Page 31 of Pucked Together

"Hello?" A man's voice answers.

"Hi! Hello? Who is this?"

"Who is this?" the deep voice asks back. And it sounds almost familiar.

"Izzy, this is my phone," I deadpan.

"Ah," the voice says with a hint of humor. "Please tell me you're the cute brunette with the mad flair skills."

I let out a nervous laugh. "Please tell me you're not a serial killer."

He laughs, too. "I'm not a serial killer, Izzy. But someone found your phone and brought it to the bar last night."

"Oh, thank God. So you're the bartender?"

He laughs again. "Yeah, you can say that."

"Awesome, well, I'll be swinging by there in like twenty minutes. Is that okay?"

"More than okay."

The man has me blushing through the phone.

"Just ask for Justin," he adds. "I'll be waiting for you."

When Ryker returns from his room, he has a black duffle bag thrown over his shoulder.

"Change of plans," I tell him.

"So you don't want to leave yet?" He eyes me curiously.

"Ew, no. I definitely need to leave." I make my way back up the stairs to change.

"Need and want are two different things," he points out.

"I want you to take me back to the Breakaway. My phone is there with Justin."

"O-kay. And Justin is?"

"My soon-to-be boyfriend, if there's such a thing as fate. Let's go, Goalie-zilla."

Just before I disappear up the stairs, a look crosses Ryker’s face that I can clearly make out.

Jealousy.

Chapter 10

Ryker

Iinsist on going inside with her despite her weak-ass protests. She doesn't know this guy. He could be a scammer, for all she knows.

Hell no. Keelan wouldn't let me hear the end of it. I won't let her out of my sight.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you," she squeals as the blonde-haired Chris Hemsworth lookalike approaches her with her pink shimmering phone in hand.

Great, it's the Thunder-god she was speaking to last night. Just my fucking luck.

"Glad to make your day, Izzy."