Revenge Puck (Shot at Love #1)

Chapter 21

21

Elle

M y flight thankfully doesn’t have any delays. I have an hour to get checked in at the hotel and drop my luggage off, then get to the Warhawks arena with my new sign with barely ten minutes to spare.

The incredible center ice, front row seat ticket is waiting for me at Will Call as expected.

And while I assumed I would feel like an outsider as I head inside the arena in Preston’s jersey, several people wave and smile at me like they know me.

I guess they may have seen me in photos too, but unlike the Bobcats’ fans, they’re all friendly and supportive of the two of us together. A few even tell me how great Preston’s been playing thanks to me. I refuse to take the credit for his hockey performance, but I tell them thanks.

Not a single negative comment is made to my face as I take my seat right in front of the glass, directly across from the benches. My seat is on the end of the row again, thankfully, and the raven-haired woman in the seat next to mine is staring and grinning at me so intensely it freaks me out.

“Hi,” I say to be nice as I lower my butt down and prop my sign against the wall in front of us.

“Hi!” she replies cheerfully, lifting her hand to even give me a little wave, which is when I notice the number twenty-two on her sleeves of her Warhawks jersey.

“You’re a Preston Lawrence fan too?”

“Oh, the two of us are his entire fan club right here,” she says, throwing an arm around the shoulders of the little boy in the seat on the other side of her. “Isn’t that right, Finley?”

“Uh-huh.” He absently gives a nod as he tosses popcorn into his mouth from the big bucket on his lap while watching the rival mascots do a skit on the ice.

Preston’s fan club, huh? Is she a puck bunny? And why does the kid sort of look like a tiny Preston with slightly lighter hair color?

“You’re Elle, right?” she asks when she turns back to me.

“I am.”

“It’s so nice to finally meet you! I’m Maya, Preston’s sister, and this is my son, Finley.”

“His sister!” I exclaim in relief. “I should’ve known since you two have the same raven hair.” So, the name on his phone, the woman he said he would see soon, he was talking to his sister and nephew.

Now I feel silly for even assuming the worst about Preston. But what I can’t figure out is why didn’t he ever mention her?

“Yep, little sister. Which is how we acquired the best seats in the house for the finals. I’m glad you could make it up from North Carolina.”

“He told you about me?”

“Well, yeah. I couldn’t get him to talk until he got home from Greensboro, but it’s hard not to discuss you since everyone in the world knows about the two of you.”

Oh crap. Did Preston tell his sister that our relationship is fake or not? I have no way of knowing and don’t want to say the wrong thing. Not that I think he would care if his sister knew it wasn’t real…

“I haven’t had a vacation in a while, so my best friend and business partner told me I should come up here for the next two games.”

“I’m glad you could make it. I can’t believe the difference in Preston since he got back from the first two games. I wanted to bring Finley to them too, but Preston worried about us being the only Warhawk fans surrounded by nothing but Bobcats fans.”

“Well, as a Bobcats fan myself, I’m sure you and Finley would’ve been fine.”

Pointing at the turned away posterboard, she whispers, “Is that the sign that caused so much drama?”

“No, I made a new one.” Turning it around, I show her my glittery handiwork.

Maya reads it aloud. “ Don’t puck with my man ! I absolutely love it, almost as much as the one about Christian!”

“Yeah?”

“Seeing that sign about his…stick on television made my year, even if it’s more info than I needed to know about my older brother. I couldn’t believe it when Preston said you two were dating. I haven’t seen him with a woman since before the minors.”

“Really? That’s not just what he tells the press?”

“Trust me, Preston hasn’t looked at a woman in years. I would know too. Finley and I live with him.”

“You do?”

“Yeah. He’s been so great, taking us in when…well, I don’t know what I would do without him.”

“That’s sweet. I had no idea he even had a sister or an adorable nephew. He didn’t tell me anything about you.”

“I’m not surprised. He doesn’t like sharing his personal life and knows I don’t want the attention on Finley.”

“Right, that makes sense,” I agree. And Preston barely knew me, so I shouldn’t have expected him to tell me about his personal life, his sister’s life, after we met and began our fake relationship. I wouldn’t want photos of my kid all over the place either. People can be so vicious.

“Preston said Christian dumped you after five months together,” Maya remarks.

