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My traitorous mind takes this opportunity to zip back to kissing Colby. Of course it does because Jesus! God! Can that man kiss. It’s the kind of kiss that shoots through your entire body, setting your core ablaze on its way to your toes. I couldn’t tell if the boat was rocking beneath my feet or if it was me. It was a kiss like none I’ve ever had before, and I find myself contemplating whether that’s his everyday, utilitarian kiss or if he amped it up for me. Ridiculous as it sounds, I’m hoping it’s the latter.
He’s a hockey player, I remind myself, and if he’s anything like my brother, he’s perfected his technique and uses the same one on every woman he … kisses. No, thanks. Not interested in being added to a long list of kissees. The man’s not movie-star gorgeous, but he’s got a ruggedly handsome quality about him. His most attractive feature isn’t physical, though. It’s the quiet confidence that oozes from his pores, and that’s my Achilles’ heel. Its effect on me isn’t much different than the way catnip makes a cat go bonkers. I want to rub my face in it, roll my entire body in it, and once I do, self-control will give way to bad, bad decisions.
Been there, done that, and I’ll be damned if I’m going to let it happen again. Fool me once and all that. Okay, so it was more like fool me six or eight times because I ignored the warning signs. See? Catnip. Logic deserted me and left me a broken fool.
Donny’s voice startles me back to the present. He’s on his way to the kitchen, where he’ll check the contents of the fridge. “Were you able to relax while I was gone?”
“I was.”
On cue, he opens the fridge door. “Sweet! Did you make this?” He eyes the cheesecake with naked hunger.
“I did. I also made a few casseroles and froze them. Nothing fancy, but they’re loaded with the carbs and protein you love.” I’m no chef, but cooking relaxes me, and whipping up a few things for him is one way to offset the uneven tip of our balance scale. “How about you? Were you able to chill?”
He places the cheesecake on the counter and digs through a utensil drawer. “It was all right. Good to get away from the rink for a while.”
I help him out by grabbing a pie server Mom must have bought for him. “Are you ready to return to the rink tomorrow?” Cutting a large wedge, I slide it onto a plate and push it toward him.
He forks a ridiculously large bite into his mouth and mumbles around it. “It’s just practice, so yeah, I should be.” Two more forkfuls, and he points the utensil at me. “Which reminds me. Have you told Mom and Dad yet?”
My throat tightens with a sticky swallow. “Not yet.” He cocks an eyebrow. “I know, I know. I applied for a few jobs while you were away, and I’m hoping one of them comes through so I can tell them I’m gainfully employed while breaking it to them that I’m no longer at my prestigious job in San Fran.” I feel my shoulders sag.
“Where at?”
“Um, Target, a sporting goods store, and a hotel.”
“In their finance department?”
“Not exactly. They’re looking for stockers, clerks, and housekeepers. In that order.”
His other brow rises. “Jack, you do realize you’re overqualified for those positions, right? Like, way overqualified.”
An exasperated breath escapes me. “Of course I do. But I don’t want them digging into my past and finding out why I’m no longer putting that overqualified skill set to use.” My eyes shift to the side so I don’t have to make eye contact. “I don’t think I can stand any more humiliation right now.”
I open my mouth to tell him I’m drowning and need my little brother to catch me—again. But the words clog up my throat, and nothing comes out. As I look at him, I see the weight of his own hockey career pressing down on him. I can’t ask him for more.
The sound of a fork clinking against a plate fills the ensuing silence. “I’m sorry, sis.” A few more beats pass, and he sighs. “The Surge might have some openings. Want me to check?”
His concern warms me more than he’ll ever know, but I put on my big sister pants and narrow my eyes on him. “So they’ll know about my screw-up too?”
He shakes his head and grins. “I have an in, which means you do too. I’m willing to bet they won’t dig too much, if at all.”
A combination of relief and guilt rushes through me—guilt because here he is trying to rescue big sister again. If there’s any sibling rescue, it should be other way around. Not that he needs it, but it’s the correct order of the universe.
But what if I could land a job without having to reveal any embarrassing details? It would give me a chance to start making money so I can repay him.
“Yeah, sure. That would be lovely. Thanks, bro.”
He stuffs the last bite of cheesecake into his mouth. “On one condition.”
Oh, here we go.
“We have two home games before we hit the road, and there’s a team dinner with management before the trip. Come to one of those two games and be my plus-one at the dinner.”
“Why me and not the girl you just spent the last week with?”
His cheekbones flush crimson. “It’s not like that.”
“Ah, I get it. Inviting a hookup could send the wrong signal and make things a little complicated for you, right?”
