The Puck Charmer

by Cathryn Fox

  “You have fun with those grandkids, Viv,” Rose says.

  Vivian turns back to us. “Our grandkids from Boston are coming for a visit tonight.”

  “Oh, Alek is from Boston,” Alyssa says.

  Vivian nods, and her blue eyes narrow in on me. “Maybe that’s why you look so familiar. Which part of Boston are you from?”

  “West Roxbury.”

  “Oh, nice area.” Her gaze scans my face, and I hope to fuck she doesn’t place me. “My son is living in Dorchester. I must go. See you tomorrow night, Rose.” As she gives her friends a hug, Alyssa removes the old flowers in the vase and adds new ones.

  “So pretty,” Rose says. “Now come sit, and tell me all about your day.”

  “I brought you fresh trout. I caught it and Alek cooked it.”

  “Oh, lovely.”

  Alyssa hands the container and fork over, and sits. I gesture that I’ll grab us a couple cups of coffee. I step into the hall and make my way through the long corridor. There’s an elderly gentleman at the coffee machine ahead of me, so I hang back. He seems to be having trouble trying to figure the machine out and when he glances over his shoulder, a measure of panic on his face, I step up to him.

  “What are you looking for?” I ask.

  “Coffee with cream,” he says, and I press the buttons. The coffee pours, and I can feel his gaze drilling into me. “Aren’t you—”

  “Here you go,” I say, keeping my head low and my hat over my eyes. “Careful, it’s hot.”

  One hand with numerous dark spots takes the paper cup from me and I dig into my pocket, unease curling around me, filling me with the sense my world is about to come crashing down on me. Fuck man, here I thought Alyssa and I would just have some fun and I’d leave here without her ever needing to know who I was, but now… now everything is different.

  With a cup of coffee in each hand I head back to the room when the man calls out, “Alek?”

  I freeze for one brief second, but it’s enough to give myself away. “Shit.” I always stop to talk to my fans and give autographs, and I should this time, too. But I can’t let Alyssa find out who I really am from someone else. I bite the inside of my cheek and continue on. I’ve seriously been enjoying the anonymity of this place, but I think it’s soon going to come to an end.

  I step back into the room, and Alyssa’s head lifts from the book she’d been reading. She takes one look at me and her smile falls. Shit.

  “Everything okay?”

  “Yeah, fine,” I say, and force a smile. “The machine was giving a guy a hard time. I had to help him.” She nods, but doesn’t look convinced as I hand her coffee over. She graciously accepts it and takes a big drink.

  I kick back in my chair and pull my phone out to answer some emails and check in with the guys, who are asking if I’m coming to the cottage this summer. Alyssa would have a blast there, I’m sure of it. Swimming, hanging out, bonfires, and the girls all love to shop, and catch up. I’m certain they’d take her under their wing, but then I remember she’s not going anywhere in a hurry, and that scenario is never likely to happen.

  “All set?” Alyssa asks quietly and I lift my head to find her grandmother sleeping. Alyssa stretches out her arms and I stand, pulling her to me.

  “You’re tired,” I say, and press my forehead to hers, enjoying the easy comfort between us.

  “A bit, but I still have a surprise for you.”

  I brush my lips over hers, and when I catch movement from the corner of my eye I turn, and I swear to God, Rose just blinked her eyes shut. I stare at her for a moment. Is that a smirk on her face?

  “Hey,” Alyssa says, her hand on my cheek, and pulling my focus back to her. “Are you okay? You’ve been acting a little strange.”

  “I think Rose…” Alyssa’s eyes narrow. “Nothing. I just…nothing.” I take her hand. “Come on. Let’s leave her to rest.”

  Alyssa scoops up her purse and we quietly leave the room. Back in her truck, she says, “Can we stop at my place for a second?” Her lips quick with excitement and I can’t help but wonder what she’s up to.

  My cock twitches as understanding dawns. “Fuck, you’re getting your girl scout outfit, aren’t you?”

  She whacks me. “No, but now that you mention it…” I step on the gas, go a little faster. “Easy there, Alek. Moxie needs a gentle touch.”

