Quick Trick (Rough Riders Hockey 1)

Grant glanced at his watch, crossed his arms, and leaned against the wall. If she was still the same Faith she’d been in high school, this wouldn’t take long. She’d brush off Mr. Average within minutes. She’d been the valedictorian, the head of half a dozen different clubs, the star of the swim team, the homecoming queen, and the girlfriend of the most popular guy in their class, if not the school. She’d certainly never taken a second look at Grant, who’d been as average then as the Joe chatting her up now.

While he waited, Grant glanced at Faith’s left hand, surprised to find it bare.

“Wonder what happened to Mr. Football Star.”

But he didn’t have much time to wonder, because Average Joe had just been shot down and returned to his table, while Faith and the brunette started talking again.

“Some things never change.”

But some things did. Like Grant. He’d changed three hundred percent. He might not feel the need to prove himself to

the people of this town anymore, but he was going to have to turn on a little of his swagger to get her to help him out tonight.

No problem.

Nowadays, Grant had swagger to spare.

2

“And another one bites the dust.” Faith’s best friend, Taylor Sullivan, shook her head in disgust.

Faith gave Taylor her get-serious look. “He undressed my Barbies in second grade.”

“Everyone undressed Barbies in second grade.”

“Not like him. Creepy, I’m telling you.”

“What’s creepy is that you remember how he undressed your Barbies in second grade and that you still hold it against him.” Taylor used her wineglass to point at Faith. “That’s creepy. You’re not looking for forever here, Faith. You’re looking for a date. You’re looking for casual. You’re looking for a—”

Faith plugged her ears. “La-la-la-la-la.”

Taylor rolled her eyes. “Nothing any guy did last month, let alone in second grade, matters right now. What matters right now is you getting a life.”

“Hey, I have a life. Plenty of it, thank you very much. And I have the bills and headaches to prove it.” Faith picked up her second glass of Jingle Jangle punch, longing to escape the stress. For a night. An hour. Hell, she’d settle for a moment at this point. “In fact, in my opinion, I have a little too much life.”

“Too much bad and not enough good. Which is why—”

“Which is why”—Faith cut her off—“what I really need is more of this.” She savored the delicious blend of juice, berries, vodka, and Grand Marnier, licking the sugar from the rim off her lips with a hum of pleasure. “And less of you reminding me of exactly what I don’t need—more trouble.”

“Why do you equate men with trouble?”

Faith laughed and focused on her friend. Taylor looked pretty tonight, just a touch of makeup brightening her eyes and cheeks, her dark hair falling in loose waves to her collarbone. She looked so young and so fresh and so happy. Happiness that came from Taylor’s son, Caleb. And even though the boy also brought Faith an incredible amount of joy as her godson, she was too aware that all her own family was gone.

To Taylor’s question, Faith smiled and shrugged. “Show me one person who’s given me a different perspective.”

Taylor’s angelic face compressed in a silly frown. “You know what you need for Christmas this year?”

“I’m sure you’re going to tell me.”

“You need one great big O, that’s what.”

Taylor’s declaration took Faith off guard, and she burst out laughing. She didn’t disagree with Taylor. Wouldn’t even argue if a man worthy of the honor came along, because the truth was, Faith could use quite a few orgasms to make up for the years without a man in her life. But the fact still remained…

“You’re just trying to get out of finding dating material in this crowd,” Taylor teased, “because you know you can’t.”

“You didn’t say anything about dating material,” Faith sassed back. “You said a guy who wasn’t trouble, and I can too find that in this crowd.” She let out a huff and glanced around the bar.

Faith did the same, laughing at their tipsy argument. Luckily, they could both walk home. In the crowd milling around the bar, Faith saw the same people she always saw in Holly, local residents. Plus a few people who had moved away and come back to visit family. A few tourists here and there, mostly older couples. A couple of kids home on college break.