He follows that up with a text with the guy’s phone number and website. Pennie, our head of marketing, is waiting for me in the room she booked for this recorded questions session. She gives me a friendly smile and taps the chair she wants me to sit in.
Thx. Gotta go. Doing an Insta interview thing for the new team.
Of course, they don't shut up. That just floods the chat with snarky comments.
TATE: Oh yay! What’s Conner Garrison’s astrological sign?
GRADY: What’s his favorite position? That’s what they really wanna know. Off-ice more than on.
A bunch of laugh emojis get posted.
THEO: What’s it like being related to the next hockey king Theo Richard?
A bunch of eye roll emojis, including one from me.
TATE: Can’t wait to find out all your secrets, cuz!
“Ready, Con?” Pennie asks.
“As I’ll ever be,” I reply and punch out a quick response to Tate’s last comment.
Here’s a secret. I’m officially Mac Larue’s boyfriend. Later boyz.
I turn off my phone so it doesn’t buzz a hole in my pocket.
Chapter 27
Mac
“The only time I find this adorable is when it’s on a girl under the age of ten and the name above the jersey number is Daddy,” I grumble through the closed bathroom door.
“We can put Daddy on it if that’s what gets you and Con off,” Tenley suggests.
“Oh my God, if you didn’t come out of my body I would swear you were Callie’s spawn,” Jessie proclaims as she shrugs into her coat and gets ready to leave my apartment.
"Don't let the woman fool you, Mac, she has her dirty secrets," Tenley tells me as I smooth my hands over the front of the jersey. "Ask her why there's a piece of countertop in the farmhouse kitchen from the seventies that she and Dad won't let anyone touch no matter how many renos we do."
Jessie Garrison smiles. It’s a smile that says everything and absolutely nothing at the same time. A smile so intense I have to fight the urge to blush and Tenley pretends to gag. Or maybe it’s not pretend. Jessie composes herself and smiles at me. “You look great Mac. You girls have fun and give Con my best. Drive safe.”
She opens the door and leaves. Tenley stares at me, rubbing her chin in thought. “We’re close. I’m gonna lend you my leather leggings and that should do it.
She grabs my coat off the bench and throws it at me. “Let’s go to my place real quick. You can change there and then we’re off to see your man play!”
My man. I smile as I lock up and let her drag me over to the farmhouse. She's right. The world knows now. Conner didn't call me by name but of course, they did ask him if he was single in that question thing they did for the Riptide's social media, and with a confident smile he said, "Nope. I'm happy to report I'm off the market."
I change into Tenley’s leather leggings, which I have to admit do wondrous things to highlight the shape of my ass and legs. And it looks really cute with Conner’s jersey, which Jessie had already ordered off the NHL website to add to their grandparents’ basement, which displays every pro jersey any Garrison or Richard has ever played in. Tenley told her I needed to wear it to the game first and Jessie agreed.
I hope this isn't overkill. I don't know how Conner's going to react. I've worn a man's hockey jersey before but it was my dad's. I used to roll my eyes at the girlfriends of players who would saunter through the VIP areas at games branded in everything they could find with their man's name on it. But… I'm smiling as I look at myself in it. God, I'm a cliché.
The journey is fun but I'm glad I'm driving so I can keep my eye on the road and not the knowing smirks and side eye being thrown my way. In my car are Tenley, Harlow, and Mae who came back from Boston College for the game. Liv had to go back to UCLA, Tenley would be there too but she's taking a semester off. The other male cousins are back on their teams, except Theo who is riding in the other car with Devin and Callie. The rest of his aunts, uncles, and grandparents havedecided to attend a different game, so they don't overwhelm Conner.
We get there and I'm buzzing with nervous energy. I'm extra careful parking the Range Rover. I'm still not used to this SUV. It's bigger than any car I've owned and a literal dream with all its bells and whistles. I could get used to it if I let myself. And I'm beginning to wonder if I should let myself. My mom keeps offering to replace my car. She says I can call it an early graduation gift and for the first time in my life, I told her "maybe" instead of a flat-out no.
Because Conner's words are still bouncing around my head. My parents help me because they love me, unconditionally, and their affection and help are not a loan I have to pay back. I'm worthy of it. Stupid hockey player and his scathing voice of truth.
"Why are you smiling to yourself?" Mae asks. "Are you thinking about my brother? Oh my god, you two are like something out of a romance novel."
"She should know, she reads enough of them." Harlow rolls her eyes but loops her arm through Mae's to soften the judgment.