  When we finally pull into her driveway, I anxiously reach for the door handle. She puts her hand on my arm to stop me.

  “Wait here, okay? I’ll just be a second.”

  I nod, and turn the tunes up as she disappears inside her apartment. I glance around the area, and my mind goes to her grandmother’s house. I can see why she wants to sell it, but damn, the look on her face when that couple had been checking it out damn near made me sob. Alyssa comes from the building with two hockey sticks in her hand, and I swear to fucking God, my heart just grew twice the size as it climbs into my throat.

  Could this woman be any sweeter? I jump from the truck, and she’s grinning from ear-to-ear as I meet her at the hood. “This is what you were up to this morning when you didn’t want me to come with you?” I ask.

  “Yup. I taught you to fish, now you’re going to teach me how to play hockey.”

  “You bought these…to surprise me.” No way can I let her pay for them.

  “Technically, I didn’t buy them. I borrowed them from Mr. Landry, an old family friend. He has tons of kids and grandkids.” She laughs and says, “He’s always trying to set me up with his grandson who lives in New York.”

  A spark of jealousy rages through me, so sharp and fierce it catches me by surprise. I suck air in through my nose, and my hands fist at my sides. Honest to God the thoughts of this woman with any other man but me, is an image I don’t want floating around inside my brain.

  So, what are you going to do about it, Alek?

  “Are you okay?” she asks, and puts her hand on my shoulder, as her worried gaze moves over my face. She touches my forehead. “You’re not getting sick, are you? You seem a bit pale, and earlier at the nursing home—”

  “I’m fine, Aly,” I push past the massive lump in my throat “Just…this was so sweet.”

  She rolls her eyes to make light of it. “They’re just hockey sticks, Alek. I didn’t part the sea for you,” she says, and I drag her to me. Giving all of zero fucks that an elderly couple just climbed from their vehicle and are now watching us, I hold the back of her head and bring her lips to mine for a soft kiss. Fuck, I love the way she sags against me, her body meshing with mine so perfectly. Her eyes are soft and half-lidded when I break the kiss and take the sticks from her.

  I toss them into the back, and open the passenger side door for her. She slides in and fixes her mussed hair as I circle the front and jump in.

  “You want to learn how to play hockey, huh?”

  “I think it will be fun?”

  “I’m a goalie,” I tell her.

  “Oh, that’s your favorite position?”

  “I have lots of favorite positions, Aly, but on the ice, I’m a goalie.”

  She thinks about that for a second. “How about this? We play, and if I score on you, I win. If I can’t score on you, you win.”

  “Interesting. But you know I always play to win, right? And there is no way you’re going to score on me, babe.”

  She rolls her shoulders, like she’s not worried. “There’s a first for everything.”

  “Okay, so what’s my prize?”

  She reaches across the seat, takes my hand and puts it on her thigh. Her arousal reaches out to me. “Whatever position you want, later tonight.”

  My cock jumps, ready to take that bet. “What do you win?”

  “Whatever position I want. And let me tell you, I have something pretty twisty in mind.”

  “Fuck,” I say, and shake my head, feigning distress.

  Eyes wide her body stiffens. “What?”

  “It’s in my nature to play to win, but now I don’t kn
ow what to do,” I give her a playful wink. “Not when you put a twist on it like that.”

  16

  Alyssa

  I’m crouched down in the backyard elbow-deep into planting a shrub when a small laugh escapes my lips. Last night, playing hockey with Alek was a blast. He let me get a few shots in the net—on purpose. He denies it, but I had him at twisty. Later that night he took me hard and deep as I bent over the bed, and offered myself up to him.

  The sound of a car door slamming reaches my ears, and pulls my thoughts back. My stomach lurches, and I steal a fast glance over my shoulder, but can’t see the driveway from my position. Honestly, I have no idea why the thoughts of meeting Alek’s friends has me so anxious. It’s not like I want or need them to like me because I’m in a lifelong relationship with Alek. I’m not, and I’ll likely never set eyes on them again after this weekend.

  Is that what you want, Alyssa?

  No, it’s not what I want, not even close. He said he’s between jobs, but maybe he can get one here. Maybe he can stay. My heart races at that thought. Do I dare hope that it’s something he might consider?

