Chapter 3

Hannah

M y mind is still swirling with the things my friends said the night before when I get home from work. Matt's ticket request made my day tricky since the game is less than a week away, but I can't shake the question about if he really meant to ask me to dinner.

I kick off my heels at my door, then move them to the shoe tray next to my big potted plant. The red heels now sitting by the peace lily are my favorite shoes ever. After all, it's not every day a girl gets Louboutins; I'd bought them with my signing bonus after getting the job with the hockey team. I know people speak behind my back, many of them whispering that I'd only gotten the job because Lou was on the team. I've heard Tiffany at the office imply just as much earlier when she said how nice it must be to leave before I've gotten things done.

Ugh. I really don't want to think about her, or any of the other haters.

After setting my takeout on the coffee table, I quickly pick up the remote and turn on a rerun of Say Yes to the Dress. By the time I return to my couch with a pint of cookie dough ice cream and sit it on my coffee table next to the Thai takeout I brought home, the bride on the TV is showing off her gorgeous cowgirl boots she plans on wearing to her country wedding. If I ever get married, my mother would be incensed at the thought of boots. Ladies wear heels.

With that thought I opt to start with the ice cream straight out of the tub. The benefit of the little pint of ice cream means I have less dishes to wash. Living alone isn't bad, but dishes are the worst. I watch as the beautiful country bride tries on gown after gown with her gorgeous boots. By the time the episode ends I've finished my ice cream and Thai food.

The clock only shows it's seven, and with nothing else to do I decide to get some work done.

Valentine's Day has to be my least favorite holiday. Seriously it is just another day for the candy and jewelry companies to earn money. Even the hockey team I work for is trying to capitalize on it by doing a Sweethearts game. Seriously, hockey... the least romantic sport ever. But also my favorite sport, or I wouldn't be managing the PR for the Glacier Bay Bears. So I suck it up, and hit schedule on the social media photos and videos that would go live on the chocolate heart holiday anyway.

My mouse hovers over the team's photo on the website. Out of habit, I zoom in on one face in particular. Matt. I've had a crush on him ever since that English class. Then Lou had made sure to tell everyone I was off limits, and I've sat by and watched the two of them and their nearly identical hockey careers, the only difference being left wing or right wing, and that I'm not attracted to my twin.

Matt though... Oh, he has the face of an angel with the soul of a gentleman. I wanted to take him up on his offer of dinner so badly earlier, but if Lou or my boss found out…I sigh and close the browser.

The commercial in the background blares about the last chance to order flowers for that special person in your life. Another dig of the knife at my lack of a relationship. All I need is for my mother to remind me my clock is ticking. Seriously though, who tells a twenty-four-year-old that their clock is ticking?

My phone rings, my father's name on the ID.

At least that was something. I pick up the remote to pause the TV.

"Happy Birthday!!" My parents shout in unison as soon as I say hello.

"Did you already call Lou?" I ask.

"We just got off the phone with him. He had a date with a girl named Cinnamon." My mother complains. "How did I get blessed with twins so terrible at dating?" she whines.

My father chuckles. "One that dates anything that moves, and another that won't date at all."

"I date." I tell them both.

"What's his name?" Mom asks just as Dad says, "Does he have a good job?"

"Woah. I didn't say I had a boyfriend. Just that I date."

My mother sighs. "At least tell me you won't be eating ice cream out of the carton on your couch for Valentine's."

I pick up my empty ice cream carton and walk it to the trash as I tell her. "I'm going to a speed dating thing with my friend Maria."

My mother perks up. "That sounds fun."

"Remember to take your pepper spray." My dad tells me.

"I keep it on my keychain."

"Good, or I'll have to call your brother back."

I groan. I do not need my overprotective big brother at a speed dating event. Two things would happen. One, anyone that is a fan of hockey, which is everyone in this city, will be asking him for autographs. Two, any man I am interested in dating would exit stage left without so much as a goodbye when Lou turns his icy glare their way.

"Please, Dad. Don't. You know how he is."

"Doing my job for me since you kids moved so far away."

"It's where the jobs were." After graduating with my bachelor's in public relations, Lou had put a good word in for me with the team. They were just getting going and needed someone who knew hockey to get them noticed. My boss tells me I do a good job, and so do my friends.

"How's Missy and Gabe?" I ask, wanting a change in subject.

Mom rattles off the latest news on Missy's pregnancy and reminds me that I need to buy my plane ticket for the gender reveal party and baby shower. How I'm supposed to buy for a baby shower without knowing the gender, I don't know. But Mom has planned both for when Lou has a game that will take him to our home state.

"I'll bring some Glacier Bay baby merch with me."

"Wonderful, and make sure you put Lou's name on the card too. We both know he'll forget."

"Does his name really need to be on it, if our last name is on the jersey?"

"Hannah."

I sigh and with my phone on speaker, make a note on my calendar. "I'll make sure it's on there."

"Wonderful. And let me know how your date goes. I'm eager for more grandbabies you know. Oh, your sister is calling."

My mother hangs up before I can tell her or my dad goodbye. Somedays it really sucks to be the middle child.

I eye the flower commercial from where it is paused on the TV. No doubt I'll be seeing lots of flowers at the office tomorrow, and with it, the pitying glances that I don't have anyone to send me any. If I have to listen to Tiffany with her smirk and fake pity tomorrow I'll be tempted to throw my stapler at her. Before I can second-guess myself I pull up the website on my phone and place an order.

