SlapShot Sweetheart (Pucks and Promises #2)

Chapter 12

CHAPTER 12

AIMEE

“That man is no good,” Aimee muttered under her breath, unable to fight the smile that was emerging from her very soul. He was a rascal, a rogue, a playful little imp who seemed to be bent on getting his way in every aspect of life. Had anyone ever told that man ‘no’ before? she mused and was pretty sure of the answer.

Theo thought he was cute… and curse him, he was right. As much as she wanted to growl, hiss, and scream at him – those brown puppy-dog eyes looking so sad and lost were her undoing. And when he put his hand on the clear walls of the penalty box, she was done. He was reaching for her, giving her ‘the look,’ and it was working in so many ways.

Now that she had time to put things together, he was always there, silently supporting her and trying to make her feel special. From the kittens to the poems to bringing over dinner since she was giving him such a hard time about being late… all of it was to show he was interested in her. She had pushed back so hard, giving him so much flak, yet he still kept coming back for more – which just blew her mind. Anyone else would have been long gone, but not him.

No, Theo was gesturing and giving her hand signals, saying ‘I need you’ before sneaking out of the penalty box to steal a kiss – which was all over the televisions in the arena. She adored the scar on his eyebrow, the way his eyes would crinkle when he smiled, and the mischievous glint on his expressive face. He was the ultimate twerp… and hers.

Her eyes slid toward where he was sitting – only to see him look back at her once more, smiling as he raised his hand, wiggling his fingers. Oh my gosh, she thought, chuckling and rolling her eyes, seeing his smile widen as he held up both hands, making a heart with his hands. She put her head down in her hands, smiling.

How could you stay mad at that?

Time seemed to fly by as he kept making hopeful, silly faces at her – and honestly, it was completely sweet and flattering. She couldn’t picture any other player being so free or open. Some of them looked downright grumbly, but the ‘fighter’ of the group was turning out to be the most tender-hearted, or so it seemed.

When Theo’s time was up, he blasted onto the ice with a renewed fervor. He was everywhere, skating aggressively after the puck, shoving the other team to steal the puck once more, before taking it to the other side of the arena and scoring a goal. As he skated away from the goal, he pointed at her with his stick held high almost like a knight holding aloft his lance in a silent salute.

T wo hours later, Aimee was sitting in the family lounge, chatting easily with Becca as the two picked at their plates of nachos. There was nothing better than crunchy tortilla chips made soggy from hot orangey-looking plastic cheese, in her opinion – plus when you slathered on the jalape?os and sour cream?

It was heavenly.

“Things are better?” Becca asked simply, shoving a chip in her mouth.

“We’re going to talk about a few things.”

“You know that man adores you.”

“How would you feel if Travis lied to you?”

“What makes you think he hasn’t?” Becca returned quickly, startling Aimee. “Look, there’s a difference between a ‘lie’ and a ‘LIE.’ The entire world will disagree with me, quote the whole ‘an omission is a lie’ complex, and maybe they are right to a certain point, but you have to take in the context of the entire thing – and the person.”

“Explain,” she said simply, chomping down on a chip.

“The tooth fairy is a lie,” Becca shrugged, and Aimee nearly spit out her chip at the unexpected explanation given in a casual tone. “Santa, the Easter bunny, the whole ‘ don’t make a face because it will stick like that ’ comments… all of it are lies. I believe it’s the intention behind it that changes things. Parents don’t set out to lie to their children – they love them, want the best for them, they want to give them something to hope for or look forward to.”

She nodded, chewing thoughtfully as Becca continued.

“I mean, let’s take the Tooth Fairy. It's simpler for a child to believe that some magical glowing being with wings will come and take a fallen tooth, leaving them a dollar – all without waking them up. It’s easier than for a child to hear the explanation that another tooth is shoving it out from behind… and parents are a bunch of emotional saps who keep the first tooth but then get suckered into buying all thirty of them simply to keep disappointed look from our kid’s faces.”

“I guess I never thought about lies like that.”

“I’m not saying it’s right… I’m just saying to hear all the facts before condemning Theo. He’s a good person deep down inside. When we were refinishing one of the cabins on the property, he worked tirelessly to help my husband simply because they were friends. I don’t know about you, but the friends I used to know were the ones who would ditch you at the slightest speed bump in the road.”