  I push to my feet, take a fueling breath and brush my hair from my face, wanting to look a bit presentable. I head toward the front of the house and circle Alek’s old car, which has been sitting in the driveway beside Moxie for weeks now. We’ve been taking my truck everywhere. I think Alek likes driving her.

  My steps slow when I see Alek in deep conversation with his friends, his muscles so tense, I’m worried something is going to snap. I have no idea what he’s saying. I can’t hear him from my distance, but whatever it is, it seems pretty serious. My stomach tightens even more, and I’m about to back track, disappear into the backyard to give them space when the woman, who I assume is Quinn, lifts her head, her blue eyes locking on mine. A wide smile splits her lips and she pushes past Alek.

  “You must be Alyssa,” she says, her warm and welcoming arms wrapping around me.

  “And you must be Quinn. I’ve heard a lot about you.”

  She turns and glares at Alek. “And here we’ve not heard anything about you,” she says, a scolding tone in her voice.

  “There’s nothing really to tell,” I say. “Alek and I are just friends.”

  She winks at me. “Yeah, Jonah and I were just friends once too.” She snorts out a laugh. “Actually, we were frenemies.”

  “Really?”

  “Yeah, I had to help him out with my niece who we thought was his child.” She waves her hand. “Never mind, it’s all very complicated, and we’re here to relax and have some downtime.”

  “Mommy, mommy, I want to play with Captain Jack,” her son Scotty yells from his dad’s arms.

  Quinn puts her arm around mine. “Come on, I’ll introduce you to my boys.”

  “I’m going to get you all dirty,” I say, noting her clean shorts and pretty blouse. I’m in muddy coveralls. Damn, maybe I should have changed and been a little more presentable when meeting them, but Quinn doesn’t make me feel uncomfortable at all in my work wear.

  She shrugs, and blows it off. “I have a husband and a son. I’m used to dirt.”

  Laughing, I fall into step with her, instantly liking her. She leads me to Alek and Jonah, and I note the frown on Jonah’s face, but it disappears when he turns his attention from Alek to me.

  “Hey Alyssa, nice to meet you. Alek says you’re redoing Tyler’s yard.” He glances around. “About time he did something with the place.”

  “And this little guy is Scotty,” Quinn says as Jonah sets him down. “Scotty, Alyssa is Alek’s friend.”

  “Hi,” he says, and hops back and forth, clearly anxious to play with the dog.

  “Nice to meet you, Scotty,” I say.

  “You have dirt on your face,” he says and points.

  I chuckle. “That’s because I was playing in the dirt.”

  “I want to play in the dirt too,” he says, and laughs.

  “I think Captain Jack is inside waiting to play with you. You know, he has a favorite ball, and if you throw it, he’ll run and get it and bring it back to you.”

  His eyes go big, and my heart thumps. His enthusiasm hits my stupid maternal clock, and the sudden thoughts of never fulfilling bucket list number six, raising a family of my own in Grandma’s big old house, hits like a punch.

  Alek puts his hand on my back, like he can feel the war waging inside me. I lean into him, absorbing his familiar warmth and comfort.

  “You’re good with kids,” Quinn says. “You’ll be a great mom someday.”

  I nod, and bite the inside of my cheek, an effort to hide the storm roiling through me.

  Alek’s hand tightens on my back, and I smile up at him. His dark eyes move over my face. “Do you have more work to do, or do you want to come in and hang out with us? I was just going to get the barbecue going,” Alek says.

  “I need about thirty minutes,” I say, wanting to give him some time with his friends alone.

  “Alyssa, do you need any help?” Quinn asks.

  “No, I’m good, but thanks.” I smile at Quinn. Not only is she beautiful, with the prettiest blue eyes I’ve ever seen, she’s sweet and thoughtful. My stomach squeezes. I’d really like to have a friend like her in my life.

  She takes her son’s hands. “I’ll take Scotty inside to play with Captain Jack, and you boys can get caught up,” Quinn says.

