Chapter 25
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Two wins, two shutouts, and two of my best-ever performances to kick off the regular season.
Leaving the ice to cheers from our home crowd, I’m wearing a victory smile as I replace my stick in the rack and pull off my gloves.
“You were a goddamn wall out there.” Jack catches up to me, offering out his fist, which I bump. “Seriously, so impressive.”
Right at that exact moment, Jensen walks past, tipping the bill of his cap at me as he heads for the debriefing room.
He wasn’t down on the bench with Coach for the game against Colorado, instead opting to watch from behind my net. I could feel his eyes on me the entire time, and rather than freeze under the weight of his observations, I thrived.
I’ve never had an issue with being the center of someone’s attention, and this past week, working one-on-one with Jensen Jones has lit a fire under my ass. I want this season to be a turning point for me, and I’m prepared to do whatever it takes to achieve my dreams.
Yet the drive I feel isn’t solely down to the new coaching staff—I know that. Now I have another reason to excel and be the best player and person I can be.
And that reason is around the size of a sesame seed, nestled warm and safe inside the girl I can’t stop thinking about.
“Since you started seeing Abbie, you’ve been fucking weird.”
The sound of Jack’s voice breaks my daydream.
“Weird, as in more focused on hockey?” I cock a brow at him.
He shakes his head, one hand on the locker room door.
“Nah. Weird, as in aloof and not interested in going out.” He props a hand against his hip, still not pushing through the door.
“You’re coming out tonight though, yeah?
This is a win we need to celebrate; Colorado is a favorite to make the playoffs, and we just rolled them over like they were a beer league team. ”
“Of course I’m coming out,” I reply. “Two back-to-back wins and zero goals against us. What’s not to like?”
Plus, Darcy’s going to be at Lloyd’s, and like hell am I leaving my pregnant girl to be ogled by some fucking loser.
“Darcy’s going to be out.”
“Oh, is she?” I respond, attempting to sound surprised, but not entirely sure the execution is there.
He seems to buy it though, eventually pushing into a locker room full of pumped hockey players. He pauses and turns on his heel, wearing an expression I can’t decipher.
Please, for fuck’s sake, don’t tell me she’s sick again.
I’ve barely seen her this week since she’s been working all fucking hours at Glide.
“Thinking about it, my sister has been acting weird lately as well.”
A cold shiver chases down my spine as I will myself to look at him.
Does he know?
He shakes his head, looking pissed, but not at me, and I breathe an internal sigh of relief. Fuck knows why—my fate is sealed regardless. All I’m doing at this point is kicking the can down the road.
“So, a couple of nights ago, Kendra told me Liam messaged Darcy, asking for her back.”
He blows out a disbelieving breath, and I’m ready to put my fist through the nearest fucking wall.
I smile. “Really? Maybe he finally realized what a dick he’s been to her.”
He grinds his molars, almost like he’s chewing the guy up. “He’s got some fucking nerve. Apparently, he’s ended it with the girl he cheated on Darcy with, and he wants a second chance. He wants to travel to New York to see her.”
He can’t. I’ll murder him and be a first-time Dad while in custody.
I run a light palm across my mouth, ignoring all the guys around us as they head for the shower stalls. What if she decides to take him back? But also, why hasn’t she told me when I’ve called her every morning, afternoon, and evening?
“What did she tell him?” I ask.
“Obviously, no. My sister knows a fucking idiot when she sees one.”
But does she?
I smile again, and this time, it’s genuine as relief washes away any niggling doubts that Dickface Liam could come back on the scene and I’d be rendered an inmate before turning twenty-eight.
“Does he still plan to come to New York?”
He just shrugs and heads for his bench on the opposite side of the room to mine. I follow him, not caring how fucking desperate it looks. I need to know her ex’s intentions.
“Not sure. All I know is, he told her that leaving her alone ‘is not going to happen.’ ” He mocks Liam, repeating his words.
“Well, he should’ve thought about that before putting his dick in another girl and fucking up the best thing that had ever happened to him,” I snap, and Jack looks up at me from his seat on the bench.
