Page 3 of Icebound Hearts
Not waiting for a response, I turn and stride back down the hall, making my way quickly downstairs.
Fucking hell. Nice going, Townsend, I admonish myself silently, scrubbing a hand over my forehead as I reach the first floor. I should’ve known it wasn’t a burglar or a squatter or some shit, but I justhadto check. Of course it was his sister, although Reese definitely didn’t warn me that she’d be around.
I dig the front door key out of my pocket, tossing it down on the little table next to the couch. I’m debating whether I should go back upstairs and apologize—and risk accidentally seeing Violet nakedagain—or if I should just head out, but then I hear her footsteps padding down the hall.
I tense up a little when I realize that she’s heading toward the stairs, vaguely aware of warmth creeping up my cheeks. I honestly don’t know why I’m so fucking off-kilter right now. I’m sure she knows it was an accident, so why do I feel so weird about this?
Maybe it’s because, for just a second, I forgot that it was Reese’s sister I was looking at.
For just a second, all I saw was a beautiful woman. One of the most stunning I’ve ever seen.
I shake that intrusive thought from my head as Violet comes down the stairs. She’s wearing a fluffy robe that’s tied loosely around her waist and comes down almost to her knees, but it still leaves way too little to the imagination—especially since my imagination doesn’t need any damn help right now.
“Sorry,” I say quickly as she reaches the bottom step. “I didn’t mean to scare you. I just stopped to pick up Jake’s stuffed animal, and I heard noises upstairs. I had no idea it was you.”
Violet laughs, the sound light and airy as it fills the large space of Reese’s living room. She’s only a few years younger than him, but there’s something about her—a bright, happy energy—that makes her seem at least a decade younger than I feel most days. Hell, she might actuallybeclose to a decade younger than me, since I’m nearing my mid-thirties and I know she’s in her twenties.
“It’s fine, really,” she says, waving away my apology with a grin. “That’s what I get for sneaking into town when Reese is at practice and thinking I’d have the house to myself. And at least I was hitting the notes, right?”
A laugh bursts out of me before I can stop it, and I nod, relieved that she doesn’t seem bothered by our accidental encounter.
“Yeah, you sounded great,” I acknowledge, and her grin widens. Then my brows draw together as the first part of what she said finally registers in my mind. “You said you snuck into town? What brings you to Denver? I mean, if I can ask?”
She makes a face and opens her mouth to answer, but the front door opens before she can say anything, interrupting her and startling us both. Reese walks in absently, then glances over at his sister and me and stops mid-stride.
“Violet?” He blinks, looking nearly as surprised to see her as I was. “What are you doing here?”
“That seems to be the question on everyone’s mind.” She laughs, stepping around me to hug Reese. When they separate, she glances back at me. “Since you’re both dying to know, I just got offered a new job in Los Angeles. It’s an amazing opportunity with a great marketing firm, but I won’t start for a few months. And since my lease in Chicago was up, I thought I’d spend the time in between in Denver.”
“That’s great! Congrats!” Reese says, seemingly unfazed by finding his sister standing half-naked in his living room with his teammate. Not that I’m complaining.
“Thanks.” She beams, twisting her still damp hair around her fingers. “And don’t worry, I won’t be in your hair. I’m going to look at some short-term rentals here soon, and I already have an interview lined up at a temp agency this afternoon too.”
Reese frowns, shaking his head. “Don’t be ridiculous. You can stay here with me and Callie. I mean, you’ve clearly already made yourself at home,” he adds with a pointed look at her wet hair and bathrobe, and she snorts.
“No way, big brother. I just wanted to freshen up after the drive, but I’m not going to impose on you for that long. I love Callie to bits, but I don’t imagine she wants a third wheel staying in your house for three months.”
“Are you kidding? She’ll be over the moon when she finds out you’re here for more than just your usual quick visit.” He cocks his head to one side. “But wait a minute, what happened with your old job? I thought you had a good thing going there?”
“Oh, that. It’s a long story for another time.” Violet’s smile doesn’t waver, but something passes through her eyes, and I can’t help but feel like she’s deliberately keeping her answer vague.
Before curiosity can prompt me to comment on that, my phone chimes in my pocket.
“Shit, it’s the sitter. Jake’s school is off today, so I had to call her in last-minute. I’ve got to go,” I tell them both as I check the text message that just came through. I sigh, typing out a quick response as I speak. “I’ve had a hell of a time finding reliable people lately. Poor Jake, I feel like he’s had a revolving door of new people watching him over the past few months.”
Violet shoots me a sympathetic look, her hazel eyes warm. “That sucks, I’m sorry. Jake is a great kid.”
“Hey, wait a second!” Reese perks up suddenly, glancing from me to Violet as if he’s piecing something together in his head. “Maybe you could help him out,” he tells her. “You’re great with kids, and you just said you’ll need a job for a while. Why don’t you skip the temp agency and nanny for Sawyer while you’re in town?”
Chapter 2
Violet
Sawyer’s eyebrows shoot up at Reese’s suggestion, and I feel a flush creep into my cheeks.
Is this seriously happening?
I’m still trying to get over the fact that one of the hottest players in the NHL just saw me naked, and now here my brother is, suggesting that I move in with him.