Home Ice

by Rachelle Vaughn

  Ally felt a twinge of jealousy. She was supposed to be the one to get married first. She was the sensible one. The monogamous one. Izzy was supposed to be the one content with bouncing from one night stand to one night stand ‘just having fun’. Instead, Ally was the one living like a spinster and feeling like the old maid on the cards she used to play with Gram. Old Maid bonnet excluded. She could never pull off wearing a bonnet.

  But that was the life she had chosen. The role of caretaker and student and employee. And doting best friend. And lace wrangler.

  “You know you’re going to be my maid of honor, right?” Izzy continued, admiring herself. “And I won’t make you wear some freak show of a dress. It’s going to be elegant. And lace.” The two women laughed as Izzy spun around in her lace cocoon before they were slammed into the wall by two hockey players wearing red jerseys.

  Ally woke with a start as the laughter echoed in her foggy head. She struggled to take in a breath while she grabbed at the phantom lace choking her neck. She finally found her lungs and sucked in a deep breath. The blurry edges of her dream faded as reality set in.

  It was just a dream.

  Nobody was getting married. Especially not Izzy.

  Ally thought it was strange what her subconscious came up with when it was allowed to run wild. Dom wasn’t the marrying kind. And besides, Izzy hated lace.

  Ally looked over at the clock and it read two a.m. The red digital numbers silently mocked her.

  Damn.

  She flopped back onto her pillow and stared at the ceiling willing morning to come.

  * * *

  “I have another date with my hot hockey player tonight.” Izzy rattled on through the phone line the next day. With the game being a complete success, she was still on her hockey high. “What about you? I know you are totally into his friend.”

  “Who are you talking about, crazy lady?”

  “You know who. Number 20. You cheered for him last night. Plus, I remember him from practice. He was cute. Come to think about it, that whole team is full of hotties.”

  “Jeez, Izzy, we’re not in high school anymore. Checking out guys on the football team is so seven years ago.”

  “None of the guys who went to our school looked like that. These are real men full of solid muscle and pure testosterone.”

  Ally couldn’t help but laugh at her friend. “Yeah, you’re full of something all right!”

  “I guess he asked about you.”

  “Who?” Ally asked cautiously.

  “The cute hockey player, you dummy. You have his jersey. He asked Dom about you.”

  Ally’s stomach flopped down to her shoes.

  “He wanted to know if you and I were friends and asked how he could get a hold of you.”

  Ally had to sit down, her legs started wobbling. She couldn’t remember the last time someone from the opposite sex had shown interest in her. A sexy athlete nonetheless. Wait, did she just say sexy? Oh god.

  “He wants to get a hold of me?”

  “By the way, his name is Ben. Ben Price.”

  Ben. Ally already knew his name from her internet reconnaissance, but she didn’t dare tell that to Izzy. Izzy didn’t need to know that Ally had Googled him the night before. Ooh, that sounded kinky.

  Stop it!

  “Dom gave him my number and he called and asked if you were available.”

  “What?!” Great, I’m having a heart attack, Ally clutched at her chest. I can’t breathe. This guy actually made an effort to see if I’m available?? Of course I’m available. And I’m a cheap date, too. Heck, I’ll have whatever is on the value menu. No wining and dining required here. Uh-oh. My throat is closing up. I can’t feel my legs.

  “So, of course, I told him that you were…” Izzy continued on, completely unaware of Ally’s ‘cardiac arrest’ on the other end of the line. “…and I told him where you work because I know you do way better in person and I don’t want you screwing this up over the phone. Because sometimes when you get nervous you freeze up and I couldn’t bare the thought of you sitting on the phone with this poor guy in complete silence. Wait…I take that last part back. He is definitely not poor. He must make millions of dollars a year. Anyway, Ben Price might be coming to surprise you. Soon, hopefully.” Izzy finally finished rambling and sucked in a breath. She paused and waited for Ally’s response.

  Nothing.

  “See, like right now.” Izzy sighed.

