the same time and Ty swung around, turning his back to the center. He raised his stick, scooping the puck away from the opponent. He passed it to Victor, who shot it to Eddie.
Tyler skated to the net.
Eddie fought his defender for the puck and slammed it to Ty. He took the puck around the back of the net and swept it to Victor, who was in perfect position to the right of the goal and tucked it into the net.
The lights behind the goal flashed on, signaling success.
They scored, and the crowd leaped to their feet.
Tyler skated to Eddie and Victor, they piled on celebratory high fives, then finished the damn game.
After, Tyler was pumped and ready to celebrate.
“You guys ready to go out and party tonight?” he asked.
Eddie was always up for an after-game celebration. “You know it. If you’re buying.”
Ty shook his head. “You’re a cheap bastard, Eddie.”
“Yeah, but someday I’ll be a rich cheap bastard, especially if I keep getting guys like you to buy my dinner and beers.”
“I’ll buy you dinner for that pass tonight, and Victor’s dinner for that goal. You can buy your own damn beer.”
“You are on,” Victor said. “Beautiful women will want me after that goal tonight.”
Ty patted Victor on the back. “I think beautiful women want you even when you don’t score a goal.”
Victor pursed his lips and nodded. “This is true.”
They headed over to Riley’s. Not because he expected Jenna to be there. It was Eddie’s suggestion, because he liked their steaks and also because of Renee, the cute waitress he was still trying to muster up the courage to ask out. Plus, Victor had spotted a blonde there the other night that he hadn’t yet managed to take to bed, so he wanted to see if she’d be there.
And if Ty was buying dinner, he had to come along, right?
Jenna just happened to be working tonight. So not his fault.
She didn’t look surprised to see him walk in. She didn’t look happy to see him, either, though she didn’t look unhappy.
She looked tired.
Renee was working tonight and brought their drinks over. She eyed Eddie, and Eddie eyed her.
Ty elbowed Eddie in the ribs. “It’s obvious she likes you. Ask her out.”
Eddie blushed crimson. “Maybe I will.”
“I mean, like this year, dumbass.”
“Congrats on a kickass game tonight, guys,” Renee said. “The shots are on Jenna for the win.”
“Excellent!” Victor lifted the shot of vodka. “To the Ice.”
“To the Ice,” Ty said, though he looked at Jenna when he downed his shot of whiskey.
He might have seen a hint of a smile on her face. Or maybe he was just imagining it, because it was gone as soon as he saw it.
But he wasn’t here for Jenna tonight. He had come to celebrate a game win with his buddies.
They ordered steaks, had a few beers, and Victor found his blonde, who was just as eager to see him again. Soon they were surrounded by eager fans happy to talk about tonight’s game.
It had been a great game. Ty wanted to share his exuberance with Jenna, but it was Saturday night and the place was crowded. She was busy manning the bar, but after last night he’d be an asshole if he didn’t at least go up and talk to her.
He waited until she’d filled drink orders, then leaned against the corner of the bar.
“Hey.”
She was washing glasses. “Hey yourself. Good game tonight.”
“Thanks.”
She hadn’t made eye contact yet, so he waited until she finished what she was doing. When she had, she walked to the other end of the bar to fill a customer’s drink order.
Okay, she had to see to her customers. He understood that. He could be patient.
But when she came up to his end of the bar and continued to ignore him, he figured something was up.
“You look tired.”
She gave him a half smile. “I am tired.”
“Rough night last
Tyler skated to the net.
Eddie fought his defender for the puck and slammed it to Ty. He took the puck around the back of the net and swept it to Victor, who was in perfect position to the right of the goal and tucked it into the net.
The lights behind the goal flashed on, signaling success.
They scored, and the crowd leaped to their feet.
Tyler skated to Eddie and Victor, they piled on celebratory high fives, then finished the damn game.
After, Tyler was pumped and ready to celebrate.
“You guys ready to go out and party tonight?” he asked.
Eddie was always up for an after-game celebration. “You know it. If you’re buying.”
Ty shook his head. “You’re a cheap bastard, Eddie.”
“Yeah, but someday I’ll be a rich cheap bastard, especially if I keep getting guys like you to buy my dinner and beers.”
“I’ll buy you dinner for that pass tonight, and Victor’s dinner for that goal. You can buy your own damn beer.”
“You are on,” Victor said. “Beautiful women will want me after that goal tonight.”
Ty patted Victor on the back. “I think beautiful women want you even when you don’t score a goal.”
Victor pursed his lips and nodded. “This is true.”
They headed over to Riley’s. Not because he expected Jenna to be there. It was Eddie’s suggestion, because he liked their steaks and also because of Renee, the cute waitress he was still trying to muster up the courage to ask out. Plus, Victor had spotted a blonde there the other night that he hadn’t yet managed to take to bed, so he wanted to see if she’d be there.
And if Ty was buying dinner, he had to come along, right?
Jenna just happened to be working tonight. So not his fault.
She didn’t look surprised to see him walk in. She didn’t look happy to see him, either, though she didn’t look unhappy.
She looked tired.
Renee was working tonight and brought their drinks over. She eyed Eddie, and Eddie eyed her.
Ty elbowed Eddie in the ribs. “It’s obvious she likes you. Ask her out.”
Eddie blushed crimson. “Maybe I will.”
“I mean, like this year, dumbass.”
“Congrats on a kickass game tonight, guys,” Renee said. “The shots are on Jenna for the win.”
“Excellent!” Victor lifted the shot of vodka. “To the Ice.”
“To the Ice,” Ty said, though he looked at Jenna when he downed his shot of whiskey.
He might have seen a hint of a smile on her face. Or maybe he was just imagining it, because it was gone as soon as he saw it.
But he wasn’t here for Jenna tonight. He had come to celebrate a game win with his buddies.
They ordered steaks, had a few beers, and Victor found his blonde, who was just as eager to see him again. Soon they were surrounded by eager fans happy to talk about tonight’s game.
It had been a great game. Ty wanted to share his exuberance with Jenna, but it was Saturday night and the place was crowded. She was busy manning the bar, but after last night he’d be an asshole if he didn’t at least go up and talk to her.
He waited until she’d filled drink orders, then leaned against the corner of the bar.
“Hey.”
She was washing glasses. “Hey yourself. Good game tonight.”
“Thanks.”
She hadn’t made eye contact yet, so he waited until she finished what she was doing. When she had, she walked to the other end of the bar to fill a customer’s drink order.
Okay, she had to see to her customers. He understood that. He could be patient.
But when she came up to his end of the bar and continued to ignore him, he figured something was up.
“You look tired.”
She gave him a half smile. “I am tired.”
“Rough night last
Similar Books
