CHAPTER TWO

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

H er heart fluttered at the sight of him, which ticked her off. Good looks and money didn’t make him more special or significant than any other customer. Thick, dark brown locks fell across his forehead shielding his eyes. Even without seeing the crystal-clear pools of blue, she recognized him. He shook the melting snow off his black baseball cap before quickly putting it back on and pulling the brim low to hide his identity.

Carly suspected he wasn’t in the mood for a fan moment, though her heart beat a mile a minute in his presence. She’d never been this close to someone famous before. Hockey player or not, he was a customer. She flashed an extra-large smile, not that it mattered. He didn’t look up from his phone. Arrogance rolled off him in waves.

“Feel free to grab any vacant table, although there aren’t many left.” She pointed around the diner, but his eyes remained glued to his phone. Carly rolled her eyes and hoped he sat at one of Miranda’s tables.

Miranda wasn’t the only lover of hockey players. Carly’s roommate would swoon if she was this close to Theo Montagne. Beth had an addiction to hockey and an unhealthy attraction to hockey players. The past six months, Carly watched her date four different hockey players. All of whom used and tossed her aside like a piece of garbage. Beth was a sweet girl, but her fixation on the sport clouded her judgment regarding the men.

Being an athlete didn’t give these guys the right to treat people like crap. Her own dating history revealed similar conduct. They treated women as though they were lucky to have a moment of their time. Beth was on a mission to marry a hockey player. She had a list of men from the National Hockey League she planned to seduce. Theo Montagne was on that list.

“Do I order here or at the table?” The hockey player asked. The deep timbre of his voice sent shivers down Carly’s spine.

“Depends which table you take. If you take the only one open next to the window, then I can take your order now, otherwise you’ll have to wait for the other waitress to get to ya.” She could have kicked herself for not directing him towards the two empty tables on the left.

She didn’t want to serve him, right?

“Thanks. I was kidding about the espresso by the way.” He smiled, his straight white teeth sparkled like the freshly fallen snow. Carly wished he’d look up but he kept his head down. “I’d like a cup of coffee and the lunch special, please.”

At least this ego maniac was polite. “Sure thing.” Carly smiled again, but her efforts were in vain.

The hockey player walked away, never having looked at her once. He was a tall guy without being imposing. Carly admired his broad build. Over six feet of lean muscles lay hidden under a black leather jacket. Carly punched his order into the system and watched him from the corner of her eye. He had the most firm and round ass she’d seen in ages. Her mouth salivated as he flaunted that perfect behind, making his way to the table in her section and disappearing from her view.

It was a shame he never noticed her. He couldn’t be bothered to acknowledge her existence, which didn’t surprise her even though it stung.

If he was too busy to spare her a glance, then he could wait for his caffeine fix. Carly was busy too. She checked on her other tables and waited another minute before fetching his cup of coffee. When she approached his table, he typed on his phone with purpose. Whatever conversation he was having must have been important. His full lips thinned into a straight line and his jaw clenched as he concentrated on the device in his hands. He had huge hands, making the phone seem tiny by comparison.

Carly wondered what it would feel like to have those big paws on her. Touching her in places she hadn’t been touched in far too long. Would they be rough or gentle?

She cleared her suddenly dry throat. The coffee felt too warm in her hands and her face became rosy. She placed his cup on the table in front of him with yet another smile that was not returned. Theo mumbled a word of thanks, effectively dismissing her.

Leaning against the counter, she wondered why she cared if he looked at her or not. It’s not like he would fall in love at first sight like in the movies. But damn it, she wanted to get a peek at those stunning blue eyes she’d seen on TV.

“How are you still standing upright, girl?” Miranda asked, leaning next to her, fanning her face.

“What?” Carly’s cheeks heated as she turned to face her co-worker. She tucked a few loose curls behind her ears before tugging on the hem of her black t-shirt. The uniform shrunk in the dryer, exposing a tiny slice of midriff on the sides where the apron didn’t cover.

“Theo Montagne talked to you, and your knees didn’t buckle. What’s wrong with you?” She giggled like a school girl.

Anyone who knew anything about hockey would be able to recognize him. Hat or no hat, he was a big deal around these parts. He was that good on the ice, and judging by the size of those giant hands, he was good off it as well. His first-year points beat records created by some of the greats. His second season was more of the same. Drafted right after high school, he wasn’t much older than Carly. He could retire tomorrow with more zeros in his bank account than anyone needed in a lifetime.

None of that impressed her. “He barely said more than two words. Hardly a swoon worthy encounter.”

Judging by the look on Miranda’s face, she thought otherwise. “Girl, are you telling me he didn’t flirt shamelessly with you like all the other men here? Your wholesome face and rocking body keeps this place packed.”

The diner was busy because the food was amazing, not because of Carly’s looks. “You’re exaggerating. He didn’t even look at me, so flirting was out of the question.” A model, she wasn’t. But most of the male clientele commented on her curves and some even asked her out. She turned them all down for several reasons, but mostly because she wanted to focus on her studies. She considered herself pretty enough to catch a man’s eye, except she couldn’t catch Theo’s.

