Hockey Holidays Read online

  And that was one of the reasons Erik had never considered a pet. An overnight trip wasn’t a big deal, but what about when he played on the west coast and was gone a week? It happened too often during the season for a kennel to be a good option.

  “I think Peanut really likes everybody,” she said, trying to buy herself a little more time to think. Being sucked back into Erik’s life probably wasn’t great for her emotional health, but saying no to him wasn’t easy. Add one adorable stray dog and it was damn near impossible. “But you can drop her off here and she can hang out, and then I’ll take her home with me.”

  “You don’t want to stay at my place?”

  It would probably be easier. All of Peanut’s many belongings were there. But she didn’t want to slide back into the same relationship they’d had before. It would be so easy, until it wasn’t.

  “I’ll take her to my place,” she said, firmly. But then she gave just a little. “But I’ll bring her home before you get there and wait for you.”

  “Something to look forward to,” he said in a husky voice that left no doubt what exactly he was looking forward to.

  Andie was busy when Erik dropped Peanut off, helping Chelsea with a dog who decided a glass Christmas tree ornament would be a good snack, so she didn’t get a kiss goodbye. Just a text message telling her he couldn’t wait for her but he’d call her later and see her the next day.

  When she was finally free for a few minutes, she got Peanut out of the kennel and took her for a short walk. The little dog was thrilled to see her, but Andie happened to be looking at her when Peanut heard a group of little girls laughing. After a second, the dog appeared to sigh and then kept walking, but with a little less pep in her step.

  She needed to dig a little deeper into lost dog reports, Andie thought. Maybe look statewide or beyond, and reach out to some people who might be able to help her. If Peanut had a family looking for her, the sooner they were reunited, the better. For Peanut and for Erik. He was getting attached to the tiny dog.

  And she’d do well not to get too attached, either, she reminded herself. To the dog or the man.

  Erik pulled into his driveway in probably the best mood he’d ever been in after a rough loss. His body ached and the post-game media questions had been brutal, but Andie’s car in front of his garage, which meant she and Peanut were waiting inside for him.

  As soon as he opened the door, he heard the clicking of Peanut’s nails as she ran across the polished hardwood and the sound made him grin in anticipation. He knelt down to scoop her into his arms and accept the frantic licking she welcomed him home with. Then he carried her through the ground floor, looking for Andie.

  He found her in the small sitting room at the back of the house. It wasn’t a room he spent a lot of time in, but she’d always liked it. Small and cozy, with furniture more about comfort than looks and big windows, she’d loved to curl up with a book when he was busy.

  “Welcome home,” she said, setting the book she’d been reading on the side table.

  The words, simple as they were, warmed his soul. He could easily get used to this. Sitting in the loveseat that faced her chair, he settled Peanut on his lap, expecting her to curl up and fall asleep. Instead, she sat on his thigh and gazed up at him adoringly.

  Yeah, he could definitely get used to this.

  “It’s good to be home.” He could see the indecision on her face—to bring up the game or not to bring up the game—so he nodded toward the empty cushion next to him. “It would be better if you were sitting over here with me, though.”

  Andie uncurled her legs and stood, and they both chuckled when Peanut’s tail wagged in anticipation. And when Andie was settled against him, stroking the dog while she leaned her head against his shoulder, Erik would swear his heart sighed. It was corny, he thought, but that’s what it felt like.

  He picked up the remote and started flipping through the channels. There was a west coast game on and he paused, knowing if he was alone, he’d toss the remote down and watch it. But then he kept surfing until he found repeats of an old sit-com they both liked.

  “Did you have any problems with her while I was gone?” he asked, stroking Peanut’s ear.

  “None at all. She spent the day at the clinic being utterly spoiled by the entire staff. Then she went home with me and we watched a movie before she curled up in my bed. I’m still not sure how such a tiny dog ends up with half the bed and most of the covers, but she’s cute, so she gets away with it.”

  Erik laughed. “I’ve been trying to teach her to sleep in her little dog bed, but she cries and I’m a sucker.”

  “I would say you’ve spoiled her, but I have a feeling she was the princess of the house before she managed to get herself lost.”

  He didn’t like to think about Peanut being lost, in no small part because it made him think about somebody out there looking for her. Remembering she wasn’t really his dog wasn’t something he cared to dwell on.

  The show caught their attention for a few minutes and they laughed together at the on-screen antics. Then his phone buzzed in his pocket and he knew before he pulled it out that he’d see his father’s name on the screen. And he could tell Andie knew it, too, because she tensed a little and then started to pull away. This was the part where she’d be left to watch TV or read a book while he spent at least an hour on the phone, dissecting his game with his dad.

  He used the arm around her shoulders to pull her back into his embrace while he used his other hand to decline the call. Then he powered the phone down and tossed it on the side table. He knew what mistakes he’d made. He knew the Marauders’ weaknesses. And there was plenty of time to rehash every move he’d made on the ice.

  Tonight, he had the woman he loved next to him and if he was going to keep her there, he had to make these moments count. He needed to prove to her that there was room in his life for hockey and her.

  As Andie snuggled against his side again, a small smile curving her mouth, Peanut snuffled and licked his hand once before going to back to sleep.

  And the dog, too, he thought. There was room for more than the game in his life.

  Chapter Five

  The next morning at the office, Andie hung up the phone and dropped her face into her hands. A family was getting the best Christmas gift ever—their beloved family pet had been found, cared for by a softhearted hockey player and would be coming home happy and healthy just in time for the holiday.

  She had to tell Erik. As much as she didn’t think he fully understood yet the time and care a dog required, he’d gotten attached to Peanut and it wasn’t going to be easy for him to let her go. Her duty was to her patient, though, and not the human she’d attached herself to. And it was in Peanut’s best interest to be returned to the family who loved and was desperately missing her.

  Time wasn’t going to make it any easier, so she punched in his number—though she remembered it, she refused to put him back in her contacts—and waited for his voice mail message to kick in.

  “Hello?” His voice surprised her to the point of being speechless. “Andie? Are you there?”

  “Yeah. I’m here.” She cleared her throat. “I wasn’t expecting you to pick up, so it took me off guard.”

  “I’m waiting to see the physical therapist, which means I’m not actually doing anything except wasting time I could be on the ice.”

  The way he raised his voice toward the end signaled his words were for the benefit of somebody within earshot, rather than her. “So you’ve got a minute?”

  “Yeah. I have all the minutes you need since they can sit and wait for me as long as I’ve been sitting here waiting for them.”

  His impatience for anything—or anybody—that kept him off the ice was clear in his voice and she hated to add to his bad mood, but she didn’t have a choice. “I was calling to tell you we found Peanut’s family.”

  The silence went on so long, Andie found herself wishing she’d told him in person so she could hold his hand