“Then they weren’t friends to you.”

“Well, I know that now ,” Becca said dramatically waving a soggy chip and laughing as Aimee joined in. Their laughter died down as the door opened and in walked Travis and Theo, freshly showered and changed.

“Becca, honey, are you ready to head out?”

“Yup,” Becca replied, smiling and rising to her feet. “These two have a few things to discuss, and I’m hoping for a visit to Chez Giroux. This plastic-looking cheese is just a teaser for the real deal.”

“Reylo tonight, then?”

“You know it, but only if you wear that new black sweater. I’m thinking I need a Ben-Solo-fantasy-night with my favorite fella…” The couple practically giggled at each other softly, sharing an intimate look that made Aimee stare in disbelief as Theo put his finger in his mouth, gagging.

“What the heck was that?” she whispered.

“Nightmare fuel,” he retorted and then paused. “Unless you are into that? I’ll buy a black sweater and a red lightsaber if you want…”

“No, no,” she stopped him quickly, holding up a hand. “I thought I was a sick puppy having fantasies, but I do believe Becca takes the cake with whatever that was.”

“You have fantasies?”

“None that I’m telling you!” she balked, horrified at the turn that this unexpected conversation had taken. “And we’re supposed to be talking about your lying to me all the time, remember? Or was that a lie, too?”

“I never lied… I might have twisted a bit, but…”

“Oh my gosh, don’t gimme that,” she blurted out once more, slapping her hand on her forehead. “You most certainly did because I flat out asked you about all the little things, and you said ‘No.’ No, means no. There are zero translation errors or alternate meanings.”

“N-O could be K-N-O-W too,” he began under his breath and glanced at her. “I’m kidding and not ‘elping in the slightest, am I?”

“Nope.”

They stood there for a moment, neither speaking before Theo finally began… and held out his hand to her.

“Do you want to come ‘ome with me – or shall I take you ‘ome?”

“Are we planning on talking?”

“ Absolument ,” he replied softly before hesitating. “Absolutely.”

“I figured that was the translation,” she replied, putting her hand in his and seeing his tender smile.

“See, learning already.”

“I’ll be bilingual before we know it.”

“Aimee, I…” he began as they walked out of the room and started down the hallway, and she stopped him, giving him a firm look.

“Don’t,” she whispered softly. “Home is personal, and the walls have ears. Let’s keep our business to ourselves. I would hate for something to leak out, and I think we gave the sports channels enough with that stunt tonight.”

“Coach was pretty upset at the time, but during an interview, I said ‘e was the best ever and supportive of the families who came to cheer on the team.”

“But I’m not your family.”

“You’re close enough to me,” he whispered, leaning forward to drop a shy kiss on her temple as he met her eyes. “ Mon ame s?ur …”

“I still know what that means,” she breathed, looking up at him.

“I still mean it,” he replied, touching her cheek and then froze, looking over his shoulder. She heard a noise, causing her to turn, only to see flashes and cameras as the security guards tried to hold back the news crews trying to get an interview. “Let’s go.”

“Don’t you mean, ‘Allons-y’?” she teased breathlessly as he put his arm around her waist, resting his hand on her hip in almost a possessive manner. He turned to flash her a knowing smile that quickly faded as the press started calling his name.

“Theo! Who’s your friend?”

“Theo, can we get a picture?”

“Miss – are you and Theo Batiste an item?”

“What’s your name miss?”

“Theo, can you give us the exclusive?”

“‘Ow about that game-eh?” Theo said loudly, smiling and raising a hand as if to wave, before urging her out the door into the private walkway that crossed over the streets of Dallas. He jogged toward the Jeep, opening the door and hesitated, before moving to his side. “Let’s go - quickly .”

Aimee was in the Jeep and Theo was pulling out just as the photographers were making their way down the ramp toward where the team parked. Most of the other cars were already gone except for one or two. As he pulled out onto the road, he glanced at her before curling his hand with hers, lacing their fingers together.

“Is my ‘ouse okay?”

“Sure.”

