Page 20 of Season's Schemings
Maddie wipes a tear from her eye with a happy little sigh. “Well, there’s an idea. If the selfie doesn’t piss Adam off, I’ll photoshop you intomyfamily Christmas photo and pretend that you’re my new boyfriend.” Her eyes light up like two glowing, beautiful Christmas trees. “Actually, screw that. I should put my stalker knowledge to good use, kidnap you, and make you come to Aspen with me to rub it in Adam’s face in person.”
“If you put enough underwear in my locker, maybe I’d come with you of my own accord.”
“Yeah, and how did it work out for the last stalker who did that?”
I smirk. “Restraining order.”
“Hmm. Well, that would mean kissing my job goodbye or I might’ve actually tried it for funsies.” She lets out a long sigh. “You’d be awaymore exciting addition to the line-up thanElizabeth.”
“Who?”
“Evil Ex’s new fiancée. The one he was cheating with. He proposed to her.”
I wince. “Ouch.”
“I’ll say.” Maddie sighs. She has clearly had quite the year—in fact, her problems kind of make my grumpy “I can’t play pro hockey for a couple months” spiel seem a little self-centered.
At that moment, my phone vibrates on the bar. I pick it up and the screen’s a little blurry—whiskey glasses, for sure—but my vision clears so that I can see that the incoming call is from Mike.Finally.
“Scuse me a sec, I gotta take this.” I slide off my stool (which is a little more difficult than usual, not gonna lie) and answer as I step away. “Mike?”
“I’m sorry.”
Well, those aren’t good first words...I down the rest of the drink I’m clutching in my other hand. I don’t think I’ve been this intoxicated since, well, ever.
“I did everything I could, Seb. It’ll take a while for the lawyers to get your visa paperwork in order.” He gives a long, painful sigh. “You can remain in the country, but you can’t work. So, no ice time ‘til this all gets sorted out.”
No ice time. No Cyclones.
No hockey, period.
I lean against a wall, my head spinning. “How long?”
Mike sighs. “Long enough that it might impact the team making the postseason.”
“There’s really nothing we can do?”
Mike laughs humorlessly. “Well, short of you being married to an American citizen, no. We just gotta wait this one out.”
Married to an American citizen…
My head swivels towards Maddie, who’s currently fishing the ends of her hair out of her drink. She studies the wet strands for a moment, then puts them in her mouth and sucks on them. She has to be the strangest woman—person—I’ve ever met in my life. And yet, also somehow so damn cute you can’t help but smile around her. Like she’s a little hobbit, herself.
A hobbit who needs a boyfriend for the holidays. Someone to put that absolute donkey’s ass of an ex in his place…
“Marriedmarried?” I echo, my drunken mind suddenly galloping.
“Yeah.” Mike laughs humorlessly. “Why, you got a secret wife stored somewhere?”
I don’t reply. I’m already making my way back to the bar.
8
MADDIE
“Hiiiiii,” I sing as Seb slides back into the stool next to mine. “I got us more drinks. Shots!”
I gesture to the bar, where four Slippery Nipples are lined up. The bartender did not look pleased when I requested them—this being a classy hotel bar establishment and all that jazz— but I insisted. I have absolutely zero idea what’s in them, but I wanted to say the name out loud.