V.L. Locey: #blueline

It`s time for Tuesday Tales.

Today we have a snippet from my NaNoWriMo MF hockey romance book, Blueline, Venom #6. In this excerpt Helen and her friends/fellow Venom players are discussing wedding plans, dresses, and a certain Wildcat captain.

Our word prompt today is “Prepare.”

This story may have erotic scenes, strong social issues addressed and mature language. If those things offend now is the time to move onto another Tuesday Tales blog. Thanks for stopping by!

Morning skate was more like morning agony. The coaching staff was pushing us hard and while it was paying off in greater cohesion, overall, it was also kicking our asses. My left knee ached like a bad tooth. It had been iced immediately after skate, and now looked a bit swollen to me. The two previous sprains had weakened it, or so it felt. Maybe that was just my brain trying to get me to favor the twice torn MCL. Still, swelling or not, there was no way I was sitting out this run for the championship. I’d worked too hard, given up too much, to spend time on the bench with an ice bag on my leg.

“You up for something fun tomorrow?” Alicia asked after showers were completed.

“Like what?” I wiggled around trying to get my bra in place.

“Well, I was thinking maybe my bridesmaids could come out to the farm and we’d pick out patterns for your dresses. Since we don’t have a skate.”

Oh yeah. The wedding. I cringed a bit internally. I adore our captain and would lay down my body for her on the ice and off. I was also quite fond of my teammates. But it was a known fact that bridesmaid dresses were generally ugly. And I did not need yards of ugly hanging off me. It was hard enough finding clothes that fit me properly and were somewhat fashionable.

“That would be incredible!” Kate wiggled around me, beaming, hair still soaking wet. “I love your goats! Oh! Can I bring Bobby?”

“No,” I said but Kate just ran right over me.

“He loves goats too! And bees. Well, not so much bees. They kind of make him swell up and die, but he likes honey!” She paused. I tried to slip another ‘NO!” into the upcoming ramble but was too slow and bulky. Story of my life. “Maybe it was Mama who liked honey but not bee stings. Well, no matter! He can help Dale do farm work while we talk about dresses. I like geese too. They’re funny. One time I had this goose down pillow that was super soft, but sometimes the feathers escaped and would float around the room. Oh! There’s my phone. I bet it’s Bobby. I’ll tell him about tomorrow on the farm! Thanks for inviting us!”

Off she ran. Alicia smiled up at me. “I always feel like Dorothy Gale after her ride in the twister when I’m done talking with Kate.”

“That describes it pretty accurately. So, what color are these dresses going to be?” Please do not say pink. A woman my size in pink taffeta is not a pretty sight.

“Colors that will please the goddess,” Alicia dreamily replied then went off to meditate or align her chakras. That was helpful. Not at all. I was not prepared for this.

I went to the bus, wiggled myself across two seats, using one to keep my leg straight, plunked my ice bag onto my knee, and dug out my phone. Maybe I could get back into movie the on the way home. A sharp rap on the window behind me made me jump. I craned my head to look over my shoulder. There on the other side of the window, stood Bobby. Smiling and waving. Probably I should give him the cold shoulder, but that white rose in my bag had softened my brain or something. Instead of cutting him down as I normally did, I waved two fingers at him. His smile broke into a grin which kind of did odd and tingly things to my stomach.

“Aw, look at his love-sick face.”

I threw a dark look at Karrie peeking at me over the back of her seat. “Why aren’t you in the back stirring shit up?”

She gave me a sassy wink. “It’s more fun stirring you up.”