“I’ll bring you back.”

She nodded quietly, the words caught in her throat, unwilling to break the fragile spell woven between them. His sweetness and gentleness wrapped around her like a warm blanket, making her hesitate to voice her concerns. Maybe , she mused, the reasons behind his actions didn’t matter as much when your heart was in the midst of falling for someone. Stealing a glance at his profile, she saw the way the afternoon light danced off his features, casting soft shadows that highlighted the determination in his jaw. He sat beside her, eyes fixed on the cars flowing down the road, but his thumb traced gentle patterns across the back of her hand, a tender reminder of the bond they were forging.

“I was scared,” he said in a hushed voice, not turning to meet her gaze, as if the admission itself was a fragile thing that might shatter if exposed to the light. “That’s part of the reason I was late—and why I got creative about trying to reach you. I was so scared that I wouldn’t get a chance to know you.”

“What?” she began, taken aback, her heart racing at the vulnerability in his tone.

“I got to the restaurant that night, and they pointed you out to me, but I had just come from the ‘ospital. I still had blood on my face, so I went to the washroom first to clean up. I got water on my shirt, had to dry it under the fan, and then, I pretended to enter the restaurant. I was shaking so badly, so nervous, seeing this beautiful woman… and then I messed it all up.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Aimee’s voice was soft, a mix of surprise and concern swelling within her.

“Because of my pride,” he admitted, a nervous chuckle escaping him. “French men are very proud, and I don’t like to explain myself.”

“You seem to be doing an excellent job of it now,” she countered, a smile creeping onto her lips despite the heaviness of the moment.

“Because you are the only person that matters to me—and you deserve it.” His eyes finally met hers, an intensity in his gaze that made her heart flutter.

“You should have told me… Well, it honestly didn’t matter because you needed to see a dentist that night anyway,” she muttered, confusion washing over her as they pulled into the private driveway that led to Theo’s home. “I wish you trusted me enough to share what was going on.”

“I do now, which is why I’m telling you everything. I trust how I am feeling and…”

“Theo, you lied to me,” she interrupted softly, searching his eyes. “You can’t just pick and choose how you want things to be between us. Even if we were just friends, friends don’t lie to each other.”

“But they protect each other,” he replied quietly, a hint of hurt in his voice. “You were scared of me, and I could see it in your eyes.”

“Scared? I’m not scared,” she retorted, but the tremor in her voice gave her away.

“At the pet shop, at the bakery, you mean to tell me that you weren’t scared or nervous to be around me?”

“N-No,” she stammered, but the slow smile spreading across his face made her heart sink.

“Who’s lying now? Eh?”

“It’s different,” she insisted, her voice wavering as she met his gaze in the stillness of the driveway.

“Why is it different?” he pressed, a teasing lilt to his voice that made her pulse quicken.

“Because…” she began, her breath hitching in her throat. They sat there, the world outside fading as their connection deepened. “Are we friends?”

“We are more than friends,” he replied, the certainty in his tone sending a thrill through her.

“That is beside the point.”

“That is exactly the point,” he countered, a playful grin lighting up his face. “We are friends, we are more than friends, and I said things to protect your fragile heart, just like you said things to keep me from guessing that you care.”

“I don’t care.”

“Ah, ah, ah,” he tsked, shaking a finger at her and laughing. “No lying.”

“You’re annoying,” she shot back, crossing her arms in mock indignation.

“I’m adorable.”

“You’re egotistical, too.”

“Very much.”

“And you just have to have the last word all the time, don’t you?” she asked, unable to suppress her smile.

“Maybe.”

“See?”

“I had no idea you wanted the last word too…”

“I just want to be right.”

“ Moi aussi ,” he said dramatically, a broad grin spreading across his face. “That means ‘me too’ en francais …”

Aimee narrowed her eyes at him, leaning toward him defiantly in the Jeep. To her surprise, Theo mirrored her movement, resting on his elbow, leaning in triumphantly, his playful demeanor making her heart race.

“Are you gloating?” she challenged.

“ Moi?”

“Yes, you.”

“Do you forgive me?” he asked softly, the weight of his sincerity settling between them.

“Are you going to ever lie to me again?”