  “I didn’t freeze up. I’m having a small heart attack here,” Ally panted.

  “That’s exactly what I mean. This way, in person, you can charm him with your Amazon-like beauty.”

  “Shut up. I’m not an Amazon. Just because I’m taller than you, like everyone else in the world, doesn’t mean I’m freakishly tall. You have no room to talk, being five feet tall.”

  “I’m five foot, two.” Izzy corrected.

  “Right. Like TWO inches really matter.”

  “Oh, it does matter. In all areas of life, if ya know what I mean.”

  “You’re incorrigible.” Ally laughed, almost forgetting about their original conversation.

  “I don’t know what that means, but I bet it’s fabulous.”

  “I can’t believe he remembered me, much less made a point to ask about me.”

  “You’re a catch, babe. It’s what I’ve been trying to tell you for years. Looks like it only took a million dollar famous athlete to prove my point. Anyway, you’re welcome. I gotta go, my clients just walked in.”

  “Thanks.” If it hadn’t been for Izzy, Ally wouldn’t have even gone to the practice. “Goodbye stumpy.”

  “Bye Goliath.”

  Ally hung up the phone and took in a deep breath. Wow. It was amazing how things could change with one phone call.

  * * *

  Ben surprised himself. He had never pursued a woman outright before. They usually pursued him whether he wanted them to or not. But there was something about her standing there after practice. Something that intrigued him. She seemed so out of place. She was beautiful, too. Not in a fake, plastic Hollywood celebrity kind of way. But in a natural, wonderful, unassuming way. And she had a sense of humor which managed to shine through even though she was noticeably nervous. He had only talked to her for what--thirty seconds?--but it had been the most memorable thirty seconds of his year. Maybe even the last decade.

  He was overcome with the many different ways in which she was beautiful. The way her blonde hair framed her face. The way her tee shirt clung to her body. Oh, that curvaceous body. The way her blue eyes had looked into his. And the way she smelled. It was sweet and amazing. What was it? Strawberries. Yes. She smelled like delicious strawberries.

  Ben thought back to their brief conversation before her friend had pulled her away from him. “Did you enjoy the practice?” he had asked. What a douchebag. What kind of question what that? Very Rico Suave. He was going to have to make up for that bumble of a first conversation. He hoped she would accept his invitation to dinner so he could make it up to her.

  He couldn’t believe he let her get away from him like that. One minute she was standing in front of him in all of her sweet smelling strawberry glory and the next, with a swish of silky golden hair, she was gone. She could have at least left him with a glass slipper or something. He could have kicked himself for watching her walk away. Not that the view wasn’t pleasant. Even though he had the urge to run after her, on his skates no less, he couldn’t for fear of looking like a complete raving lunatic.

  Crazed, Lunatic Hockey Player Chases After Strawberry Goddess.

  Thank goodness for Dom and his charming Don Juan personality. His rugged good looks were like a magnet for chicks and their phone numbers. It was because of Dom that he had acquired the Strawberry Goddesses best friend’s phone number. Those seven digits were better than any winning lottery numbers. They had brought him one step closer to his mysterious blonde. All he had had to do was make one phone call.

  And now he knew that her name was
Ally. Ally Monroe. It sounded like a movie star’s name. He also found out a few other bits of information from her chatty best friend. Izzy had been happy to divulge the information. Come to think of it, Izzy had been very happy to divulge the information. She seemed like the type of girl who liked to share a little too much information. But it didn’t matter, Izzy was his link to Ally.

  Ben could imagine getting to know Ally and being comfortable around her. He didn’t know what had come over him, but it was a new feeling. A good feeling. Besides, it had been a long, tough season and he had a few months off that he sure didn’t want to spend alone.

  And now, if he played his cards right, he might not have to.

  Chapter Seven

  Moose and Coffee

  Every time the vet’s door opened and the little bell signaled someone coming in to Kaufmann Animal Hospital, Ally’s heart dropped to her feet. And then when she looked up and saw it wasn’t him, she would scoop it back up again and remember how to do her job.

