Gauging the Player: A One-Night-Stand Sports Romance (The Playmakers Series Hockey Romance Book 3), стр. 21
The slam of the oven door reminded him he was in his mother’s kitchen. He jerked to attention, feeling as though he’d been caught doing something truly cringe-worthy, like when he’d been fourteen and she’d busted him in his bedroom with a well-worn, pilfered porn magazine.
Back in full consciousness at her table, heat blazed his cheeks; he shifted his sitting posture. By the time his mother turned around, her head shaking and her lips moving as she carried on, he’d returned to a who-cares, crossed-arm pose.
“… terribly wrong,” she yammered as she peered out the kitchen window. He had no idea what she was talking about. “Oh!” she suddenly exclaimed. “Look who just pulled up!” With a squeal of delight, she scurried to the front door and threw it open. “Jessica! What a surprise! Gage is here. He’ll be so happy to see you.” Mom shot him a look over her shoulder.
Surprise, my ass.
He stood and offered a limp wave to the woman on the other side of the threshold. “Hey, Jess.”
Jessica swooped in and beelined for him, arms wide, smile lighting her perfectly made-up face. Yeah, she’d always cleaned up well.
“I’ve missed you, Gage.” She pulled him into a fierce hug, her fragrance rolling over him. He’d probably smell of her all night.
Gingerly, he rested his hands against her back and gave her a light squeeze, his mother smiling approvingly in the background. Jessica pulled away, cradled his face in her hands, and stared up at him with what he could only describe as wonder. Then she pecked his lips and breathed, “I’m so happy you’re back, even if it’s just for tonight.”
Automatically, he gave the answer expected of him by both women. “Me too, Jess.”
“Jessica, I’m just about to pull dinner from the oven. You’ll stay and eat with us, won’t you?” his mother said sweetly.
Jessica’s blue eyes brightened. “Thanks, Nola. If it’s not a bother …”
“No bother at all. Afterward, maybe you kids would like to take a drive over to Half Moon Bay and stroll on the beach. It’s going to be a beautiful night to talk over old times.”
With an inner sigh, Gage resolved himself to the hijacked evening and put aside pleasant thoughts of a curly-haired blond tweeting machine.
On his way to morning skate the next day, he picked up an incoming call.
“Sar-bear!”
“Seriously?” his sister scoffed. “You’re what, twenty-six now, Waffle-Butt?”
He snorted. “It’s good to talk to you too.”
“Well, I got your text and had a few minutes. I figured it’d be easier to talk instead of texting freaking War and Peace.”
“Agreed. And good timing. I’m driving to the rink, which means I’ve also got a few minutes.”
“So what’s going on?”
“When was the last time you saw Grandma?” Gage told Sarah about his visit the day before.
“Shit, I just saw her a few weeks ago, and she wasn’t that bad. But maybe I saw her on one of her better days. How’s Mom dealing with it?”
Gage blew out a breath. “Same as usual.”
“In other words, with lots of drama.”
“She let me know how unhappy she was that I saw Grandma without her.”
“Yep, our mother, the control freak.”
Gage chuckled. “I take it she’s still trying to pick out a husband for you?”
“Not since I moved up here.” Sarah’s tone was unmistakably triumphant. “It’s a lot harder when you live nearly a thousand miles away.”
“Yeah, you always said I’d be better off moving away. I didn’t believe you until I got traded to Colorado.” He ducked his head to check a freeway sign. One more exit.
“So you’re finally comfortable in Denver?”
It occurred to him he was finally comfortable in his new city. “Yeah, I like being there. No lie, I never thought I’d get used to the change, but now that I am, I realize how much I like the autonomy. Especially after being home for a night.”
Except I miss Grandma. But she’s not Grandma anymore. I’d miss her even if I was home.
Sarah clucked. “I’m guessing that you too are grateful Mom’s not butting into your business, plotting out your entire future.”
Gage let out a wry laugh. “My being gone hasn’t gotten me off the hook. She made sure I saw Jess last night.”
“Oh? And how did that go?”
Was he picking up on a hopeful note in his sister’s voice? Well, shit!
“About as expected. Mom was doing everything she could to push us together.”
“Mom might not be wrong about that one, Gage.” Sarah’s voice had grown solemn.
“Really? You’re on Mom’s side?” A sinking feeling bloomed in his chest.
“Call it being on Jessica’s side. She’s always been perfect for you, Gage. She’s the Barbie to your Ken, even though you haven’t realized it yet. And I know for a fact she thinks you’re it for her.”
Not this again. Gage puffed out an exasperated breath. “Everyone thinks she’s perfect for me. Except me! She and I already went down that road, and it didn’t work. She knows that. I know that. Besides, I think you’re overplaying her feelings in this. We’re just friends.”
“Okay, okay, don’t get your tighty-whities twisted,” Sarah soothed. “Selfishly speaking, I always hoped you two would get back together. She’s one of my best friends, and—”
“You forget we weren’t ever together. Dating for a couple of weeks doesn’t count.” Gage guided his car down the off-ramp toward the arena. “Hey, Sis, I’m almost there. I need to cut this short.” Truthfully, he had a few more minutes, but he wanted out of the awkward convo.
“Okay, Little Bro. Go score some goals!”
“Yep. Take care, Sar-Bear.”
“Love you, Waffle-Butt,” she giggled.
Waffle-Butt! Shit, would he ever live the nickname down? A smile tugged his lips before his mind wandered to Jessica Phelan.
Once upon a time, Jessica had carried a torch for him. He’d thought he carried one for her too, but the flame had fizzled shortly after they took it beyond the friend zone. Which puzzled him to this