“No—unless it’s a matter of life or death.”

“Acceptable,” she agreed matter-of-factly. “I’ll do the same.”

“Thank you.”

“Thank you, too,” she replied, her voice suddenly shy, her gaze flickering away. “Now what? Where do we go from here? Should we clarify what ‘more than friends’ is or looks like because…”

“Aimee?”

“Yeah?”

“Let’s go inside. I’ve got a roast in the crockpot. Are you ‘ungry?”

“Why is it you’re always trying to feed me? Do you like big girls or something?”

“Only if they have red ‘air and like to keep me in line.”

“So annoying…” she chuckled, shaking her head at him, but her heart swelled with affection as they got out of the Jeep. As Theo walked around to the front and held out his hand, Aimee couldn’t help but marvel at how far they had come despite their rocky start. The man who once grossed her out by fishing his tooth out of his soup appetizer was now the most charming person she had come to adore.

As Theo opened the side door to the house, he scooped her up into his arms effortlessly, and she laughed nervously, hanging on as the world around her blurred. Something as simple as this made her feel perfectly feminine, cherished, and adored. It was a rarity in life—something that people didn’t do every day. Yet, Theo had done it again. Each time they walked into his place, he’d lifted her like it was the most natural thing in the world. Her arms wrapped around his shoulders, and they shared a smile, only for it to fade as he whispered, “ Tu es vraiment mon ame s?ur. ”

His voice was tender, his eyes searching hers for understanding, and she clung to him, feeling the weight of his words.

“Translation?” she asked, her voice a playful challenge as she didn’t break eye contact.

“You are truly my soulmate,” he said softly, his gaze unwavering. “My heart yearns for your smiles and…”

Aimee leaned forward, placing her hand over his mouth to stop him, a smile spreading across her face. She treasured the way he drew in his breath, the intimacy of the moment growing between them, wrapping around her like a comforting embrace.

“Anyone ever tell you that you talk too much?” she smirked. “How can you even say that when we’ve hardly dated—and what we did was completely disastrous? You’ve never even kissed me or…”

To her shock, Theo stumbled, nearly dropping her.

“Hey!” she yelped, yanking a leg out of his arms as he lost his footing, trying to keep her secure while hopping awkwardly.

“You should warn a man…” he blurted out, stunned. “ Mon dieu, Je pensais que j'avais une crise cardiaque!”

“We’re in Texas—not the Great White North!”

“Eh?”

“You’re in the South, Frog-man…”

“That’s rude. ‘Frog’ is a slur…”

“Speaking another language about someone is rude, too.”

“I wasn’t talking about you—I was talking about me.”

“What about you?” she questioned playfully, then looked at him. “Can you put me down so I can use my feet? This is just weird, standing here like some comical tripod about to topple over.”

“I thought I was having a heart attack…”

“ What?! ” she screeched, concern washing over her as she flailed. “Put me down—are you hurting? Pain radiating down an arm? Are you short of breath?” Her questions tumbled out as he carefully set her on her feet.

Theo chuckled, relief evident in his eyes as he steadied himself. “No, I’m fine, just a bit… surprised.”

“Surprised? You almost dropped me!” Aimee laughed, the tension between them easing, replaced by the joy of shared moments and laughter.

“Maybe next time, you’ll think twice before throwing around such powerful declarations,” he teased, a mischievous glint in his eye.

“Just you wait, Frenchman. I’ll have my revenge,” she threatened playfully, her heart full, knowing that whatever happened next, they would face it together.

Aimee was reaching for his wrist to check his pulse, like she knew what she was doing, while the other hand was patting her jeans pocket looking for her phone – only to feel Theo’s breath against her lips. She looked up to see his arm planted above her head on the wall as he was leaning into her with a soft smile on his face.

“Oh…”

“Very short of breath,” he whispered tenderly as his hand touched her cheek. “And you’re right, we ‘aven’t kissed.”

“Gosh, you have a thick accent,” she murmured distractedly as she stared up into his eyes, drowning in them.

“You do, too,” he breathed, softly brushing his nose against hers in a caress as he almost touched her lips. “I love the way you say some things to me…”

“Same.”

