasks as he comes out of his bedroom. It’s New Year’s Eve and we’re getting ready to go to the team’s masquerade party at Caleb and Jenna’s house.
My breath hitches when I see what he’s wearing, and I’m suddenly thankful for this fancy party because it means I get to see Hunter in a suit. I’ve seen him in a suit before games before, but there’s something different about this one.
Maybe it’s because he’s wearing a turquoise tie that matches my dress or maybe it’s because it hugs his muscles in all the right places. Whatever it is, it makes him look even more delicious than usual. All I want to do is peel it off him.
“Yeah, I think so,” I answer.
“You look beautiful, sweets,” he says as he helps me to my feet.
