Page 41 of Ice King

Vancouver Tribune:Does Ford ‘The Wolfman’ Kendrick Have the Moves or Ready to Crash and Burn?

“That’s not so bad,” I suggested.

“How about this one.” She shifted to another page.

Los Angeles News:Ford ‘The Wolfman’ Kendrick, a Shifter Gone Rogue

“Trust me. You’ll get used to it or the nasty words will simply drive you crazy. There are still people trying to pin whatever horrible crime on shifters and the more popular the person, the better. Who knows. Maybe they’ll come to you for an interview.”

I was going to be sick.

Now I also felt the need to swing my fist against someone. How ironic. There were times I wanted to kick Ford in the butt, yet I also had a need to protect him. To a point.

We continued walking with the line, finally able to provide our tickets. At this point, the crowd was getting wilder and louder. Thank God, she knew where to go, moving us through the meandering folks as they showcased their ridiculous outfits with family and friends.

How was I going to look the players in their faces after what I’d said? How would I deal with Ford? Oh, God.

“Here we go.” Roxanne pointed toward a group of seats while I was fighting nausea and claustrophobia given the huge crowd.

“I don’t know about this.” I stood with a huge drink in one hand, clinging to my purse with the other as I stared at the seats. The arena was full of people. I had no idea how many people could fit into the iceplex, but there had to be ten thousand people if not more.

Roxanne chuckled and pulled me out of a line of traffic. “The first time is the worst. Don’t worry, you’re no longer a virgin.”

“What?” I struggled to keep up with her, already feeling claustrophobic as hell.

“With a hockey game. At least we were invited to sit with the family in their special area.”

“What family?” She’d all but dragged me here, stopping by the house I was renting and refusing to leave until I agreed to come to the game. “Your dad has a special area?”

She didn’t say anything at first and I was too busy avoiding being run over to even notice the people around me. They were all a sea of faces, jerseys, hats, and banners with the team’s logo and name.

And everyone was hyped up like I’d never seen before.

“Um, Ford’s family.”

She made the statement in passing, maybe hoping I wouldn’t notice it. No. No way.

By the time I did, grabbing her arm and trying to stop her, a vision flashed into my focus, an entire family that looked as if they belonged on some magazine cover.

“Oh, no. We are not sitting with Ford’s family. They will toss me out.” Or worse.

Roxanne stopped just as a girl who was about our age started to wave. “Are you kidding me? With what you did for Ford and how you handled the press today, you’re practically family.”

“I didn’t do anything. Not really. And the press? I just told that woman off, which is what she deserved.” And I’d talked about hot sex, which I knew nothing about.

Her giggle was more intense than before. “Yeah, well, very few people take up for the shifters, at least openly. It’s like a little dirty subject everyone whispers about in the dark, fearful monsters are listening. Come on.”

Her words should generate a shiver at minimum because there was some obvious underlying truth, but another wash of excitement caught me off guard. Maybe I was far too curious about a shifter’s world.

“There you are,” the girl said as she greeted Roxanne, pulling her into a hug. I took it they were at least friends.

“I had to coerce my companion to come with me,” Roxanne tossed out. “Everyone, this is the lifesaver we’ve all heard about, Georgia Wallace. This is Patrick and Margaret Kendrick, Mom and Pop. These are Ford’s two brothers, Beck and Cole, almost as decent of hockey players.”

“Oh, please,” Beck snorted. “I could beat that boy’s ass every day of the week and twice on Sunday.”

“No, he couldn’t,” the girl said with her hand held against her face as she spoke. “And why are you introducing me last? I’mall that matters, sister Samantha. No wonder my brother talks about you all the time.”

“He does?”