  Ally didn’t even know when, or more importantly if, Ben was coming in anyway. She had been silly to think that their thirty second conversation had meant anything to someone of his stature. Why would he want to give her the time of day when she had ran into him like a linebacker?

  Ally hadn’t had a chance to look at the appointment book to see if he had made an appointment for today. Lynn’s handwriting was nearly impossible to read anyway. Ally didn’t even know if he had any pets. Oh well, the element of surprise would be a good way to shake things up. This whole situation had been a complete surprise, so why not continue the fun? Why stop now?

  Things started to pick up around late morning at the hospital. There was a steady stream of cats and dogs coming and going for appointments as well as phone calls and people coming in to purchase flea and heart worm medication. Business was definitely doing better.

  By the time things in the office started to die down from their busy morning, Ally forgot all about her conversation with Izzy.

  Once again, the bell jingled as an older woman came in looking pensive.

  “Hi, Mrs. Bradford,” Ally greeted her with a smile from behind the counter. “You’re here to pick up your cat, Lolly, right?” Mrs. Bradford answered with a single nod. “Let me just go and get her for you. I‘ll be right back.”

  Ally went to the back room to retrieve Lolly, a fluffy white Persian who had an unfortunate run-in with an angry Rottweiler. While she was in the back, Ally heard another customer come in the door. She hoped the day’s business was a good sign for the Kaufmann’s future. Talking softly to the frightened feline, Ally loaded Lolly into her carrier and went back up to the front desk.

  “Here she is, Mrs. Bradford. Just try to keep her indoors for a few days while everything heals.” She handed the old woman the pet carrier and Mrs. Bradford snatched it away from Ally, paid her bill and hurried out the door.

  Ally turned her attention to the customer standing off to the side who had come in while she was in the back room. He had his back turned to her and was looking out the window at the cars passing by. “May I help you?” she asked sweetly in her ‘work voice’.

  The man turned around.

  Ally gulped.

  It was him.

  Ben. Ben Price. Hockey Player Extraordinaire.

  “Hi.” He stood there looking directly into her eyes just like she had remembered.

  He was here. Izzy hadn’t been playing a cruel trick on her.

  Nervously, Ally glanced away from his brown eyes. Suddenly the office felt tiny, like the walls were closing in on her. Even though it was her place of work, she felt out of place. Maybe because in an instant, the oxygen seemed to have been sucked out of the room like a vacuum. He made her feel uneasy, but in a good way. Like she just stepped off of a carnival tilt-a-whirl. She had to find her bearings and shake off this crazy feeling. She was used to everything being in order and on schedule and he made her nervous system go into complete and utter disorder.

  Was it hot in here?

  Looking back at him, she realized all over again how handsome he was. He was clean shaven and his brown hair fell down his forehead, almost to his eyes. Oh. There were those brown eyes again. They bore into hers like he could see into her very soul. She hoped he couldn’t see what she was thinking.

  He was tall. Six foot two, just like the internet said. Even without his skates he stood over her and she was no half-pint like Izzy.

  Gone was the sweaty boy in the oversized hockey jersey. The person in front of her was all man. Clean and smooth and he smelled great. His jeans were loose fitting, but the tee shirt covering his broad shoulders hugged all the right places. She clamped her jaw shut when she realized it was gaping open. Did she mention that he smelled great?

  Ben had a giant dog with him and he ran his thumb over the leash.

  After what felt like an hour, Ally finally reached down and found her voice. “Number 20, right?”

  Way to sweet talk the guy, Ally scolded herself. He has a name, you idiot. But she couldn’t remember it or her own for that matter.

  “Ben.” He said with that same smile she remembered from that day after practice.

  How could she forget his name? Those three letters had beamed down on her all night in her dreams like a pearly white beacon.

  “Ally, right?” he asked, taking a step forward.

  Oh dear, there went the oxygen again.

  She nodded, liking the soft way he said her name.

  “I have to confess, I did some investigating,” he admitted.

