16. Lachlan

Hitting the ice in the late afternoon after the rush, I skate around and around, not really doing anything other than what comes naturally to me. It's warm-up rather than practice, just to keep my muscles in check.

My phone rings in my pocket, and I skid to a stop, hitting the boards as I pull it out. It's my older sister, Fiona.

"Hey," I say, answering it. "What's up?"

"Just met your new boss," Fiona chirps, her voice laced with a teasing tone that only a sibling can manage. "The lovely Emma Thornton."

"What?" I'm caught off guard.

"Yep, she was in the estate agents with her friend looking for a place to live. They viewed the cottage on Cherry Lane. Wanted it right away. I'm processing the paperwork."

I lean against the boards as I let this new information settle in. "Really? What's she like?"

"Gorgeous," Fiona states with a laugh. "And so nice. We're meeting for drinks later after dinner."

"Where?" I ask as casually as a man with a vested interest in his older sister's new friend can.

Spoiler Alert: it's not very.

She giggles. "The Lamb, where else? But you can't come."

"Why not?" I ask in a huff.

"You'll scare her away. It's a bit of a birthday slash, new house slash, new friends type drink. You'll ruin it."

"Hmm."

"Promise me you won't come!" she demands loudly, panic etched in her tone. "You'll scare her away!"

I shake my head, pushing the thoughts aside. "Thanks for the heads-up," I say instead.

"I like her, and you know, I need some girlfriends since Tania moved away." She lowers her voice to a whisper. "Harriet is boring. Do not show up and cause trouble."

"Me? Cause trouble?" I feign innocence. "Never."

My sister ends the call with a stern, "I mean it, Lachlan," and I'm left staring at my phone, a sly smile pulling at the corner of my mouth. Emma Thornton, living just around the corner from my big sister. That's either going to be brilliantly convenient or a recipe for disaster, and judging by Fiona's tone, she seems to think it'll be the latter if I crash their little soirée tonight.

But tough shit. Nothing will stop me from heading out to The Lamb tonight, which just so happens to be a short twenty-minute walk from our apartment or five minutes in a taxi. I wonder if I should take Keir with me, but the idea that those two will start chatting about their old school, leaving me out, is a bit of a downer. Still, he seems to be a bit hung up on her, and I'll feel bad about not including him. Skating over to the gap in the boards, I get off the ice and sit to take my skates off before dialling Keir and shoving my trainers back on.

"What?"

"Wow, grumpy much?"

"Fuck off. What do you want?"

"Will you cheer up if I tell you I know where Emma will be tonight, and it will involve booze?"

"Where?" he asks instantly, and I smile.

"The Lamb."

"Fuck. I haven't been in there for a while. That place used to buzz like fuck."

"Still does, according to my sister."

"Well, it is the only real drinking place in a wide area."

"Exactly."

"What time?"

"Fi just said after dinner, so I guess we head out around six-ish."

"Sounds good," Keir replies. "Give me a chance to show her I'm not the awkward idiot she doesn't remember."

"Huh?"

"You know what I mean."

We hang up, and I feel like this might just be the kick-off to quite the eventful evening. I chuck my skates over my shoulder and head for the doors with a slight excitement brewing, which might have a dash of nerves as well. She's the new boss, and she is hot as hell.

Sliding into my Mustang, I smile and wave to the guys who recognise me and set off back home to prepare for the evening that will be interesting, if nothing else.

By the time I get back to our place, the streets are alive on this warm Friday afternoon. My mind's buzzing with thoughts of Emma.

I shower leisurely, letting the hot water soothe my body and my mind. The mirror steams up as I debate between a black tee that shows off my hockey bod or something less obvious. Settling on the former with black jeans, I know it will make the right impression. I work fucking hard to keep my body in shape, so why not show it off?

"Shall we grab something to eat first?" Keir asks, appearing in my doorway dressed in a blue short-sleeved shirt and black combat pants, going for the same look as me. To show off what we work hard for.

I shrug as I yank my jeans up before shoving my tee over my head. "Kind of want to get there before my sister shows up. She told me not to come."

Keir's eyebrow goes up. "Oh?"

"She knows what I'm like."

"You mean a walking dick?"

"Fuck you. It's not like you keep yours in your pants."

He glowers at me but doesn't refute my words. "Taxi?"

"Ring one."

He nods and disappears, leaving me to finish getting dressed in peace.

Ten minutes later, we are climbing into a taxi, and we set off towards The Lamb, wondering what this night will bring.