Romancing the Grump (Appies, #4)

by Jenny Proctor

“Nathan?” She finally says. Before I can answer, a voice sounds through the phone. She must have the call on speaker. “Summer? Are you okay? What’s happening?” Summer lowers the hair dryer and drops it onto the bed. “I’m fine,” she says, her voice still holding a tinge of panic. “A left defender just bulldozed through my door, but other than that, everything’s great.” “A left what?” the voice says. I’m guessing it’s a sister because it sounds a lot like Summer herself. “It’s a hockey position,” Summer says, leveling me with a glare that makes me flush with embarrassment. “I still don’t understand,” the woman on the phone says. “A hockey player broke down your door?” I swallow against the growing knot in my throat. “I’m really sorry.” I point next door. “That’s my hotel room, and I realized the connecting doors were open, so I went to close mine, but then I…fell.” My explanation sounds lame, and Summer clearly agrees because her eyes narrow. “You fell?” “Your door was unlocked too. I swear it was an accident.” The woman on the phone giggles. “I bet it was.” “Uh-huh,” Summer says like she doesn’t quite believe me. She tosses her phone onto the bed and walks toward me, stepping over the pillows littering the floor so we’re standing face to face. She’s close enough now that I can feel the warmth of her, catch the faint scent of her hair, which I may or may not have branded into my memory when she fell asleep against me on the bus. “You weren’t leaning on the door?” Summer asks...