  She tried to find her tongue again. I know it‘s in here somewhere.

  “Me too.” She fessed up as well, then quickly decided she had better change the subject. “You look different, I mean out of your uniform.”

  Oops, that didn’t seem to come out right.

  What was she saying, rambling on like a teenager? She had to find the strength to stop thinking about him out of his clothes.

  “Uh, yeah, and now you are in uniform,” he replied referring to the scrubs top she wore with the pattern of cats having a tea party. Her other pair depicting dogs brushing their teeth weren’t any better.

  Damn. I might as well be wearing a freakin’ muumuu.

  She reached up to smooth her shirt, suddenly feeling like she was wearing a tent. Not used to worrying about her appearance, she flicked the thought away. The first time they had met she looked like a homeless person and now here she was wearing a child’s bed sheet. Luckily he didn’t play baseball because as far as wardrobe points went, she was on a strike two.

  “I have an appointment for my dog,” Ben said, getting down to business. He gestured to the Mastiff on the other end of the leash. The huge dog had sprawled out onto the floor and was panting heavily. “Izzy told me you work here and I figured it was the easiest way to see you again,” he admitted with a million watt smile. Did wattage even go that high?

  “Oh.” He was here to see her? Her eyes widened in surprise. The words were coming from his mouth and not from her diluted best friend. That made it all way too real. Ally clutched the edge of the counter, needing help to hold up her wobbly knees.

  Come on, think of something charming to say. He went to so much trouble to see you.

  “It’s good to see you again.” Really good. “I was kind of out of my element at the rink the other day and I was a little overwhelmed. I’m not really that into hockey. Not like Izzy,” she added.

  Oh, that’s smooth. Put down the one thing he lives and breathes for. That’s a great way to impress him.

  That was three strikes for conversation.

  He shrugged. “That’s cool. It’s only American of you.” There was that smile again. “People don’t make as much of a big deal out of hockey around here like they do up in Canada.” He shifted his feet and glanced around the office.

  She tried to see it through his eyes for the first time like he was. The long, colorful leashes hanging on the wall. The bulletin board filled with business cards for
groomers and breeders. The worn issues of Pet magazine on the oak coffee table in the waiting area.

  The giant dog at Ben’s feet let out a noisy yawn.

  “That’s a great looking dog,” she commented, thankful for the distraction. “What’s his name?”

  “This is Moose. He’s here to get his teeth cleaned.”

  It had been the only procedure Ben could think to make an appointment for. He figured it was a fair trade to have an opportunity to see her again. Anyway, it was about time the big oaf earned his keep. And what better way then by casting him as Moose the Matchmaker?

  “That should be relatively quick and painless for him. He looks pretty calm,” she nodded to the canine quarter horse with his legs splayed out on the office floor. A trail of drool was making its way out of the corner of Moose’s mouth.

  “If he were any more easy going, he’d be a bearskin rug,” Ben joked.

  Ally laughed and some of the nervousness eased away from her gut.

  “All right, I’ll just take him into the back for you.” Ally switched into ‘work mode’. “I just need you to fill out some paperwork.” She handed him a clipboard with a patient information form. He would have to provide his address and phone number. For office use only, of course.

  “The doctor is running on schedule, so he should be done in about forty-five minutes, or so.” She reached for the leash but he was hesitant to hand it to her.

  Ben cleared his throat and Ally held her breath. If she didn‘t know any better, she would have thought that time had come to a screeching halt. But the clock above the desk ticked away the seconds, so that wasn’t the case. “Do you wanna go get some coffee or something?” He asked, cocking his head to one side.

  “Sure.” She let herself exhale. “I’m due for a break anyways. Let me take care of Moose and I’ll tell my boss, Lynn, that I’m leaving.”

  When he finally gave her the leash, his hand brushed against hers. A surge of pure electricity shot through her body as if the leash were a live wire.

  Ally led a lumbering Moose to the exam room. He was well behaved and didn’t mind being handed off to Dr. Kaufmann.