“Let’s get this party started,” Alex White, center to Savannah’s and Kelly’s wing positions said from Kelly’s other side. Alex had been new to the team the previous season, and it hadn’t taken their line any time at all to click. It was almost as if they’d been playing together for years.
“She’s cute, isn’t she?” Kelly said for the hundredth time, leaning close to Savannah so no one else could hear. Savannah chuckled.
“Do you ever stop?” she asked.
“Nope,” Kelly said as she sat back to wait for the line of autograph seekers to be opened for them. “And I probably never will.”
“Maybe you should tell her you have a crush on her.”
“Please,” Kelly said with a look of horror. “Kelly Rawlins does not have crushes.”
“No, she just lusts after women,” Savannah said.
“Damn right,” Kelly said before turning to talk to Alex.
Savannah, still scanning the crowd for her parents, sucked in a breath when her eyes landed on Maddie Scott a few yards away talking with a man and woman. She looked down at her hands resting on the table in front of her and tried to still her racing heart. What the fuck? She hadn’t spoken with Maddie since the night she’d moved in next door, and she had no idea why her body was reacting in such a visceral way now.
“Are you all right?” Kelly asked quietly. “You look really pale.”
“Fine.” Savannah nodded and looked at her with a smile. “Just getting my game face on.”
Kelly didn’t look convinced, but Savannah couldn’t worry about her right now. She needed to figure out her own uncharacteristic reaction to seeing a beautiful woman. The first few minutes of signing autographs went smoothly, but then Kelly suddenly nudged her with an elbow and jutted her chin to Savannah’s left.
“Isn’t that your neighbor?” Kelly asked while still signing and engaging with the kids seeking her signature.
Savannah glanced to where Kelly indicated and saw Maddie with a camera, taking their picture. A young girl was pointing at Savannah and pulling on Maddie’s sleeve as she did so. Maddie nodded and smiled at Savannah.
“Yeah,” she answered as she tore her eyes away from Maddie. She smiled at the next girl in line who was waiting for her signature on one of the promotional eight-by-tens the team was handing out to everyone who was entering the event. She asked for the girl’s name before personalizing a message to her.
“Thank you,” the girl said, her eyes wide. She couldn’t have been more than seven, and Savannah smiled at the way she jumped up and down before moving on to Kelly.
“What’s her name?” Kelly asked, blatantly staring at Maddie. “Your neighbor.”
“Madison Scott.” Savannah looked up and saw Maddie standing in front of her with the girl who’d been pulling on her sleeve. “Hi.”
“Hi, this is Amy, my niece,” Maddie said, her arm around the girl’s shoulders. “She wants me to take her picture with you if that’s all right.”
Savannah looked around for a moment, knowing they weren’t supposed to take pictures with the fans while they were signing. It slowed down the line, and if she allowed it for one, they’d have to allow it for all of them. They could very well be there all night then.
“Can we do it later?” Savannah asked. “I’ll be done here in about an hour.”
“We aren’t supposed to stop and pose for pictures,” Kelly explained with a smile Savannah thought was a little too flirty. “We’ll be over by the games when we’re done here.”
“Oh, okay.” Maddie smiled at Savannah again, and Savannah was happy she seemed totally oblivious to Kelly’s flirting. Maddie leaned down to talk to her niece. “I’ll be over there with your parents, okay?”
“Yeah,” Amy said with a nod. When Maddie was gone, she slid Savannah’s photo in front of her. “You’re my favorite player.”
“Well, thank you,” Savannah said as she signed it to Amy. “Do you go to many of the games?”
“My dad takes me to most of them. We always sit right behind the bench.”
“I’ll make sure you get a puck or stick the next time I see you there.” Savannah smiled at her as Amy took a couple of small steps toward Kelly.
“That would be awesome, thanks!”
“Suck up,” Kelly muttered under her breath.
“Jealous much?” Savannah laughed at her.