“Yep, he used me, then dumped me right before the championships started. He also made me feel like crap about myself. I didn’t even know he was with other people while we were…anyway, it didn’t end very well.”

“Well, you lasted longer than I did.”

“What do you mean?” I ask, my brow furrowed in confusion. Preston’s sister knows Christian? Is she the reason they have a beef with each other, why Preston can barely get through a game without hitting the other man?

Maya turns to the boy, and says, “Headphones.” He dutifully slips what I’m assuming are noise canceling headphones hanging around his neck on over his ears.

Turning back to me, Maya says, “Preston doesn’t like for me to share this with many people, but he trusts you, so there’s no reason not to tell you the truth.”

“Yes, of course you can trust me,” I assure her. “I’m a hair stylist. Everyone tells me their secrets.”

“I bet so,” she replies, giving me a small smile. Then she takes a deep breath and says softly, “The last time I spoke to Christian was when I told him I was pregnant.”

“Pregnant?” the word comes out of my mouth way too loud, so I slap my palm over it. When I am certain I can keep my volume down, I ask, “You were pregnant…with his…his…” I lean forward to glance around her again, getting a better look at the boy who I’m guessing is four or five. His hair is a chestnut brown, lighter than his mom’s and Preston’s. And while he reminds me of his uncle, he has a little dimple in his chin that’s just like Christian’s.

“Please don’t tell anyone.” She clutches my arm and whispers even lower. “Finley doesn’t know, either.”

“No. No, of course not,” I promise her. “I just…Christian never mentioned him.”

“That’s because when I told Christian I was pregnant, and wasn’t sure what to do, he said he was sorry, then sent me money through Venmo to ‘take care of it,’ and that was that. Once I made my decision, I wanted to let him know but his number wouldn’t even take my messages, so I think he had, um, blocked me.”

I remember Christian mentioned that he usually breaks things off with women by blocking them, that he only told me in person because he wants me to keep cutting his hair.

“Wow, Maya. I am so, so sorry. I can’t believe he would do that…”

“Preston assured me we were better off without him in our lives. I know he was right, even though it’s…never mind. We just met and already I’m getting word vomit all over you.”

“No, it’s fine. Thank you for telling me. And no wonder Preston hates him so much!”

“Preston has always blamed himself,” Maya leans over to tell me softly. “He and Christian were friends, best friends actually, hockey teammates and roommates in the minors. He introduced me to Christian when I came to Raleigh for my freshman year of college at NC State. Pres even gave his blessing for the two of us to date…”

“Then you got pregnant, and Christian ghosted you.”

“Yep. Christian got signed with the Bobcats and left town without looking back. Preston never forgave him. I’ve tried to convince him to let it go, but every time the two have met in a game during the pros, Preston goes berserk on him. Well, until the other night. Not that I think Pres is using you just to piss Christian off or anything.”

“Right,” I say, even though I’m starting to realize that’s the only reason Preston agreed to the photo, the kiss, the sign, and giving me one of his jerseys.

Now it all makes sense, why he was more than happy to help me get back at Christian. I knew he had his reasons for wanting revenge, even if Preston refused to tell me what they were.

I get it now.

He wouldn’t tell me because he was protecting his younger sister.

His nephew, Christian’s son!

The arena erupts into cheers and applause when the lights go down as the Warhawks come skating out onto the ice. Seeing Preston again, even from this far away, my stomach turns flips. I’m getting way too invested in this whole mess with him. And if I’m not careful, it’ll become more than just fun or fake.

Maybe it already has.

“There’s Uncle Pres!” Maya says, removing her son’s headphones and pointing him out. They both stand up and whoop, the boy cheering with his popcorn container tucked under his arm.

Preston’s been like a father to Christian’s son because the boy has never had a father of his own. It’s so sweet of him and so…responsible. He’s obviously protective of them both.

At the same time, it feels like this enormous secret that he’s been hiding from a father if Christian doesn’t realize Maya’s son is his. How could he not? Either way, now here I am, causing drama between the two men all over again years later.

“I, um, I think I need to go get some fresh air,” I tell Maya as I get to my feet, leaving my sign against the wall.

She looks over at me with a frown. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah. I’m fine,” I lie. “I’ll be right back.”

And I was planning to go back.

I really was.

But once I make it outside in the cool night air, I just can’t stop my feet from walking further and further away from the arena.