A gentle vibration shook her phone. She glanced at the new message and grimaced at the sender's name. "Not again."
Leo touched her forearm. "What's wrong?"
"Mitch Michaels keeps bugging me, wanting me to ask you to be on his show. I've told him that I'm not your agent or publicist but he hasn't taken the hint." The sports radio host had somehow decided that she was the best way to get to Leo after contacting the team hadn't worked. It hadn't worked because Mitch was an asshole known for stirring up controversy at the expense of players.
"Why? I'll do it." Leo lifted a brow and shrugged. "The guy has made me public enemy number one ever since Dylan got hurt. He's made it his mission to constantly spew rumors and stoke fans' anger. It would be great to shut him up on his own show."
"I don't know. He's a jerk. It's probably best to ignore the talk radio noise."
"I've been ignoring it and it hasn't gotten any better." He pointed to the press area off to the side of the rink. "Isn't that him right there?"
"Yes." She didn't like the gleam in Leo's eyes.
"Then let's end this right now." Leo crouched and scooped together a snowball, then hurled it at the radio host. It sailed in a straight shot and hit the jerk square in the back. Mitch's head whipped around.
Leo nudged Kelsey and headed in Mitch's direction. "I heard you've been asking about me. You want to get me on your amateur hour or something?"
"Amateur hour? I'm number one on the afternoon drive."
"Then, what do you need me for, if you're the number one ranked?"
"It's not me that wants you on... it's the fans. They wanna hear your side of the story. You can come on and make your case. So, when did you want to do it?" Mitch pulled his phone from his pocket and opened his calendar app. "I broadcast from Tap Out on Tuesdays during happy hour. You can be on from six to seven and take listeners' calls."
Leo turned to Kelsey. "You have your phone on you. Can you check the game schedule?"
She grabbed her phone and searched dates. "With the games and road trips, the best date would be the twenty-seventh. So, a little over two weeks away."
"Why not this Tuesday?" Mitch paused with his finger over the keypad. "You guys don't have a game then."
"I'm not available." Leo folded his arms across his massive chest. A mouth drawn in a line and a gaze like heated daggers dared Mitch to question him further.
"All right. See you on the twenty-seventh then. I can't wait." Mitch smirked at him and then walked away.
Leo watched the retreating man for a few moments, then laid his hand on Kelsey's shoulder. "It looks like I have an obligation to return to the scene of our first kiss in two weeks. Care to be my date?"
Kelsey smiled at the memory of the kiss even as her gut iced over in warning of Mitch. "I'll go, but you need to be careful. He may be a bottom-feeder, but he's still a shark."
"I can handle him."
She liked his confidence as much as everything else she'd learned about him. "I know you guys have the next two days off, but if you haven't made any plans, do you want to go to Niagara Falls tomorrow?"
"I'll be in Philly. I'm flying out tomorrow morning so I'll have most of Monday and almost all of Tuesday there. I fly back late Tuesday night, so I'll be home and well-rested for practice on Wednesday."
"Oh." Disappointment flared but she schooled her features to hide it.
"Why don't you come? We can do the cheesesteaks and art museum steps." He brushed her hair behind her shoulder. "The rest of the schedule is so crazy with the games and road trips, and it's only going to get more intense when we get to the playoffs. Come hang out with me. It's one of the last chances to relax before the post-season."
Jumping from a first kiss to flying off with him to spend a couple of days in another city was a whirlwind. Even so, she didn't care. What they had was so new, she didn't want to miss any time with him. Thoughts jumping from what to pack to what she needed to wrap up before the next day, she tapped her finger against the back of her phone. "I'm sure my parents or Rod and Dylan could watch Icing."
He grinned and his smile was as bright as the sun. "So you'll come?"
"But it's your time to spend with your family."
"It won't be non-stop with them. The guys have to work on Monday, so we'll have a lot of time to ourselves. I was planning on staying with Ryan but we can get a hotel."
"No. Stay with your brother. I know how important family is and I'm sure he's looking forward to your visit. Are you sure he won't mind me tagging along?"
"He won't mind. Ryan's going to love you."
She couldn't wait to meet him and the rest of the Brennan clan, to see where Leo had come from, and to learn as much about Leo as she could. "Well, in that case, I guess we'd better finish up here so I can book my flight and pack."
KELSEY SET HER OVERNIGHT bag on the floor of the guest room. Like the rest of the well-maintained brick row home, its pale gray walls, dark wood furniture, and a painting on the far wall of a watercolor skyline of the city made an inviting space. "This is really nice."
Leo opened the curtains and light streamed into the room. "When I come home in the off season, I stay here. Ry doesn't mind that I basically move in with him for a few months and it gives us a chance to spend time together."
"Do you think you'll do
