out I totally froze. My dad would probably be dead if you hadn’t been there.”
“You said it was a mild heart attack, Gaby.”
“Right, but mild could’ve turned tragic when an idiot like me doesn’t even think to call nine-one-one.”
“You are not an idiot, Gaby. You’re far from that.”
“Again I remind you that we don’t know each other, Landon.”
“I thought I proved we did.”
“No. You proved you’re kind of a stalker.”
“Not a stalker, a good listener.” He chuckled.
“Everything I know about you is public information any fan of yours could find out. I don’t eavesdrop on your conversations,” I teased.
“So you’re saying you’ve Googled me?”
“Well, yeah, I mean,” I stuttered. How could I spin my obsession? “You’re a successful hockey player who’s been coming to our stores for years. I like to keep up with your career.”
“Have you ever Googled ‘Landon Taylor naked’?”
“Nope. I can’t say that I have.”
“Let me know if you do. I don’t want to have that in my search history and I always wondered what was out there on me.”
“Do you have anything to be worried about?”
“Uh, yeah.”
“Oh.” My hopeful heart deflated like a pierced balloon. Of course he had to be worried. We lived in the age of conceited puck bunnies with smartphones and social media.
“I’ve always gotta be on alert. I have three brothers with access to my baby bath photos. And I’ve had hundreds of teammates over the years. Hockey players like to play pranks. Mean pranks.”
I laughed while my heart settled back into place. I didn’t think Landon was a virgin or anything, but I’m glad he hadn’t shoved it in my face how many girls might have naked pictures of him.
“Yeah, Drew has told me about quite a few of the pranks.”
“The X-rated ones?”
“Probably not. I don’t think I need to know about those. There are some hockey traditions that should be left to the players.”
“True. Muggles just don’t understand.”
“Did you just use a Harry Potter reference?”
“I know you think I’m a dumb jock, but Landon. Can. Read. I bet I could be part of your book club.”
His comment made me choke. How many posts would I have to go back and hide on our group’s Facebook page so Landon couldn’t access the overanalyzing girlie discussions about him?
“Why don’t we start our own book club?” I suggested, lifting my drink to my lips.
“The Gaby and Landon Read and Act Out Erotica Book Club?”
There wasn’t enough Sprite in the world to hide my embarrassment, so I pushed the glass out of the way, folded my arms on the bar, and buried my head in the hole it created.
“I keep forgetting I have to be careful with you.” Landon patted the back of my head.
I turned just enough to catch him with a side glance. “I’m not fragile. Or naive. I’m just quiet.”
“You haven’t shut up this whole time.”
I lifted my head and sat up, straightening my back against the barstool. “Okay, I’m quiet around certain people.”
“Glad I’m not one of them.”
“When people go through life and death situations together, I think they tend to bond quicker.”
“That’s true. So let’s bond.” Landon set his foot on the rung at the bottom of the chair and leaned toward me. “You have two brothers. One who plays hockey and one who can’t run a store to save his life.”
I inched my chair closer to him. “Yep. That sums it up.”
“I know Drew. I played against Drew in Midgets. I didn’t know he had an older brother though.”
“Joey does his own thing. He never went to any of Drew’s games.”
“Does his own thing how?”
“Smokes weed, plays videogames, moves across the country, and sleeps on his friends’ floors so he doesn’t have to pay rent.” Not that there was anything wrong with that.
Landon grinned. “Ah. The slacker. Odd for a firstborn.”
“What about you? Are you a typical middle child? Rebellious. Nobody loves me.
“You said it was a mild heart attack, Gaby.”
“Right, but mild could’ve turned tragic when an idiot like me doesn’t even think to call nine-one-one.”
“You are not an idiot, Gaby. You’re far from that.”
“Again I remind you that we don’t know each other, Landon.”
“I thought I proved we did.”
“No. You proved you’re kind of a stalker.”
“Not a stalker, a good listener.” He chuckled.
“Everything I know about you is public information any fan of yours could find out. I don’t eavesdrop on your conversations,” I teased.
“So you’re saying you’ve Googled me?”
“Well, yeah, I mean,” I stuttered. How could I spin my obsession? “You’re a successful hockey player who’s been coming to our stores for years. I like to keep up with your career.”
“Have you ever Googled ‘Landon Taylor naked’?”
“Nope. I can’t say that I have.”
“Let me know if you do. I don’t want to have that in my search history and I always wondered what was out there on me.”
“Do you have anything to be worried about?”
“Uh, yeah.”
“Oh.” My hopeful heart deflated like a pierced balloon. Of course he had to be worried. We lived in the age of conceited puck bunnies with smartphones and social media.
“I’ve always gotta be on alert. I have three brothers with access to my baby bath photos. And I’ve had hundreds of teammates over the years. Hockey players like to play pranks. Mean pranks.”
I laughed while my heart settled back into place. I didn’t think Landon was a virgin or anything, but I’m glad he hadn’t shoved it in my face how many girls might have naked pictures of him.
“Yeah, Drew has told me about quite a few of the pranks.”
“The X-rated ones?”
“Probably not. I don’t think I need to know about those. There are some hockey traditions that should be left to the players.”
“True. Muggles just don’t understand.”
“Did you just use a Harry Potter reference?”
“I know you think I’m a dumb jock, but Landon. Can. Read. I bet I could be part of your book club.”
His comment made me choke. How many posts would I have to go back and hide on our group’s Facebook page so Landon couldn’t access the overanalyzing girlie discussions about him?
“Why don’t we start our own book club?” I suggested, lifting my drink to my lips.
“The Gaby and Landon Read and Act Out Erotica Book Club?”
There wasn’t enough Sprite in the world to hide my embarrassment, so I pushed the glass out of the way, folded my arms on the bar, and buried my head in the hole it created.
“I keep forgetting I have to be careful with you.” Landon patted the back of my head.
I turned just enough to catch him with a side glance. “I’m not fragile. Or naive. I’m just quiet.”
“You haven’t shut up this whole time.”
I lifted my head and sat up, straightening my back against the barstool. “Okay, I’m quiet around certain people.”
“Glad I’m not one of them.”
“When people go through life and death situations together, I think they tend to bond quicker.”
“That’s true. So let’s bond.” Landon set his foot on the rung at the bottom of the chair and leaned toward me. “You have two brothers. One who plays hockey and one who can’t run a store to save his life.”
I inched my chair closer to him. “Yep. That sums it up.”
“I know Drew. I played against Drew in Midgets. I didn’t know he had an older brother though.”
“Joey does his own thing. He never went to any of Drew’s games.”
“Does his own thing how?”
“Smokes weed, plays videogames, moves across the country, and sleeps on his friends’ floors so he doesn’t have to pay rent.” Not that there was anything wrong with that.
Landon grinned. “Ah. The slacker. Odd for a firstborn.”
“What about you? Are you a typical middle child? Rebellious. Nobody loves me.
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