Kiernan hooked his thumb backward. “If I double score, set Liam up with one of your sorority sisters.” He moved up the tunnel. “Double-date.”
“No, bro.” Liam smacked his palm on the wall-mounted lucky puck. “I’m dating someone.” Liam’s voice echoed in the tunnel. “Bianca.”
Sure he was. Bianca simply never came to anything, ever. That was normal. Piper looked at him with pity. His lover was all in his head.
The guys continued trudging forward, their hockey gait distinct due to the skate guards. Mikah bumped her fist with his glove as he passed her.
He’d bumped her fist? For no reason and with no special words. What did that mean? Whatever she had ranked on the sexual desirability scale–she’d definitely dropped a point. Was she his bro now too? She pulled at the hem of her Snowers’ fan jersey.
Mikah reached the ramp that led out to the ice and into view of the fans. He turned back and motioned to her.
Piper happily took the excuse to leave Willow’s side. She joined Mikah.
Mikah thumped his helmet on his leg. “I’m about to go out.”
“I know, I have tickets.”
“You’re not wearing my jersey.”
Right, jerseys were a hundred bucks, and choosing his number seemed super presumptuous and intimate. Was he asking her to wear his number? Her heart shifted into a happy gear. “Can’t show favorites.”
He arched his dark eyebrows.
“Might hint we’re together.” The wish bubbled up inside her. Say you want us together.
“You’ll look like you’re a fan.”
The crush of that hurt, she didn’t want a fan designation, she wanted him to label her girlfriend. “I support the whole team.”
“Why are you speaking with Willow? You look upset. I can’t deal with this now. I need to focus pre-game.” Mikah sounded frustrated.
She had not asked him to handle any of this. “It’s not a problem.”
“I saw you at the wedding. Tell Dahlia why you can’t work with Willow.”
“I’d have to tell her Warren Applebaum cheated. Dahlia’s marrying into that family, she doesn’t need a reason to be angry with any of the Applebaums.”
“Czerski,” Coach called from the ice entrance. “Never saw you come out last, get a move on.”
Piper reached out and bumped his fist, and then went back to the door that led out and up to the seats.
Willow cocked her head and looked out toward the ice. “What did Mikah want?”
Yeah, like she would share that with her. “To know why the gift bags haven’t been delivered.” Piper moved on. Her sister would be seated by now, popcorn and soda in hand, she was going to join her.
Willow caught up to her. “Where’s Dodo?”
Why did she want to know? Strawberry stains on silk sheets. “With his fiancée.”
Willow huffed out a sigh. “And where’s she?”
“Owner’s box.”
A gleam lit her eyes. “Let’s go there.” Willow pointed to the gift bags. “I’ll take these to the bus after. If you insist, we can still go with what you picked.”
“I do.” Piper had a standing invite to the owner’s area because of Dahlia, but the first time she had tried the lux seating, Warren had been there. The second time he hadn’t, but with Dahlia focusing on Dodo, Piper had mingled with the executives, who were more interested in business deals than watching the game.
Willow would find a way to gain entrance to the private area with or without her help, so she might as well run her up there. Piper shot Calista a text that she’d be late. She went into the executive elevator and typed in the top code while trying not to think of that weird exchange with Mikah.