Did she flush? “No, I just know him.” Her voice dropped suggestively. “Really well.”

The other girl narrowed her eyes. “Yeah, and I’m really close to Josh, his roommate.”

What. A. Bitch. “Ah, well, to me he’s just my neighbor and my little brother’s hockey coach. Which one is your brother?”

Now they both flushed scarlet. “We just come to support the team.”

“Yeah,” I dropped my gaze at their exposed cleavage and raised my eyebrows. “Those puppies definitely need all the support they can get at seven a.m.”

The kids cleared off to the locker room, and Jagger motioned me over. “See you later, girls. Don’t catch a cold!” I snagged my bag and empty tumbler as I hopped off the bleachers. I couldn’t get away from them fast enough.

“What’s up?” I asked Jagger as he waited by the locker room doors. “Gus okay?”

He gave me a killer smile, but it didn’t make me want to strip him naked and pounce the way Josh’s smile did. Good to know I was discerning with my horniness. “Yeah, he was a star out there today. Just wanted to tell you he lost a snap when he took off his helmet, so just in case he forgets to tell you, he needs that fixed before practice on Monday.”

“Awesome. Thanks, Jagger.” He might have been all jokes and smiles, but I liked that he was serious when it came to the kids.

“No problem.” He leaned back against the wall, changing gears. “I know you’re really here for Gus, but you’re here for Josh, too, huh?”

There was no point lying to Josh’s roommate. I nodded my head slightly. “Pathetic, I know.”

“He’s different around you,” he admitted, looking at me through assessing eyes.

“He’s different around every girl!” Tweedledee sang, popping over. “Hiya, Jagger.”

Jagger smiled at the girls, “Heather, Sophie, nice to see you.” Darn, now I knew their names. I liked my version better.

Wait one second. Heather? Was she the one texting Josh?

“So where’s Josh?” Heather, aka Tweedledum, asked.

“Yeah, did he go and disappear again?” Tweedledee, Sophie, chimed in.

“He’s busy this weekend.” Jagger shot me a look I couldn’t interpret. “Ember, I’m sure I’ll see you around. Gus should be out in a sec. Don’t forget about the helmet, okay?”

I nodded to him, keeping my breathing even and my back to the girls who laid obvious claims to the boys next door.

“You know Josh disappears every few weeks, right?” Heather asked me, stepping into my vision. “Not that you’d need to know the schedule of your . . . neighbor.” She looked me up and down and then smirked like my jeans and zip-up Tigers fleece weren’t good enough for her.

Sophie chimed in. “Every few weeks he just needs to . . . go blow off some steam.”

“Yeah, like with a new girl,” Heather muttered under her breath, but I heard her. She meant me to.

I’d never been so thankful to see sweat-covered curls as I was when Gus came out of the locker room. “Ember! Did you see that rockin’ goal?”

I took his stick, but he was picky about carrying his own gear. “Yeah, you’re a star!”

“Ladies.” Gus gave the girls the head nod. He’d been spending too much time with Josh.

“See you next stalking opportunity?” I asked with a sweet smile. They glared, and we walked out. “I think this victory deserves donuts!”

“Score!”

Forty-five minutes later, armed with mochachinos and a dozen donuts, we made it home. I juggled the coffees while Gus manhandled the donuts, but they made it in the door surprisingly in one piece. Mom and Grams sat at the dining room table. Mom gave us a forced smile as we came in.

Gus slid the donuts onto the table and didn’t bother getting a napkin or washing his hands before he stuffed a chocolate-glazed into his mouth. He was always famished after games.

“How was the game?” Mom asked me, gawking at his face.

“Great, they won, three to one, and Gus scored a goal and an assist.” I handed out the coffees, leaving April’s in the holder. She probably wouldn’t be up for hours, but at least she wouldn’t bitch that I’d forgotten her on the coffee run.

“Good job!” Grams cheered.

Gus wiped his face with the back of his hand. “Thanks, Grams! Mom, do you think you can come next week? It’s parents weekend and our last game before playoffs.”

Her smile faltered, and I almost jumped in for her. “We’ll see how this week goes, okay?”

No one mentioned that she hadn’t left the house since the funeral.

“Cool!” He reached for the box again, and Mom snapped the lid shut.

“Not until you shower the stink off you and put your sweaty duds in the hamper, mister.”

“Yes, ma’am,” he grumbled, but headed for the laundry room and back stairs.

She’d disciplined him. She’d cared. She’d noticed something outside herself for real, no faking. I couldn’t help the smile that spread across my face as I slipped into my seat. Flanked by Grams and Mom, the heaviness eased, like some of the weight I’d been carrying was lifted off my soul.

The phone went and wrecked it while I was mid-Boston-cream bite. “Hello?” I swallowed, hoping I didn’t sound too garbled.

“December? This is Captain Wilson.”