“Oh?” he chuckled, drawing back slightly in surprise.

“Hush! Back to whatever this was a second ago,” she blurted out quickly, reaching up to touch the back of his neck, caressing the hair that touched the nape of his neck. She was floating in the soft scent of soap mixed with his cologne, feeling the warmth coming off of him, combined with an energy between them that was nearly tangible to her.

“If you give me a chance, I will be everything to you…” he promised, caressing her lips almost with a featherlike touch as he teased and tempted her silently with the promise of more.

“A chance for what?”

“To date you,” he beckoned softly, kissing her top lip. “To ‘old you,” he continued, dropping a kiss on her lower lip and then paused. “A chance to love you…” and Aimee drew in her breath at his quiet plea as she met his eyes once more, right before he kissed her deeply.

She was so glad the wall was at her back because the possibility of collapse was staggeringly strong at that very moment that he kissed her. The taste of Theo mixed with peppermint nearly made her smile, wondering when he’d snuck one and if he had planned this all along. As his mouth slid over hers at an angle, she felt him step closer, realizing he was repositioning himself and drawing her into his arms.

At that moment, she felt like the entire world was snapping into focus with a clarity that was sharp and crystalline. He was the one person who would put up with her sass, give it back playfully, welcome her like no other, and celebrate their time together because he knew just how valuable it was to have a bond like this. He was her friend… but friends didn’t kiss like this.

No, he was so much more than just her friend.

This man was meant to be her home, her heart, her future, and she was clinging to him like someone was going to steal away her favorite cookie that she just discovered. Her fingers were curled in his hair while the other was clinging to his bicep for dear life. Was this what kissing him was like – because if so, she was kicking herself for holding off and fighting this for as long as she had.

“Theo…” she gasped as he broke the kiss, moving to kiss her throat.

“Are you…” he whispered lovingly, dropping a trail of kisses along her neck. “Free for dinner…” he continued, each word punctuated with a light kiss or a gentle grazing of his teeth that was driving her nuts. “… Saturday night?”

“Are you seriously talking?”

“Absolument…”

“English…”

“En Francais, mon ange…”

“I don’t even know what you are saying…”

“Better for me,” he chuckled arrogantly in that tender way that was just classically him when he was speaking to her. “Dinner Saturday?”

“Dentist?”

“Dinner,” he corrected, smiling as he stopped kissing her for a moment. “I want to take you to dinner.”

“Oh, um yeah, sure.”

“You sound enthusiastic.”

“I was being gobbled alive by some Frenchman, and you are talking about making plans, so yeah, there might be a tone.”

“Gobbled?” he chuckled.

“Distinctly,” she agreed, meeting his eyes as they shared a smile.

“Too much?”

“Just right.”

“C’est bon…”

“We’ve got to work on your English, buddy.”

“We could work on your French, mon ame s?ur…”

“There you go again, saying stuff like that.”

“Does it bother you?” he whispered softly, holding her eyes and she saw a hint of vulnerability lingering in those dark depths, making her marvel at the miracle of whatever this was. He would never be one to carelessly assume everything was fine, but instead, he would always seek her out and treat her like she was precious because he was afraid to lose his footing on this common ground between them.

“No,” she admitted silently, not looking away. “I kind of like that you believe in things as crazy as soulmates.”

“It’s true.”

“People let their relationships fall apart all the time,” she countered quietly. “No one stays together anymore. No one remains married. Monogamy is a thing of the past, a pipe dream that once was, and…”

“Not for us,” he interrupted softly. “I’m never letting go if you give me the chance.”

“A chance to prove me wrong?”

“Oui,” he smiled, the corner of his lip lifting knowingly. “A chance to prove you wrong indeed, mon ame s?ur. It might take a while, but I’m game if you are?”

Was he alluding to what she thought?

“Are you free Saturday night?” he continued, his voice exceedingly loving as he brushed the back of his fingers against her cheek once more, almost like he couldn’t believe she was there before him. “I was thinking we could try going out again to get an official first date on the books.”

“You want to go out… again?”

“Same place?”

“Will you be on time?”

“Am I not worth waiting for?” he chuckled, grinning. “No. Don’t answer that.”