Hockey Holidays Read online

  “My boss is probably freaking out,” Ella murmured, pulling out her phone. “No signal.”

  He slid his phone from his pocket. “Me, either.”

  “You should know, I'm the social media person for the Kingsnakes Holiday Charity Carnival.”

  “Then we'll be seeing each other a lot.” God, he wanted to bury his fingers in that thick, beautiful hair. He missed touching her so fucking bad.

  Ty cleared his throat. “Are you going back home to Ontario for Christmas?”

  “No. I’m on my own for the holidays this year.”

  The elevator hummed to life, and Ella glanced up as the car began to ascend. They stood, and when it stopped on the twelfth floor, he picked up the jersey and the drink tray.

  Ella let out a deep breath as they stepped into the hall, then dragged her hands over her face.

  “Hey, we're okay,” he said gently.

  Ella brushed off her skirt, then took the drink tray from his hands. “I'll tell my boss you're here.”

  “Ella, wait.”

  “Please. Let's just get through today,” she pleaded. “I can't handle anything else.”

  She hurried inside and left him standing in the hallway.

  He'd need to work his ass off to win back her heart. Harder than he'd ever worked for anything. But he was up for the challenge. This was Vegas, and even with the odds stacked against him, he wasn't going to fold.

  Chapter Three

  Ella went directly to Lina's office and explained that she'd gotten stuck in the elevator.

  “Jeez. Are you okay?” Lina asked.

  Ella set down the drink tray. If Lina only knew how okay she wasn't.

  “I got stuck with Tyler Quinn, the hockey player. He's up front.”

  “Yikes. Okay, thanks.”

  Lina headed to the lobby, and Ella returned to her cubicle. She wished she had a door to close so she could have a good cry.

  Ty wanted her back.

  She couldn't even wrap her head around that.

  Seeing him had shattered her. Oh, her heart. Her bruised, battered, beaten heart. How was she supposed to get through this project?

  Forcing it from her mind, she tried to concentrate on her work. An hour passed before Lina came back—with Ty in tow.

  “Ella, the organizer of the Kingsnakes Holiday Charity Carnival sent over a ticket for you to attend tonight's hockey game. I'd like you to talk to the wives who are helping with the event. You'll be sitting with them. Get some pull quotes for the website piece.”

  “Piece?” Ella asked, confused.

  “I'd like you to write an article about the Carnival for our website, with a bend toward the Foundation. Ty's visiting the children's hospital in a few days. You’ll go with him and take some photos.” Lina glanced at her watch. “I have a meeting in fifteen, and I need another coffee. Will you walk Ty out?”

  “Absolutely.” She'd be professional even if it killed her.

  Ty gave her a sideways glance once they were in the hallway. “She really sprung that on you, eh?”

  “You think?” Ella jabbed the elevator's call button. “I'll never make it to the game on time later tonight. I have to go home after work and change, then call a car service.”

  “No vehicle?”

  “Not yet.”

  “Look, El, I don’t mean to change the subject, but do you want to grab some lunch after this coffee run? We need to talk.”

  Ella squeezed her eyes shut. Opening this door was dangerous.

  “We've already talked.”

  The elevator doors opened, and they stepped inside.

  “Please?”

  She'd said that word over and over the night he'd broken her heart. Please, tell me what's wrong. Please, don't do this.

  But he'd remained silent—and he'd stayed silent for the year and a half after they'd split. Until his supposed recent attempts to contact her.

  Ugh, she couldn't deal with this right now.

  “I can't.”

  The elevator opened to the lobby, and Ty gently took her by the elbow as they stepped out. “Then let me take you home after the game.”

  “Quinn—”

  “Come on. It’s just a ride. Let me get you home safely.”

  Ella's eyes grew misty. “That's not your job anymore.”

  “Never gonna stop,” he said gruffly, tipping her chin up. His fingers lingered, tracing softly along her jaw as she stared up at him, frozen in place by his touch.

  Ella backed away, her brain managing to override her heart. She had to get her bearings around him so she could do this job.

  “Fine. But it’s just a ride home, nothing else.”

  “Okay.” He held out his phone. “You'll need to know where to meet me after the game.”

  She reluctantly entered her new number into his contacts and handed it back.

  Ty's gaze swept over her body as their fingers touched, from her bare legs, back up to her face, lingering on her lips a little too long.

  She knew that look well. It was usually followed up with achingly hot kisses, ending with him buried deep inside of her.

  Her thighs clenched at the memory.

  “See you tonight, El.”

  Damn.

  What had she gotten herself into?

  Ella descended the stairs of the Nevada Arena, quickly getting swept up in nostalgia—the chill in the air, the bright lights, and the faint scent of popcorn. She found her row, and two women gave her a friendly wave.

  “You must be Ella Wilkinson from Brynnley L. Morrow,” said a petite woman wearing silver glasses. Long, red hair hung almost to her waist. “I'm Zoe O'Bryan. My husband, Ryder, is the Kingsnakes' captain.” She pointed to a blonde woman sitting next to her. “This is Penn Foster, fiancée of goaltender West Keller. We've taken the reins with the Carnival, so we're your go-to contacts. Quinn said you'd be here tonight.”

  Ella smiled and shook their hands. “Nice to meet you both.”

  “You brought a jacket,” said Zoe. “Good. It gets chilly sitting near the glass.”

  Their conversation was interrupted by driving, bass-heavy music. The Kingsnakes exited the tunnel for warmups, skating around their zone in a blur.

  Instinctively, she searched for number fifteen—Ty's number. He stopped next to the glass, and when their eyes met, the corners of his mouth turned up in a sexy smile.

  She forced herself to look away, shifting her attention back to the two women.

  “Oh! You're the Ella,” Penn said softly. “Your hair. I should have known.”

  Ella frowned. “Sorry?”

  “Last year, Quinn approached me at Zoe and Ryder's wedding. I had my back turned, and he mistook me for you. He looked… broken-hearted.”

  “Penn, this isn't our business,” Zoe said.

  “It's okay.” Ella had been around enough WAG's to know these two were sincere. “We were together for three years before we broke up. I didn't know he played for Vegas. It's been an awkward day, finding out I'm covering the Kingsnakes Carnival.”

  Zoe gave Ella a sympathetic look.

  “How can we make this easier for you?” Zoe asked.

  Ella glanced toward the rink. “Not sure that's possible.”

  “Let's go upstairs to the Desert Lounge,” Zoe suggested. “We'll talk there.”

  “You don't mind? I'm just overwhelmed. Quinn's supposed to drive me home tonight. After seeing him today…”

  “Come on,” Penn said. “The game is on upstairs. We can sit in one of the corners and chat.”

  “Thanks.” She'd need all her strength to get through the ride home. Sitting next to him, breathing in his scent, and looking into those dark, intense eyes…

  Ugh. She needed a drink.

  Ella spent the next few hours with Zoe and Penn, chatting and gathering information on the Carnival.

  “Game's been over for thirty minutes. We should probably head to the family waiting area,” Zoe said.

  “I'm not family,” Ella protested.