Total pages in book: 53
Estimated words: 51827 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 259(@200wpm)___ 207(@250wpm)___ 173(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 51827 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 259(@200wpm)___ 207(@250wpm)___ 173(@300wpm)
Hey Blair, it’s Magnus. I got your number from Carter, hope that’s okay. Would Sunday night work for Monopoly?
Jules is walking toward me, glowing from an hour spent in one of her favorite places.
“What? Why do you look like you just shit yourself?”
A woman nearby gives me a quick, cringey glance.
“Why do you look happier than you did when your giant double-ended dildo was delivered?” I say it loudly to prove my point.
She laughs it off, but her face flushes. When she’s done pushing me out of the store, she gives me a withering glare.
“Jesus, Blair. People in there know me.”
“Maybe think before you talk about me shitting myself next time.”
She rolls her eyes. “Fine. Take one of these bags; they’re heavy. And what was the look for anyway? I need a drink.”
“Magnus texted me.”
She squeals, her eyes wide with excitement. “And ...? You didn’t tell me you guys traded numbers.”
“He said he got my number from Carter.”
“Oh my god. Carter must have gotten it from Suki. Blair, he really likes you.”
I shake my head. “He wants to set up Monopoly night.”
“He could’ve waited until he saw you at the youth hockey thing, though. He’s on a road trip. What time is it?”
I look at my watch. “Two twenty. And twelve thousand steps worth of shopping, you maniac.”
“Okay, so they’re at the Denver arena. He’s probably in the locker room, and he’s thinking about you.”
I smile, warm all over. “Maybe he just really likes Monopoly.”
“I’m sure that’s it. We need to get you some lingerie for Monopoly night.”
My jaw drops and I give her a look of horror. “My children will be there!”
“It goes under your clothes, dipshit. I wasn’t suggesting you greet him at the door or go directly to jail in it. It’s for later.”
I shake my head. “No. Lingerie means I was hoping to get with him.”
“So what?”
“I would absolutely never with my kids in the house, Jules.”
“Cockblocker.”
I laugh, bumping her shoulder with mine.
“You need lingerie anyway. The boys spend the night with me and Noel sometimes.”
“My ass and tits don’t fit in the lingerie in any of the stores here.”
She scoffs. “Girl. Tell me about it. I know some good places to order online. I’ll get you some.”
I groan. “I’m not wearing crotchless latex.”
“Of course not. You don’t start there, Blair. He has to earn his way into that shit. Just lace and satin to start with. Full coverage.”
“We’re playing Monopoly with my kids. That’s it.”
“Uh-huh. Do you know how much time and patience it takes to text from a fucking flip phone? But he did it. Because he likes you.”
I fight my smile, but it breaks through.
“Say it. Oh, thank God, let’s go to that coffee place. Admit that he likes you, just one time, and I’ll let up.”
He did text me from his old-man flip phone. While he’s on the road for hockey. And I definitely felt chemistry on our night out, and even on the morning after.
“Okay.” I cave. “I like him, and it seems like ...” I take a deep breath to calm my nerves. “He likes me, too.”
10
Magnus
* * *
People think living in a hotel is luxurious. Like I eat room service steak every night, sleep in, and have people making my bed and tidying up after me daily.
It’s not that. I shake my head with disgust and throw the 4X white men’s brief underwear back into the clean laundry bag.
I got the wrong bag of laundry back from the hotel laundry service. Again. And I’m supposed to be at Blair’s house in an hour.
My clean-laundry situation is bleak. I sent away everything I didn’t take on my road trip with the team. Hopefully when I call the front desk, they’ll be able to send up the right laundry immediately.
“Oh, I’m sorry about that,” the front desk attendant says. “Our housekeeping manager will be back tomorrow and she’ll look into it.”
I exhale heavily, looking at the ceiling. “Isn’t there anyone who can help me today? Can you see if anyone else called and said they got the wrong laundry? I can go switch with them right now.”
“If you’ll hold, I’ll check.”
We flew home after our last road game last night, which we lost 3–2. Close losses are a bitch. I scored one of our goals, so that’s something, but a loss is still a loss.
I’ve worn the Crush hoodie I wore on the flight home a lot on the road trip, and I don’t want to wear it over to Blair’s. I was so tired when I got in at four thirty this morning that I went right to bed and slept until noon. Then I worked out, so I’m a sweaty mess.
My plan was to shower and head over to her house since I’m supposed to be there at three.
“Hi, Mr. Lundgren, we’ve had no other complaints from guests about getting the wrong laundry.”