“All the time.”

They wandered over to the buffet and found something to eat and drink, then grabbed a seat with a prime view of the guys during warm-ups.

“How’s it going with the design stuff?”

“Actually, pretty good,” Carolina said. “We’re on schedule, I have amazing models to walk the runway for me, and we just finished a fitting for everyone this morning. Fingers crossed, because I don’t want to jinx anything, but it looks like everything’s going smoothly.”

“I’m glad to hear it. Is Drew going to walk for you this year?”

Carolina laughed. “Unfortunately, no. He claimed that was a one-time thing last year, so he refuses to be a model for me again. Though the ad campaign he did on the ice was incredibly successful.”

“Of course it was. Hot hockey player wearing Carolina Designs underwear? How could it not be?”

“He did look spectacular on those billboards, didn’t he?”

“I’ll say.”

Carolina’s gaze strayed to the ice, where Drew and Trick were passing the puck back and forth. “Maybe I could convince Trick to model my underwear this year.”

“I’m sure you could convince Trick to model naked for you.”

Carolina laughed and turned her attention back to Stella. “And you wouldn’t mind that?”

She shrugged. “I don’t own the man, or any part of his body. He’s all yours.”

“Hmm, that sounds a lot like you two might have had a fight.”

“We didn’t fight at all. To fight means we have a relationship, and you know I don’t do that.”

Carolina took a sip of water and leaned back in her chair. “Okay, spill. What’s going on?”

“Nothing, really.”

“Stell, I know you. You’re always so free and easy about the men you see. There’s clearly something more going on with you and Trick.”

That was the problem with best friends—they knew everything about you. Or, almost everything, anyway. “Fine. We’ve been getting closer and it’s unnerving me.”

“Unnerving you in what way?”

She gave her friend a pointed look. “Mainly that I’ve allowed it to happen at all.”

“Ah, I see. Because that goes against your standard MO of fuck ’em and leave ’em.”

“Exactly. What’s wrong with me? We hooked up last year, and that was fine and all. Okay, it was more than fine. It was great. But then we drifted apart, and here we are again. I never do this. I never see a guy twice.”

“But, like you said, here you are. Why is that?”

“I don’t know. I mean beyond the sex, we’re going out and doing things. He took me to the park and we went ice-skating. We bought a tree for his place and decorated it together. And then he showed up at the theater today and watched me dance.”

“Horrors.”

Stella slanted her a look. “Seriously. Rehearsals are closed, and yet Lawrence welcomed Trick with open arms. I didn’t even know he was there until we had a break.”

“Maybe Lawrence is a big hockey fan.”

“His partner is, and Trick snuck in there by promising Lawrence season tickets to the Travelers so he could surprise his partner.”

“Awww, that’s sweet. He cares enough about you that he wanted to see you dance, Stell.”

Stella shrugged.

“And all the other things, like shopping for a tree, and going ice-skating together? That sounds like two people who enjoy each other going out and having fun.”

“It sounds like a relationship,” she shot back, then realized her voice had a little more force and venom than she would have liked.

“You’re making it sound like a bad thing, when in fact, it sounds to me like the man is in love with you.”

Stella took a long swallow of her water and sighed. “That’s what I’m afraid of.”

“So you don’t return his feelings.”

“I do. That’s the problem. The big, huge thing that keeps me up at night. I think I’ve fallen in love with him, Carolina. Do you know how awful that is?”

Carolina shook her head. “No, honey, I’m sorry, but I don’t.” She reached over and smoothed her hand over her hair. “What are you so afraid of?”

She’d never talked about it. Not to anyone. Greta knew about the breakup, but Stella hadn’t even told her sister the real story. At least not what had kept her from committing to anyone all these years.