  I step back, giving the guys privacy and can feel Alek’s gaze on my back as I round the corner. I take a quick breath when I’m alone. Why the hell am I suddenly so emotional? Oh, maybe because the man I’m falling for is leaving soon, and I have to sell my grandmother’s place, and little Scotty reminded me of all the things I want and will likely never have. Why the hell did I ever get involved with Alek? I should have known better. I am so goddamn stupid, but the truth is, before Alek, I wasn’t really living. I was surviving, going through the motions of the day to day. I don’t want to do that anymore. I want to make a life here with Alek, I want him to stay. I pick up the shovel and drive it into the ground.

  “Hey, you okay?” Alek asks.

  I jump and spin around. “You frightened me. I didn’t hear you coming.”

  He touches my face. “Sorry.” He leans in and lightly brushes his lips over mine. “Everything okay, Aly?”

  “Yeah sure,” I say injecting a lightness into my voice, but the frown on his forehead lets me know he doesn’t believe me. “Your friends are great.”

  “They like you too.”

  I nod, happy to hear that.

  He jerks his thumb over his shoulder. “You seemed a little upset about something back there.”

  I briefly close my eyes. “Oh great. I made an idiot of myself in front of your friends.”

  “No, you didn’t,” he says. “I’m the only one that noticed. Are you sure you’re okay?”

  “Meeting new people. I’m not always great at it,” I say.

  He grins. “Yeah, you hated me when we met.”

  “I didn’t hate you. You rear-ended me when I was in a hurry and then you went all alpha on me.”

  His arm slides around my back and he pulls me against him. “I thought you liked it when I went alpha?”

  Heat moves through me. “Oh, I do.”

  “And I thought we were going to stop saying rear-ended,” he says, his hand sliding down to grab my ass. He gives a squeeze and I yelp.

  “Stop, before your friends see.”

  “They’re getting settled in their room.”

  “Are you guys okay?” I ask. “You all seemed to be in a pretty deep conversation when they first arrived.”

  He takes a fast breath and scrubs his face as he lets it out. “Yeah, we just had some things we needed to talk about.” He looks past my shoulder, his eyes narrowed and I can almost hear the wheels spinning. “Aly, we need—”

  He stops and turns at the sound of Scotty shrieking and Captain Jack barking and chasing the ball.

  “You wanted to say something?�
� I ask.

  “We need to talk, but it can wait until later,” he says.

  My heart lurches. Do I dare hope he wants to talk about a future?

  “You want some help here?” he asks.

  “No, go,” I say and back up an inch when the dog runs circles around us and Quinn chases after Scotty. “Hang out with your friends. I’ll be in shortly.”

  I watch him walk off, and go back to finishing what I’m doing. Once I get the shrub planted, I head inside to shower. By the time I finish, I hear laugher out by the pool so I head outside to join Alek and his friends. Quinn’s smile is wide and inviting as she pushes a chair out for me and holds up a bottle of wine.

  “Tell me you’re joining me,” she says.

  “I’m joining you.” I laugh when she pours a generous amount and slides it my way. She takes a sip of hers and exhales.

  “I have to say, it’s so nice to have a girl to talk to. Usually I’m stuck listening to all the guy talk and guy barks,” she says with a laugh when Scotty and Captain Jack dart by. “So you’re a landscape artist,” she says. “That’s so interesting.”

  “I really enjoy it,” I say and take a sip of the wine. “I’m excited to be doing Tyler’s yard. I have so many ideas. I hear you own a daycare?”

  “It’s true, I’m insane, but please don’t hold that against me.”

  I laugh. “I think it’s great.”

  She stares at me. “I wouldn’t go so far as to say that, but if you’re ever in Boston, come by, I’ll show you around, take you to lunch.”

  “Maybe I will,” I say, but I know that’s not ever going to happen.

  Alek and Jonah are chatting by the grill, and Alek tosses the steaks on. My stomach takes that moment to grumble.

  “They’re good friends huh?” I ask.

  “Yeah, they go way back,” she says.

  “What does Jonah do?” I ask.

  Her gaze darts to Alek, her eyes drilling into him, and he stares back, shifting like he’s uncomfortable about something. Quinn’s lips thin, when she says, “He’s sort of in between things right now.”