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Taylor gives me a quick hug as we both turn to look at them.
“That would be me.” She laughs, shrugging. “I still have no idea what the game is even about. Sorry.”
“Ah, don’t sweat it.” He laughs. “I’m sure you caught the general gist of that little black puck flying around.”
Taylor rolls his eyes at me, and I try not to laugh.
“So much aggression and testosterone over one little puck,” Maddie muses, like it’s the most interesting thing in the world.
We make our way towards the restaurant as Taylor hangs back a bit. We watch the pair of them already getting along and I want to face palm myself. This could be a bad idea.
“How have you been the last couple of days?” he asks me.
“Good,” I say. “I’ve just been going back and forth to the hospital.”
“I’m so glad he’s doing better.”
I smile as he keeps the door to the restaurant open with his foot and I walk in behind Maddie and Ashton. She’s telling him how much she enjoyed the game the other night.
I feel Taylor grab my wrist when the server greets us and begins showing us to the table.
“Em,” he says in a hushed whisper.
I turn to face him, looking up into his blue eyes. I swear the depths of the ocean are in his irises when he looks at me like this. They are perfectly capable of still sweeping me up and carrying me away.
“Yeah?”
“I missed you.”
I bite my lip as I smile. “You mean, in the last six years, or in the last couple of days?”
“Both.” He shrugs, smiling.
Truth be told, I’ve been missing him since I walked out that door and left him sleeping that night. “I missed you too, Taylor. I hope you believe that.”
He smiles and places his hand on the small of my back as I continue to follow Maddie and Ashton to the table.
It’s all a very casual and light catch up, and I know from the smile on Maddie’s face that she’s enjoying herself. Maybe a little too much.
The boys talk hockey, of course, but include us girls in the conversation.
They’re talking about the grueling practice and training for the upcoming finals.
“You must train a lot.” Maddie directs all of her questions over to Ashton, who seems more than willing to answer them.
“Every other day.” He shrugs. “All part of the biz. I look at it this way… I get to live my life doing what I love the most, and I get paid very well for it. I could be out there in the workforce on the minimum wage, so trust me, I count my blessings.”
“That’s so amazing,” she says, leaning on the table with her elbows. “And a great way of looking at things.”
I stare at her. She’s practically swooning over the guy, and I haven’t seen Maddie swoon in a very long time.
“You know people always give off the impression sports stars arecomplete douchebags. No offense.”
Taylor holds his hands up. “None taken.”
Ashton laughs.
“But it seems like some of you guys are down to earth.”
