On Thin Ice (The Baltimore Banners Book 8) Read Online Free
Author: Lisa B. Kamps
out on her.
"Your uncle? Where is he?"
"Back there with some friends." The girl hooked her thumb over her shoulder, pointing to nobody in particular. So much for trying to figure out who her jerk uncle was that way.
"Maybe you should go find him. Or the rest of your team. I think your game is going to be starting soon."
"I know." But the girl didn't move. Lauren let out her breath and stood, taking her time zipping up her gear bag, hoping the girl would just leave. No such luck.
"Shouldn't you be with your team now?"
The girl glanced over her shoulder again then turned back to Lauren, a bright smile on her face that showed a small gap where a tooth had been. Lauren had to bite down on the inside of her cheek to keep from smiling back. "Yeah, but I told him I'd get your name first."
"Is that so? You can tell him my name is Ref Gannon. Will that work?"
"Probably not. I think he wants your first name. Mine's Taylor."
"It's very nice to meet you, Taylor. How about a compromise? You can call me Lauren, but still tell your uncle my name is Ref Gannon. Deal?" Lauren held out her hand, not surprised when the girl slapped it instead of shaking it.
"Deal. And I think he's right." The girl grinned then started walking away, her stride long and confident in spite of the heavy skates on her feet.
"He's right about what?"
Taylor stopped and gave her another big grin. "He said you were tough, that you had to be to do what you do."
Lauren opened her mouth then closed it again, not sure what to say. Not that it would have mattered because the girl was already out of earshot. She watched Taylor's progress, hoping she'd go over to her uncle so Lauren could see who he was. No such luck. The girl moved past the bleachers and headed straight for the group of other players on the home team, not even bothering to look at the crowd slowly settling in for the game.
So her uncle thought she was tough? Lauren had no idea who the man was, but something told her he didn't mean it as a compliment, even if Taylor had taken it that way. She squeezed her eyes closed and pinched the bridge of her nose, hoping that might help the growing headache.
Great. Well, she had certainly been called worse. As recently as yesterday, as a matter of fact.
So now, not only was she an uptight prudish bitch, she was also tough.
A tough, upright, prudish bitch.
Lauren grabbed her helmet and strapped it on, telling herself that there was nothing wrong with being tough. In fact, any other time, she'd revel in it.
But for some reason, right here and right now, the description that was obviously meant as an insult only worsened her mood—something she really hadn't thought possible until just now.
She clenched her jaw and glared at the crowd sitting on the bleachers. The unknown uncle wanted tough? Fine, she'd show him tough.
Chapter Four
Kenny knew he should have just stayed home.
His mood was still soured from last night's 2-1 loss—a loss no doubt helped by the lousy penalty he drew. The boarding call landed him in the bin and allowed Carolina to score their first goal on a power play in the second period.
He absently rubbed at his side, his fingers automatically finding the tender spot along his ribs from the hit he'd taken in the third. It should have been a penalty but somehow, the refs didn't see it.
Yeah, of course they didn't. But they didn't have a problem calling too many men on the ice against the Banners when he was moving off for a line change. That call gave Carolina another power play—and the game-winning goal.
So no, Kenny shouldn't be here. He should be back at his apartment, still sleeping, not at some silly youth hockey game at such an ungodly early hour on a Sunday morning.
Except he was having fun. He shouldn't be, but he was.
And it wasn't just because of a certain ref he couldn't seem to stop watching, either. And wasn't that just a kick in his ass, for him to actually be enjoying watching a ref? Especially after last
"Your uncle? Where is he?"
"Back there with some friends." The girl hooked her thumb over her shoulder, pointing to nobody in particular. So much for trying to figure out who her jerk uncle was that way.
"Maybe you should go find him. Or the rest of your team. I think your game is going to be starting soon."
"I know." But the girl didn't move. Lauren let out her breath and stood, taking her time zipping up her gear bag, hoping the girl would just leave. No such luck.
"Shouldn't you be with your team now?"
The girl glanced over her shoulder again then turned back to Lauren, a bright smile on her face that showed a small gap where a tooth had been. Lauren had to bite down on the inside of her cheek to keep from smiling back. "Yeah, but I told him I'd get your name first."
"Is that so? You can tell him my name is Ref Gannon. Will that work?"
"Probably not. I think he wants your first name. Mine's Taylor."
"It's very nice to meet you, Taylor. How about a compromise? You can call me Lauren, but still tell your uncle my name is Ref Gannon. Deal?" Lauren held out her hand, not surprised when the girl slapped it instead of shaking it.
"Deal. And I think he's right." The girl grinned then started walking away, her stride long and confident in spite of the heavy skates on her feet.
"He's right about what?"
Taylor stopped and gave her another big grin. "He said you were tough, that you had to be to do what you do."
Lauren opened her mouth then closed it again, not sure what to say. Not that it would have mattered because the girl was already out of earshot. She watched Taylor's progress, hoping she'd go over to her uncle so Lauren could see who he was. No such luck. The girl moved past the bleachers and headed straight for the group of other players on the home team, not even bothering to look at the crowd slowly settling in for the game.
So her uncle thought she was tough? Lauren had no idea who the man was, but something told her he didn't mean it as a compliment, even if Taylor had taken it that way. She squeezed her eyes closed and pinched the bridge of her nose, hoping that might help the growing headache.
Great. Well, she had certainly been called worse. As recently as yesterday, as a matter of fact.
So now, not only was she an uptight prudish bitch, she was also tough.
A tough, upright, prudish bitch.
Lauren grabbed her helmet and strapped it on, telling herself that there was nothing wrong with being tough. In fact, any other time, she'd revel in it.
But for some reason, right here and right now, the description that was obviously meant as an insult only worsened her mood—something she really hadn't thought possible until just now.
She clenched her jaw and glared at the crowd sitting on the bleachers. The unknown uncle wanted tough? Fine, she'd show him tough.
Chapter Four
Kenny knew he should have just stayed home.
His mood was still soured from last night's 2-1 loss—a loss no doubt helped by the lousy penalty he drew. The boarding call landed him in the bin and allowed Carolina to score their first goal on a power play in the second period.
He absently rubbed at his side, his fingers automatically finding the tender spot along his ribs from the hit he'd taken in the third. It should have been a penalty but somehow, the refs didn't see it.
Yeah, of course they didn't. But they didn't have a problem calling too many men on the ice against the Banners when he was moving off for a line change. That call gave Carolina another power play—and the game-winning goal.
So no, Kenny shouldn't be here. He should be back at his apartment, still sleeping, not at some silly youth hockey game at such an ungodly early hour on a Sunday morning.
Except he was having fun. He shouldn't be, but he was.
And it wasn't just because of a certain ref he couldn't seem to stop watching, either. And wasn't that just a kick in his ass, for him to actually be enjoying watching a ref? Especially after last
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