Total pages in book: 96
Estimated words: 91213 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 456(@200wpm)___ 365(@250wpm)___ 304(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 91213 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 456(@200wpm)___ 365(@250wpm)___ 304(@300wpm)
“Young, dumb, and idiotic?” I ask.
Stephanie gives me a light punch on my arm. “Leave him alone. It was cute.”
We all laugh and then I turn toward the food, making a sweeping gesture with my hand. “After you, ladies.”
With food plates piled high, I lead the way through the crowd to the large outdoor screened-in deck at the back of Garrett’s house. There’s not as many people out here because it’s a little chilly, but he’s got two large outdoor heaters running so it’s bearable.
I spot Max and Simone at a table in the corner talking to Hawke and Vale. Hawke and Max are pretty tight and Vale is one of our trainers. They’re both cool in my opinion. As we approach the table, Simone’s gaze goes right to Stephanie, as I told her I was bringing a friend tonight. She of course thought a “friend” meant something more, and although technically it is more because there are benefits, I assured her this was nothing like that.
Which is thoroughly confusing even to me.
Hawke and Max immediately stand up and offer their chairs to Jules and Stephanie. The women get situated and the men hover behind them in a circular group.
I make introductions. “Simone, this is my friend Stephanie.”
They smile at each other and Simone says, “It’s nice to meet you.”
“Likewise,” Stephanie replies.
We all make idle chitchat for a while, but the conversation eventually turns to Stephanie’s idea about bringing kids into nursing homes. I think she’s a little embarrassed to have such a big crowd discussing this when she thought it would just be Jules and me, but by the smile on her face I know the fact that everyone has been enthusiastic about it means a lot to her.
As I watch her interacting with friends, family, and coworkers at this table, it again amazes me how outgoing Stephanie is. She has a huge personality coupled with such a funny wit, it’s hard to believe that is just her exterior shell. It’s hard to believe there’s a woman underneath who has been so deeply hurt by abandonment that chances are you’ll never get closer to her than her fun and engaging personality, which she uses as a brilliantly deceptive shield.
“I need to use the restroom,” Stephanie says as she rises from the chair.
“I’ll go with you,” Simone says, also pushing up from the table.
“Does anyone need anything?” Stephanie asks. After a chorus of nos, the women make their way back into the house.
“You know,” Jules says as she looks around the table but lets her gaze rest on me. “Stephanie’s got a really good idea, and to my knowledge there is no organization that provides something like that in this area. I hope she runs with this.”
“I hope so too,” I say, but I leave it at that. Not going to share with them that Stephanie is not only facing a potential job loss soon but she’s not going to take a risk on a new endeavor unless she’s absolutely prepared to do it on her own. I’ve learned at least that much about her, that she wants to do this independently outside of some advice we give her. On top of that, I think she might be little overwhelmed with the pregnancy, so her focus is naturally going to be on that.
“Are you going to be able to go to any of the play-off games?” Vale asks Jules, thereby effectively ending that subject and starting another.
The play-offs will begin in two weeks, in mid-April, and things are going to get all kinds of crazy. At least the travel schedule is more stable, since it follows best-of-seven series in a two, two, one, one, one format. That means the team with home-ice advantage alternates two games home, two games away, then home, away, and then home again. Thus we know the travel schedule is set, but that doesn’t lessen the tremendous stress the players will be under. Not only are we giving our all physically to every game, we’re straining our emotional and mental capacities as well. Every single professional hockey player I know lives and breathes for only one thing, and that’s to raise the Stanley Cup above their head. It’s within my reach and I can almost taste it.
“I’m going to work out some kind of schedule with Kate where we can travel alternating rounds while the other watches all the kids,” Jules tells her.
My neck twists to look in through the windows off the back deck and through the living room, and my eyes immediately catch on Stephanie’s flaming curls. Looks like she hasn’t made it to the bathroom because she’s been waylaid by Cash.
It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see that Cash is heavily flirting with her. He’s leaning in close, and the expression on his face is carnal. I know he’s probably feeding her corny lines that would never work on a woman like Stephanie, but what I don’t like is the fact that she seems to be enjoying it. She smiles and laughs at him, sometimes flipping her hair over her shoulders. She also leans in toward him as he tells her an animated story with his hands. When she laughs at him a second time, she playfully touches his forearm for a second.