Gage (Pittsburgh Titans 3)

“So, there’s this friend of Aneta’s here tonight, and I really, really want to go out with this woman. And she’d say yes, but she’s trying to score a date for her cousin who’s visiting for a few weeks. You’d be the perfect option since you’re one of the few single guys on the team who is actually out of puberty.”

I shake my head adamantly. “Absolutely not.”

“Come on, man,” Nolan pleads, putting a hand on my shoulder and gripping it. “It’s one date. Enough to get me in the door. And I’ve been assured she’s hot and smart and all that shit.”

Christ, Nolan’s killing my game right in front of Jenna.

I look at him pointedly. “Can’t you see I’m busy here?”

Nolan glances at Jenna, then back to me. “Yeah, of course. But I’m not asking you to marry this chick. Just go on one stupid blind date so I can have a chance with this chick.”

I open my mouth to tell him to fuck off, but Jenna pipes up. “You should do it, Gage.”

My head whips her way, and I study her expression intently. Does she not get I’m interested in her? Or is she not interested in me?

Now I’m fucking confused.

She nods at me with encouragement. “It won’t kill you, and who knows… you might actually have a good time. Make a connection.”

Jesus, did I misjudge this? Is this attraction one-sided? I’m trying to get to know her… we were talking about our families, and now she’s pushing me to go out on a date?

“See?” Nolan butts in, giving Jenna a gracious nod. “She knows you should take one for the team.”

I look back to Jenna and she nods. A silent endorsement.

Nolan doesn’t wait for me to answer, instead standing from the table. “Come meet her, Gage. The woman I want to go out with. The cousin isn’t here, but that way she can see I’ve got a date secured.”

“No way—”

Jenna stands, and my head tips to look at her. She smiles. “Actually… I’m going to find Sophie and Baden. We weren’t going to stay long as we have early days tomorrow. But it was good talking to you.”

What the fuck is happening?

I rise from my chair as Jenna starts to move past me, my hand shooting out to grab her wrist.

She turns back to look at me, those honey eyes wide and curious.

“Unlock your phone and give it to me,” I say, releasing her wrist and holding my palm out.

Frowning, she reaches into the tiny purse that she wears on a golden chain across her body and does as I ask. I deftly move to her contacts and add my cell number. I then call my own phone so it buzzes on silent mode, and now I have her number.

I hand her phone back. “Can I call you?”

She appears puzzled. She may have just pushed me to go on a date with a stranger, but I’m going to assume Jenna doesn’t know what’s good for me, or herself, for that matter.

“Um… sure,” she replies, tucking her hair behind her ear.

“Great,” I reply, beaming at her.

She nods at Nolan, gives me a last look of bafflement, and brushes by us. I watch her walk out of the room before turning to Nolan and smacking him hard across his chest. “You’re an asshole.”

“What?” he exclaims, rubbing at his sternum. I hit him hard. “Why?”

“Because you basically just set me back on any progress I was making with Jenna,” I growl.

His eyes flare. “Wait… you were trying to hook up with—”

“No,” I growl even louder. “But I was trying to work up to asking her out. Instead, you had her pushing me to go on a date with another woman.”

“I’m sorry, man,” he says.

“Asshole,” I mutter, grabbing my beer.

“Will you still go on the double date with me?” he asks.

“Yeah. But I’m sure as shit not going to hang out with you now. Just let me know the details of when and where to be.”

“You’re the best—”

I leave Nolan behind and head to the bar. I need another beer.

CHAPTER 7

Gage

It’s loud as I enter Mario’s, the bar/restaurant that’s become sort of our go-to-place after home games. I don’t often go out after games, but tonight, I deserve a beer.

Everyone deserves a beer, and I might buy the entire establishment a round.

We fucking pulled off one of the best comebacks in franchise history by defeating the Quebec Royals 4–2. This was after going into the third period down 0–2. Jesper essentially shut out the Royals that final period, and we scored four goals to not only win the game, but win it decisively.

Stone was the man of the evening with two goals and two assists. One of those assists was a puck straight to me for a blistering slap shot that ripped past the Royals’ goalie so fast, he barely moved in recognition of it. And then young Liam Nicholson, one of the team babies who shores up the left wing on the second line, had a sweet breakaway where he juked the goalie so bad, he was traveling to a different hemisphere while Liam scored.