Overnight Sensation(32)

“I will,” she says with a sigh. “But they won’t get it back.”

I put a hand on her head, and then I lean down and kiss her hair. I meant it as a friendly gesture, but even the sweet scent of her as my lips brush over silk is too much. “Night,” I say in a husky voice.

Then I retreat to my own room and shut the door.





It isn’t a great night’s sleep. My dreams are charged with coaches yelling at me. And then, towards dawn, I have a sexy dream about a certain girl with blue eyes and soft hands.

When the alarm goes off, I open my eyes warily. I’m turned on and overtired. It’s not a nice combination. I want to roll over and close my eyes again, but morning skate starts in an hour, and later I need to pack for our first road trip.

So I get out of bed and do some stretches to wake myself up. When I’m dressed and ready, I open my bedroom door to a curious smell.

Is that…bacon?

I pad into the kitchen to find Silas seated at our table, looking like a king at a banquet. He’s eating a waffle with a fried egg on top. There’s also bacon and a wedge of cantaloupe on his plate.

“Whoa,” I say as Heidi turns to face me from the counter. “What happened here?”

“Breakfast,” she says with a forehead wrinkle. She looks at me like I’m an imbecile. “Don’t you eat breakfast?”

“Um, yes?” It’s just that it doesn’t look like this. “You don’t have to cook for us.”

Silas makes a noise of dismay and then a slashing motion with his hand. “Will you please shut up? Do you not see all this good food?”

“It’s the least I can do,” Heidi says. “Here’s yours.” She offers a plate, and it’s just like Silas’s. The scent of waffles and bacon fills my nostrils, and I begin to come around to Silas’s way of seeing things.

“Thank you,” I say, sitting down hastily and grabbing the silverware that she’s already put out for me. “We have a waffle iron?”

“You sure do,” she says. “But I peeled a sticker off it. I don’t think you ever used it before.”

“Oh.” I wonder what else is in my kitchen? “Where did you get these groceries?”

“I ran out this morning.”

“Save the receipt,” I say.

“It’s already on the fridge.” She points at a slip of paper trapped with a magnet. “I’m happy to run errands, but cash is tight.”

I put a piece of waffle and fried egg in my mouth and then moan a little. “Is that cinnamon?”

“Yes,” she says, stacking more waffles onto a piece of waxed paper. “The little store didn’t have real maple syrup, and fake maple syrup is garbage. These waffles are going in your freezer. If you microwave them for twenty seconds and then toast them in the toaster, they will be very good for leftovers.”

“Can I have another one right now?” Silas asks.

“No,” she says shortly. “Too carby. But you can have another egg if you need more calories.”

Silas and I exchange a curious glance. “Got it,” he says as we both try not to laugh.

“While you’re away—assuming the police don’t magically find my money, and that I don’t also find an instantly available apartment I can afford—I can take in your mail and do errands and water your plants.”

“There aren’t any plants,” I point out. “But thank you.”

Silas chews a piece of bacon with a thoughtful look on his face. “You know, this is a big issue for some players during the season. They need sporadic help with errands and groceries and stuff. If you’re looking to pick up extra cash, you might want to offer your services. You could charge by the hour. Bunch of guys live in this building, so you could take in everyone’s mail at once.”

Heidi sets a half melon down on the counter and turns around to face Silas. “Really? That’s a thing?”

“Sure.” He shrugs. “Every year guys are trying to figure out how to get their groceries delivered right as the jet lands in New York. How to get their suits to the drycleaner’s. There’s services for all that stuff, but it’s piecemeal. And they’d trust you with a key. It’s like a different level of service.”

“Silas,” she breathes. “I could kiss you right now. You’re a flipping genius.”

Something goes wrong in my gut at the idea of Heidi kissing Silas.

And then it gets worse when she lunges over to him and hugs his head, which effectively puts his cheek against her boob. She says some more gushy words about how excellent his idea is.

Silas pokes his head out from under her arm and grins at me.

Annnnd I’m done here. I stand up suddenly and carry my empty plate over to the sink for a rinse.

“Just leave it,” she says. “I’ll load the dishwasher in a minute. You have practice, but I don’t have to show up for my security shift until four.”

“What’s there to guard when there’s no hockey game?” I ask.

“No idea,” she says. “But I already know it will be unpleasant.”





12





Heidi


The Bruisers are headquartered in a restored warehouse that’s part of the Brooklyn Navy Yard complex. After I pull the large brass door handle and step into the lobby, I am treated to the sight of a highlight reel playing on a big screen.