“But you admit he’s hot, right?”

Carly thought about the question and nodded. Theo Montagne might not be someone she would ever consider dating, but she could appreciate a good-looking man. “He’s attractive, but cocky. Not my type.”

Miranda bumped her hip and leaned in close next to her ear. “Hon, he’s everyone’s type. If I had some mistletoe… I would go get me a kiss.”

Carly wouldn’t turn down a kiss either, but Mr. Hockey wouldn’t notice her even if she slapped him in the face with the stuff. It’s not like she expected the guy to drool at her feet after seeing her, but it would have been nice to at least catch a glimpse of his baby blues. Her pride took a slight beating at his lack of response, but she pushed the hurt aside.

Big deal, a famous hockey player showed up and ignored her, so what?

“Good thing we’re out of mistletoe,” Carly said and both girls laughed. Their conversation was cut short when two new customers approached the counter. Something about them gave Carly the creeps. Miranda grabbed a coffee pot and took off.

One of the men towered over her. Everything about this guy screamed danger. “That’s a shame, you ain’t got more mistletoe, since a kiss from you would make my day, sweet cheeks.” The overweight man appeared to be in his early forties with yellowing teeth and a twisted smile.

The pickup line wasn’t a welcomed one, but she smiled anyway. “Happy holidays. Are you staying or getting something for the road?” She hoped he would get what he needed and leave. She had no desire to chitchat with this guy or his friend.

“Well, we were gonna hit the road, but you’ve convinced us to stay.”

She was afraid he would say that. “Grab a table and someone will be with you shortly.” She gestured to the empty table near the back, which happened to be in Miranda’s section. This was one time she wouldn’t have minded being invisible.

“We’ll sit up here at the counter, so we can be closer to you,” the shorter man said in a thick accent Carly couldn’t decipher. He removed his gloves and placed them on the counter. They were covered in scratches, like he had been holding a cat against its will and the beast had clawed for freedom and lost. Poor cat.

They were most likely bored and lonely truckers. She plastered on a smile and remembered that tips were better when she wasn’t snarky. “Great choice. What can I get for you today?”

“This holiday would be a happy one for sure if I had someone sweet like you to share it with.” The taller man raised his brows suggestively. He leaned over the counter, getting closer than she was comfortable with, and eyed her from top to bottom. The men smelled like leather and menace combined. He licked his chapped lips, making her cringe inside. “We could make this a Christmas you’ll never forget. What time are you done here?”

Carly shuffled her feet, wanting to get the last thirty minutes of her shift over with. “I’m not on the menu.” The words popped out. She quickly added. “My shift ends soon. Perhaps the candy cane hot chocolate would be to your liking since you want something sweet. It is on sale too. The lunch special is also a hit; a Ruben with fries and coleslaw. Are you wanting to place a food order?” She couldn’t get the words out fast enough. The sooner she took their order the faster she could get away.

A quick glance left and her eyes landed on Theo Montagne as he walked past, presumably on his way to the washroom. The smirk painted on his face, rubbed her the wrong way. He was no doubt laughing at her discomfort. Jerk.

The imposing man laughed as though she’d said something comical. Carly tensed as she returned her focus on him. He scratched the dark stubble on his chin, keeping his shady, almost black, beady eyes on her. “Relax, sweet cheeks, I’ll take two extra-large coffees to go. Throw in a couple of cinnamon buns since we’ve got a few errands to run before we can celebrate the holidays.”

She rushed to fill their order. Something about them didn’t sit well with her. The way they watched her as she worked, like they were assessing her. She handed them the two cups, and they both made a few more lewd and inappropriate remarks before paying.

Customers flirted all the time, some taking it a little too far, but these two took it a step past gross. She sometimes flirted back, but this time the thought never crossed her mind to try.

Some Christmas this was turning out to be. Carly breathed a sigh of relief when the door closed behind them. She was used to seeing all walks of life come into the diner and most were harmless. These men were the opposite of innocent.

The bell rang from the kitchen, signaling an order for pickup. She raced to the warming tray and grabbed the hockey player’s plate. Most of her tables were done and soon her shift would be over.

His brown hair curled around the edges of his hat. The flush to her cheeks returned. There was something so casually sexy about him. Too bad he was a hockey player, because he fit her type perfectly. She put his plate down on the table. His nose was buried in his phone as it had been before. “One special. Can I top up your coffee or get you anything else?”

“More coffee would be great, thanks.” He put down his phone but only to pick up his sandwich. “Oh, Miss?”

“Yeah.” She straightened her stance, waiting for him to continue.

“Never mind.” He kept his head down and took a bite.

Not a single glance was sent her way. Without knowing it, this man was getting under her skin. She refilled his cup in silence and left him to eat. She slipped his bill on the table in the process. The less she had to deal with him the better.

Carly glanced at the clock and smiled her first genuine smile of the day. One last table to clear and she was done for an entire week. Soon she would be home for the holidays and she’d be able to put the flutters and Theo Montagne out of her mind.