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)
At least it’s almost the weekend. It’s been a long week, mostly because of a certain Swedish hockey player.
I haven’t seen or heard from Magnus since Sunday. It shouldn’t be bothering me, but it is. He was at an away game on the evening of the hockey skills clinic this week, and even though I knew he wouldn’t be there, I was still irrationally angry when I saw the coaches for the night and he wasn’t one of them.
Damned hormones. They’ve taken me from clearheaded and logical to feral and thirsty.
Thanks to Jules, I know when the team’s practices and other events outside of games are. The team delivered gifts to a local children’s hospital this morning, and there’s a home game tomorrow night.
I keep scrubbing the pan in my kitchen sink, even though I’ve cleaned every inch of it already. Magnus said he’d come over for Monopoly night, and he did. He didn’t promise me or the boys anything beyond that. We had fun, Eli won the game, and then Magnus left.
It’s been hard to focus all week because I’ve been checking my phone far too often for a call or text from him. I’m behind on studying. But tonight was the pretend deadline I set.
If he doesn’t call by Friday, he’s not interested. Which is for the best, because I don’t want a man in my life right now. It would have been nice to know a man wanted me, even if it never went anywhere, but it’s not meant to be.
I shake my head, wondering how I can be badass and smart in every other area of my life. Right now I feel weak and pathetic.
“Mom, tell Coop he’s not allowed in the basement with us.”
Eli comes into the kitchen, frowning. He’s having two friends stay the night, and he’s been going back and forth with his brother over the ground rules since yesterday.
“I told him,” I say, forcing myself to set down the steel wool pad and start rinsing the pan I’ve scoured like a surgeon prepping for the operating room.
“He said he’s going to play cars down there and sleep on the couch.”
“No, he’s not.”
My phone rings and I lunge at it, my heart practically stopping when I see Magnus’s name on the screen. I can’t answer on the first ring, so I just hold the phone, waiting.
“Aren’t you going to answer it?” Eli asks.
“I am.” I wait another second and then slide my finger over the screen. “Hello?”
“Hey Blair, it’s Magnus. How are you?”
“Oh, hey. I’m good. How are you?”
I sound so relaxed and casual; he’s probably wondering if he just woke me up. Perfect. I don’t want him to have any idea I was just stress-scrubbing over him.
“Pretty good. It’s been a week.”
“Did you get your laundry back?”
He hums a note of amusement. “I did, but then I had them wash everything again.”
“Really? I can’t imagine why.”
“Are you and the boys busy tonight? I thought we could go bowling and out for dinner.”
My stomach does a full rotation. It means more than he could possibly know that he included my sons in his invitation. And it makes it harder to have to pass.
“I wish we could, but Eli’s having some friends stay the night and I’m studying for a test I have on Monday.”
“Oh. Can I bring dinner over and help you study?”
I can’t be sure, but I may be pregnant now. He wants to come help me study on a Friday night, when he could be out having fun?
“Um ... sure, if you want. It’s boring, though.”
He hums with amusement again. “There’s nothing boring about being at your house. What can I bring over that the kids would like?”
“Pizza is always good.”
“How about pizza and wings?”
“That sounds great.”
“Okay. See you in about an hour?”
“Okay, see you then.”
I end the call, immediately texting Jules.
Blair: Magnus is coming over. He wants to help me study.
Jules: Son of a whore, we’re going to dinner with one of Noel’s former teammates and his wife, or I’d come get the boys for a sleepover.
Blair: It’s not like that. He’s bringing food over for all the kids.
Jules: Are you new to womanhood? FFS. If he’s bringing over food and helping you study, he wants to pet the kitty.
Blair: My kitty has cobwebs. And like I said, my kids are here.
Jules: At least get in some quality flirting. And wear the black top you got when we went shopping.
Blair: You really think so? I don’t want to look like I’m trying too hard.
Jules: Bitch, you can’t wear sweats and old t-shirts every time you see him. That’s not trying at all.
Blair: I’ve been trying to play it nonchalant.
Jules: Well stop. He’s a really good guy. This is the first night off he’s had in a while, and he called to say he wants to spend it with you.