The rest of their time at the table went smoothly, so when Jen Hilton and her wingers arrived for their turn, Savannah got up without a word and walked away. There was no love lost between her and Hilton, and the less she had to interact with her, the better.
She made her way toward the area where the carnival games were set up, but she stopped in her tracks when she saw their coach, Gail, standing with Maddie and looking at the pictures she’d been taking. What the heck is that about?
“Wells, come here for a minute,” Gail said when she looked her way and saw her watching them.
“What’s up?” Savannah asked as she joined them. Maddie smiled at her, and Savannah tried to ignore the way her stomach fluttered at the attention. She smiled back at her and turned her attention to Gail.
“I’m sure you’ve met your new neighbor by now,” Gail said, motioning to Maddie.
“I have, but a heads-up would have been nice since you sold her the house.”
“Really?” Gail looked between them, and Savannah would swear Gail knew everything she was thinking about Maddie. “Interesting. Anyway, she’s also been hired by the owners to be the official photographer of the Warriors this year. She’ll be at the games taking action shots, and she’ll also be taking promotional stills for the game-day programs and for this event next summer.”
“Okay,” Savannah glanced at Maddie, wondering why she hadn’t mentioned any of this to her. “Welcome aboard.”
“Thank you,” Maddie said with a nod. “I’m photographing a wedding later this month, but after that, since you’re the captain of the team, I’ll need to coordinate with you to schedule everyone for the promo shots.”
“Sure, just let me know when.” Savannah looked at Gail, hoping she’d see the question she was asking with her eyes. Maddie wasn’t referring to Court and Lana’s wedding, was she? That would just be too weird.
“Lana knows Maddie from her gig as photographer for the orchestra in Chicago, and she and Court have hired her to shoot their wedding,” Gail said, reading her perfectly. “And I think this would be a good time to go find my hubby and kids. Excuse me.”
Savannah watched Gail walk away, and even though she wanted to do so herself, she couldn’t. What was it about Madison Scott that made Savannah want to get to know her better? She mentally shook herself before meeting Maddie’s eyes.
“So you know Court and Lana?”
“I do,” Maddie answered.
“That would have been nice to know too,” Savannah said under her breath just as Kelly walked up to join them.
“Are you going to introduce me?” she asked as she slung an arm around Savannah’s shoulders.
“No,” Savannah said reflexively, but then cringed slightly at her own insolence.
“Well, that isn’t rude, is it?” Kelly laughed and held her hand out to Maddie. “I’m Kelly Rawlins. Savannah’s best friend.”
“Madison Scott,” she replied, accepting the offered hand. “Savannah’s next-door neighbor.”
“I know,” Kelly said. “We watched you move in.”
“Oh?” Maddie looked at Savannah, an eyebrow raised in question.
“No, you watched her moving in,” Savannah said with a shake of her head. “I was minding my own business.”
“Whatever,” Kelly said with a dismissive wave. “Hey, when this is done, we’re going back to Savannah’s moms’ house for a barbeque and to watch the fireworks. You should join us.”
“Faith and Lisa, right?” Maddie asked Savannah.
“Oh, you know them?” Kelly seemed surprised, and Savannah wanted to blend into the crowd to get away fr
om them. She hadn’t told Kelly about spending any time with Maddie.
“No, Savannah told me about them.”
“No shit?” Kelly looked at Savannah, who just shrugged. “I didn’t know you two knew each other so well.”
“Aunt Maddie,” said Amy as she ran up to them. Savannah could have kissed her for saving her from this particular conversation right now. Amy looked at Savannah and smiled shyly. “Can we take the picture now?”
“Sure,” Savannah said quickly before glancing at Kelly. “I’ll catch up with you in a minute.”
Kelly didn’t look happy, but she finally nodded once and turned to walk away. When Savannah refocused her attention to Maddie, she was met with a questioning look, which she chose to ignore.
“Where should we stand?” Amy asked, oblivious to the uneasiness Savannah was feeling.
