Part 12 (1/2)
Her lips quirked, remembering last night, and her body heated. ”Then...h.e.l.l yes.”
Liz slapped her hand on the table. ”I knew it. Not that I have any complaints. Gavin-”
Jenna held up a hand. ”Is my brother and I so don't want to hear about your s.e.xcapades with him.”
”You are not fun.”
She stood and grabbed the carafe. ”I'm going to refill the coffee. You can share s.e.x stories with Tara. I'll be right back.”
She went into the kitchen. Her mom had just ended a phone call.
”I'm sorry, sweetie. It was Diandra, who couldn't make to the wedding last night because Bill had emergency gallbladder surgery.”
Jenna refilled the carafe from the full pot of coffee on the counter. She knew Diandra was one of her mother's oldest friends. She and Bill had been over to the house so many times over the years, they were like family to Jenna. ”Oh, no. Is Bill okay?”
”He's fine. Still in the hospital because they're treating him with antibiotics due to an infection, but he should go home by tomorrow. She was so upset to miss the wedding.”
Jenna leaned against the counter. ”Understandable considering the circ.u.mstances. I'm glad Bill is okay.”
”Me, too. Now what were you girls talking about in there?”
”Nothing much. Wedding stuff.”
”It was a great wedding, wasn't it?”
”The best, Mom. The absolute best.”
And that was all she was going to tell her mother. It was bad enough Liz and Tara knew about Ty. Since she didn't intend to see him again, there was no point mentioning him to her parents.
DESPITE THE LACK OF SLEEP, TY WAS ENERGIZED AT the game.
They were up three to two with four minutes left in the third period. He paced in the penalty box after getting a high sticking penalty. Fifteen seconds to go and he was out of there.
Seconds ticked by like hours when he was in the box and the game was on the line. He watched the time count down, then sprang out of the box and onto the ice, taking his position back.
Wolkowski pa.s.sed him the puck and he threaded it through the defenseman and back to Eddie, putting himself in position in front of the net. Eddie shot it over to Victor, who sent it sailing back to him. He slammed the shot at the net but the goalie defended, then sent it circling around behind the net.
d.a.m.n.
Adrenaline pumping, he moved backward when the Montreal center breezed toward him. He wouldn't let him past and jammed his stick against the center's, then took the puck from him, digging his skates into the ice and charging toward the opposite goal again.
His opponent slammed a shoulder into him and prevented his forward movement, and they fought for the puck. The puck slid free and Ty went after it, determined not to give it up. Every fraction of a second was a battle to be won. He wasn't going to let their center take the prize from him. They reached it at 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 pa.s.sed 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 d.a.m.n 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 b.a.s.t.a.r.d, Eddie.”
”Yeah, but someday I'll be a rich cheap b.a.s.t.a.r.d, especially if I keep getting guys like you to buy my dinner and beers.”
”I'll buy you dinner for that pa.s.s tonight, and Victor's dinner for that goal. You can buy your own d.a.m.n 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, dumba.s.s.”
”Congrats on a kicka.s.s 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.