At least I won't feel left out at the office now.

T he next day, I swallow my revulsion of Valentine's Day as I pick out what to wear to work that would also work for speed dating. Normally I wear something that lets me blend into the background, but one outfit stands out to me. I'd bought it on a whim, and then never had the courage to put it on. The power suit is made from a hot pink fabric and I pair it with a black blouse and my red heels. Might as well lean into the holiday color scheme.

After pulling on the suit I turn so I can see the different angles in my full length mirror. Surprisingly the suit doesn't make my trouble areas look worse. In fact, it actually flatters my figure. The jacket helps disguise the extra pounds on my hips and the pants hit the perfect balance between fit and flair.

A bottle of hair product Lia gave me as I was leaving book club catches my eye. It is supposed to be easy to apply and help tame my curls. I follow the instructions, and much to my delight, my curls look good enough that I decide to wear my hair down. I put a hairbrush and a clip in my bag, just in case I need to put it up later.

Feeling good about myself, I leave my apartment with a big smile on my face. My confidence falters at a couple of the double takes people give me on my short walk from my car to Maria's bakery.

The bell above the door chimes as I open it and to my delight, Maria stands behind the counter in a purple tee, and mint green apron. I can't see the sassy saying on her shirt, but her smile when she sees me makes me feel like a thousand bucks.

"You look stunning!" Maria declares.

"Thanks." I do a little twirl. "I thought it would be nice to dress up for speed dating tonight."

Maria lets out an excited yell and runs around the counter to hug me.

I hold out my hands in self-defense when I see the flour covering the bottom half of her apron. "I'll hug you all you want later. This is dry clean only."

She stops and looks down at herself. "I'll hold you to that."

The bell over the door rings and another customer walks in.

"Text me the details?" I ask her. "And I need a box to go."

She gets me a variety of my favorites and fills the box. Then she grabs a little container and places a Left Wing Lemon Bar inside. "Tell Lou it's from me?—"

"And he still sucks. I'll let him know." I pay for the items and start to walk away.

"Don't let him take anything else. He's still banned."

I nod as I use my elbow to push the door open. Maria is already helping the next customer by the time I make it through the door. Maybe next book club we'll get the truth out of her about why she hates Lou so much. All of us are curious and when I talked to Lou, the lovable idiot, he didn't have a clue.

Dropping the box of pastries off in the break room, I turn to get a napkin so I can take one with me to my office. As I turn I nearly run into Matt.

He stands so close to me I can smell his spicy aftershave. Dressed casually in jeans and a blue team hoodie, he must have stopped into the break room before going to practice. Lou had asked him why he came up to the break room all the way up here, and he'd confessed the coffee was better up here. Most weeks I'd catch a glimpse of him on my way to or from dropping off the box of treats, and it was enough to keep me going until the next time.

"Oh!" I put a hand to my heart "You scared me."

Matt stares at me, and I get so lost in his dark eyes that it jolts me when he mumbles something that sounds like "You" followed by "Look good."

He clears his throat and steps around me as if he hasn't just caused my brain to short circuit. Did he really just say I looked good? If he did I'd totally wear this suit every day. Or maybe buy one in every color.

I watch him as he picks up a Right Wing Raspberry Tart Maria recently added to complement the Right Wing Muffins. The treat looks so much smaller in his hand than it had in the box. He takes a bite, and little flakes of pastry fall. Of course he was here for the food, I must have misheard him.

Shaking his words off I remind myself about napkins. "Take the lemon bar to Lou, please. You know he'll pout like a toddler if he finds out someone else ate it."

Matt ate the last of the tart in a second bite before picking up the lemon bar container. "Yes Ma'am."

I open a cupboard with the napkins, by the time I get some napkins and turn back around, Matt is eyeing the chocolate muffin.

"That one's mine." I need the extra sugar to survive this exchange.

"Arm wrestle for it?" Matt asks.

"I'll just tell Lou you made me cry."

He winces. "It's all yours."

Matt picks up an orange cranberry muffin instead. Tiffany walks into the breakroom, smiles at Matt before casually looking at me.

"Chocolate for breakfast?" She asks. "I could never, that much fat would go straight to my hips. My personal trainer is constantly telling me to choose healthier options. Like cranberry. Fruit has so many nutrients. Right Matt?"

He looks at her, then me, but doesn't say a thing.

Clearing her throat, she looks back at me. "Anyway, just something to think about. A moment on the lips, forever on the hips."

I leave the breakroom and Matt behind. Her words aren't the most painful thing I've ever heard, or said to myself, but the chocolate muffin no longer sounds good to me. I can't bring myself to throw it away, but I can't eat it either. Spotting Sam in the hallway with the squeaky mail cart, I hand over the chocolate muffin.

"Really?" He asks.

"There are other treats in the break room if you want something else."

"This is great! Normally everything's gone by the time I get in there. And I have to get all this out so I can use the cart for the Valentine's Day stuff. You wouldn't believe what the fans have sent in for the players."

My stomach twists as I remember my impulsive flower purchase. I really don't want to hear what Tiffany would have to say about the small thing of flowers I'd ordered.

"Enjoy."

He has the paper wrapper peeled down before I can turn towards my office. Today will be busy enough making sure everything for the Sweethearts game this weekend is in order.