“How about right where you are?” Maddie asked before raising the camera to focus on them. Amy stood next to Savannah and she put an arm around Amy’s shoulders to pose for the picture. Once it was done, Amy ran off, probably to find her parents. “You look much better in your jersey than I did.”
“I doubt that very much,” Savannah said, remembering the moment she saw Maddie walking out of her bathroom wearing the very same jersey. “You’re welcome to come by, for the barbecue and fireworks.”
“I kind of got the impression you didn’t want me there.”
“Not true.” Savannah stood with her hands in the back pockets of her shorts and looked around at the people walking by. “There’s a great view of the fireworks from the backyard, and a lot less people than if you went down to the river. Unless you have plans, that is.”
“I do have plans, with my sister and her family.”
“They’re welcome too. Lisa always makes way more food than we need, and she always says the more the merrier.”
“Will the whole team be there?” Maddie asked, not sure she wanted to intrude on family time at the Wells household. It just seemed like it might be safer if there were other people around. She’d stayed away from Savannah since that first day because she didn’t trust herself to not touch her. She wasn’t sure she’d ever felt this level of attraction to anyone before.
“No, just Kelly. Alex might stop by, and maybe Charlotte, our goaltender, but that would be it besides my moms, my brother and his family, and Court’s sister with her two kids.” Savannah shrugged. “I’d love for you to come.”
Maddie looked away to hide the grin caused by the double entendre, and saw her sister waving, trying to get her attention. She waved back before looking at Savannah, who had obviously realized what she’d said based on the level of color in her cheeks. Maddie pulled out her cell phone and swiped the screen before opening her text messaging app.
“Give me your number,” she said, readying her thumbs to enter it. When Savannah was done reciting the number to her, she typed in a quick message and hit send.
I’d love to come.
She smiled and winked when Savannah’s cheeks turned an even deeper shade of red as their eyes met. Maddie returned the phone to her pocket and sighed.
“I’m being summoned, and I’m sure Kelly’s waiting for you,” she said. “Text me the address, and if we can’t make it, I’ll let you know.”
Chapter Six
Maddie tried to stay occupied with her sister’s family, but every time she saw a woman wearing a Warriors jersey, her attention wandered. The whole team was wearing their home white jerseys, and who the hell could have guessed so many of them had black hair? If not for the names on the jerseys, she would have thought half of them were Savannah from the back.
“I can’t believe we’re going to spend the Fourth of July with Savannah Wells.” Amy was so excited, it had to have been the twentieth time she’d said the same thing. Maddie was just happy they were almost there so she’d stop saying it.
“And her family,” Dana pointed out from the front seat. Maddie had chosen to carpool with them because it seemed silly to take her own car since they’d picked her up that morning and she’d already spent the whole day with them.
“She really has two moms?” Amy asked again. Maddie rolled her eyes, causing Dana to stifle a laugh.
“Yes, she really does,” Maddie said.
“That is so awesome.” Amy turned her head to look out the window, a sure sign she was going to be quiet for at least a few minutes.
“Here we are,” Trent said as he pulled in behind a car parked in the street in front of the house. He shut the car off and turned to look at Amy. “You behave yourself, and mind your manners, you understand?”
“Yes,” Amy answered with an eye roll of her own. “I’m not five.”
Dana laughed, which earned her a stern glare from Trent. Maddie smiled when Dana tried her best to look serious.
“You aren’t too old for me to bend you over my knee,” Trent said.
“Promise?” Dana asked him with a wink.
“So gross,” Amy said before opening her door and getting out.
Maddie laughed then, and Trent turned his glare on her. “Do I need to have a talking to with you too? Tell you to mind your manners?”
“No, sir, you don’t,” Maddie assured him. “And if you try bending me over your knee, you’ll end up in a choke hold.”
He raised his hands in surrender before they all got out and made their way up the front walk. The door opened just as Maddie was about to knock, and her heart rate quickened at the sight of Savannah wearing shorts and a rather tight fitting tank top.
“I’m so happy you all could make it,” Savannah said.
