Before We Came (Lakes Hockey, #1)

by Sloane St. James

“So, I’m dead?” “Basically,” Jack answers, leaning back in his chair. I turn to him. “Can I be made undead?” “Nope. We gotta kill you now. Needs to match the paperwork.”

My smile is permanent. They will bury me with this stupid ass grin on my face.

Funny, I was so worried about running into my parents or Jack at the hotel in Minneapolis, meanwhile I was fucking his best friend the whole time. Small world, eh?

I did laugh out loud

“Aunt Birdie! Lonan says I’m supposed to ask you to be on his team, but not to tell you that he said to be on his team.” From the other room, Lonan yells, “Miss Maddie, your ability to follow instructions leaves much to be desired!”

“Remember that Lonan guy I told you about?” “Yeah, the hockey hottie that gives you a snail trail?” “Those weren’t the words I used.” “I Googled him and took some liberties.

I’m a lot faster at this than he is, and I cut all my carrots and cauliflower before he finishes the two sweet potatoes I’ve tasked him with.

Really set him up for failure there sweet potatoes are so hard to cut

He comes behind me and wraps his arms around my waist, leaning down to rest his chin on my shoulder.

My favorite microtrope is this type of embrace

Wood smacks against hard rubber and then a split second later, ringing metal fills the rink.

Yeah because we’re still using wooden hockey sticks… right

I tried to make a bird on mine with pink icing. At least, I hope she thinks it’s a bird. It could also pass as a trailer hitch. It’s either a shitty bird or a really good trailer hitch. Whatever.

Banks doesn’t give me shit, he just stares at me with pity. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say that was sympathy in his eyes. Nothing like getting sad eyes from the biggest asshole on the team.

I’m a Minnesotan that’s been raised in Canada all my life. It’s a wonder my DNA results didn’t say 83 percent Sorry.