Quick Trick (Rough Riders Hockey 1)

Grant egged him on but kept looking at Faith as he shifted restlessly on his own skates. While Faith’s mind was spinning a mile a minute—ask him to come over, or leave it relaxed between them? Go for it, or let things end on a good note? Was she ready to jump back into the deep end? Should she do it with this guy?

The flutter in her belly told her she was pretty sure he’d drag her under and drown her without ever realizing. But then she wondered if she were underestimating herself. Underestimating him.

“Aunt Faith.” Caleb’s frustrated voice dragged her gaze from Grant’s grin.

“What?”

Caleb was already standing outside the rink, skates in hand, arms out.

“Hey.” She frowned at him. “Lose the attitude, or you can walk home, buddy.”

He deflated. “Okay. I’m sorry.”

“What do you say to Grant? And think before you answer.”

Her warning tone registered, but he still answered immediately. “That was the best practice ever, Mr. Saber.”

“Grant,” he said, chuckling, then grimaced. “No Mr. Saber.”

“Sorry. But seriously, I’ve never had so much fun playing hockey before. Thank you.”

“I’m glad. Thanks for giving it your all.”

“Okay,” Faith said, reluctant to walk away from Grant. But she tugged on the hood of Caleb’s sweatshirt, teasingly dragging him right, then left, then right again until he was laughing. “I guess we can go to Dairy Queen on the way home.”

Caleb jumped and fisted his hand. “Yes.” And he ran to the truck, yelling, “Thanks for the extra practice, Mr… Grant.”

“He’s a good kid,” Grant said, waving to Caleb before he jumped in the truck.

Faith walked backward a few feet. “And you’re a good man, Grant Saber.”

Grant dropped his hand and looked at her for a long, deer-in-the-headlights moment before a grin split his face.

Faith’s heart tripped again. And to keep herself from falling over her feet, Faith turned and jogged the rest of the way to the truck. When she backed out of the parking space, she glanced over at the ice and found Grant sprinting from one end of the rink to the other, a puck at the blade of his stick, swooshing around corners, taking sharp turns, and speeding back the other direction.

She paused a moment to watch, mesmerized by his speed and intensity. The sight made her body tighten in ways she hadn’t felt in so long, she wasn’t sure she’d ever felt quite like this. “I need to start watching more hockey.”

“I told you that when I was, like, five.”

Faith reached across the bench seat and stuck a finger in Caleb’s ticklish ribs. He burst into giggles that warmed Faith’s heart. “Shush, monkey. Be nice, or no Blizzard for you.”

She only half listened to Caleb’s constant chatter on the drive, her mind spinning around how quickly her desire for Grant had ramped up over the span of a week. She’d been single for eight years now. During that time, she’d made a lot of male friends and been asked out dozens of times. But she’d only met maybe a handful of guys who’d tempted her to date again, and not one who’d made her want to jump into bed with him.

Yet here she was, losing sleep over Grant. And it wasn’t just because of his looks. Sure, that was a benefit, but what had captured her attention was his confidence and wit. What had deepened her interest was all she’d learned about him during his daily visits to the store. The way he stopped to talk to locals. His easy nature and quick laughter. And the way he continued to fix up his parents’ home even when their relationship was strained. How he’d stayed in town even after a blowup with them to honor his commitment to Dwayne and support a team that had once been his team.

“I couldn’t believe it when he told me he’d been bullied in school.” Caleb’s comment broke into Faith’s thoughts.

She glanced at him. “What?”

“Mr. Saber. He told me that he was really unpopular as a kid. He got picked on a lot, like me.”

Her brows shot up, and a grin turned her mouth. He’d probably made that up to make Caleb feel better. “Really?”

“Uh-huh. He was super skinny and had really bad pimples, you know? What do you call that?”

“Acne?”

“Yeah, that. He said kids called him names for a long time. You know, the way they call me nerd and dweeb and stuff.”