“Thank you for inviting us,” Trent said as he shook her hand.
“Mind your manners,” Dana said close to Maddie’s ear. “You look like you’re about to start drooling.”
Maddie felt her cheeks grow hot as she quickly brought her gaze up to Savannah’s face and she realized she’d been caught staring at her breasts. Real smooth. Could you be any more obvious?
“Come in,” Savannah said as she stepped back and motioned them through the door. She winked when Maddie walked past her, and Maddie wanted to turn around and run away. “You can just walk through the house to the patio door. Everyone is outside.”
They walked slowly, waiting for Savannah to get to the patio doors first, because it just seemed weird to walk out there without knowing anyone else. Savannah seemed to sense this and led them all out to the patio where there were two older women tending the grill side by side. She put her arm around one of them and turned her around.
“This is my mom Lisa and my other mom Faith,” she said as they both smiled and wiped their hands on their aprons before shaking hands with their guests. “Lisa, Faith, this is my next-door neighbor Madison Scott; her sister, Dana; and her husband, Trent; and their daughter, Amy. Did I get all the names right?”
“Perfect,” Trent said with a big grin as he shook their hands. “It’s a pleasure to meet you lovely ladies.”
“And you as well,” Faith said.
Lisa was smiling and watching Maddie with what seemed to be a little too much interest for Maddie’s liking, and it made her a little uncomfortable. She shifted her weight from one foot to the other and glanced at Savannah, who seemed to understand her uneasiness.
“Next-door neighbor?” Lisa asked as she took Maddie by the arm and tried to lead her away. Savannah stopped her with a hand on Lisa’s shoulder and a firm shake of her head.
“I can see those wheels spinning, Lisa, and you need to stop,” Savannah said.
“Stop what?” Lisa asked, feigning innocence so obvious Maddie almost laughed out loud. She had a feeling Lisa was going to try her matchmaking abilities on the two of them.
“Lisa,” Faith said in a tone that obviously got through to her because Lisa sighed and let go of Maddie’s arm.
“We’ll talk later,” Lisa said to Maddie before returning to her grilling duties.
“Help yourself to whatever you want to drink. Everything is in the cool
ers,” Faith told them.
“Beer?” Savannah asked, and Maddie nodded. She gave Dana, Trent, and Amy their drinks before grabbing a couple of beers for them. She leaned in closer and spoke into Maddie’s ear. “Come with me.”
Maddie followed her out to the yard where there were lawn chairs and umbrellas set up to give some shade to the guests. Since there wasn’t anyone else there yet, Maddie assumed the real party wouldn’t start until closer to the scheduled fireworks.
“This is a nice house,” Madison said as she looked at the two-story structure in front of them. The back patio was huge, large enough for three picnic tables end to end, and was covered by a second story deck the length of the house. “Is this where you grew up?”
“Yes,” Savannah said, looking up at the second story. “This is the only house Lisa and Faith have lived in since before I was born. My brother and his family stay here when they come to town for holidays.”
“It’s nice they have a place to stay.” Madison took in the rest of the yard, including the swimming pool which was surrounded by a fence a few feet away from them. “So what was all that with Lisa?”
“Remember I told you she likes to set me up on blind dates?” Savannah looked at her with a sheepish grin, and Maddie nodded, happy she’d read the situation correctly. “She was going into matchmaker mode when she found out you were my next-door neighbor. She can be irritating at times, but she’s totally harmless, trust me.”
“I think it’s sweet,” Maddie said. Savannah let out a dramatic gasp and placed a hand on her own chest, causing Maddie to laugh. “Really, it’s sweet. She wants you to be happy. What’s wrong with that?”
“I am happy. At least happier than I would be going out on Lisa’s ill-advised blind dates.”
“Ill-advised?” Maddie smiled, knowing this would be a story she definitely wanted to hear.
“I’ll tell you about it sometime,” Savannah said. “Suffice it to say the world is lucky Lisa Wells didn’t decide to become a professional matchmaker.”
Face Off Page 4