He starts unlacing his skates.
“You’re beginning to sound like a relationship guy. Abbie really does have you wrapped around her little finger, huh?” He winks, smirking.
Another icy sensation creeps through me as I opt to ignore his comment and head for my own bench, ripping my jersey overhead before starting on my pads.
I need to see her.
I need to know she’s okay.
The instant we step into Lloyd’s, my eyes are roving the space for honey-colored hair and a bright smile I can’t get enough of.
I ignore my teammates as I walk alongside them and through the ropes cordoning off the private area, and my eyes finally land on the main reason I came out tonight.
She’s sitting at her usual place at the bar, wearing a peach bodycon dress that rides high on her smooth thighs, her long hair resting in classic waves against her back, hovering just above her ass.
My mouth runs dry as she picks up her water glass and takes a sip, giggling over something with Jenna as she waves her arm around expressively. I love how she talks with her entire body.
“I’m getting the drinks in. Beer, I assume?” Sawyer steps in front of me, snapping his fingers to garner my attention.
“Nah, I’m good,” I reply, eyes never leaving Darcy.
Inconspicuously, he turns to identify what’s got me so distracted, although he doesn’t need to. He should know by now.
“Jesus fucking Christ, tell me you aren’t going back there with her.”
I focus on my captain for a second. The words she’s carrying my baby battle to break free. “It’s probably best if you keep out of this, Cap. I’m your friend, but you’ve also got the team to think about. I guess you could say you’re facing a conflict of interest.”
He turns to look at Darcy again and then back at me.
“True, but I’m your friend first. I’ll be sharing a beer with you long after our hockey careers are through.
You’re going to tear yourself to pieces over this girl.
” He scratches at his chest, pained on my behalf.
“Trust the first girl you fall for to be the one you can’t have. ”
My eyes snap to his face. Not because he freely admitted I’m falling for Darcy since there’s nothing to deny there. I’m just sick of hearing the same rhetoric from him. I can have her; we can have each other. It’s going to happen.
The glare I give him leaves no doubt over my thoughts, and Sawyer holds up a hand in surrender.
“Liam wants her back,” I bite out over the music.
He just nods casually. “Of course he does. If she’s got the NHL’s biggest playboy all twisted up and chasing her every which way, you can best believe some loser like Liam will eventually realize his loss.”
Darcy swivels on her chair, probably on her way to the restroom, when she stops dead in her tracks at the sight of me staring.
“Annnd that’s my cue to leave and pretend like I haven’t seen any of this.” Sawyer says, making his way over to the booth, where a few of the players, along with Collins and Kendra, are seated.
Like I’m her latest catch, she reels me in, and I head toward her.
But unlike a fish awaiting its grizzly fate, I’m not thrashing or fighting against her bait.
I’m desperate to be caught up in her. I don’t want her to cut the rope and release me back into the ocean.
I want to be right here. No matter how much it hurts or how long I have to wait.
I flash Jenna a quick smile, not wanting to be rude, but she takes the hint anyway and turns to order another drink.
I don’t know how much she knows about me and Darcy, and to be honest, I don’t especially care.
Jenna has never struck me as a girl who plays by the rules.
She’s got a wild streak to her—I can tell.
And that’s why I messaged her that night at Darcy’s party.
I get the feeling I can trust her; in fact, I’m pretty sure she appreciates a boy who couldn’t care less about etiquette in his pursuit of what he wants.
Trying not to make the action too obvious, I lean down to Darcy’s height on the stool, my breath shifting a few strands of hair, and I watch the way her throat hitches.
“You know, I swear to God, your hair is thicker, and your rosy cheeks are glowing even brighter tonight. Or is it the fact that, once again, I’ve hardly seen you all week?
” I smile into her big blue eyes as she stares up at me.
“And this fucking dress.” Surreptitiously, I graze a finger down her thigh.
“It’s really unfair to make me go any time at all between seeing you.
You can really kill a guy with that kind of mean behavior. ”
She rolls her lips together in amusement.
Yeah, she knows she’s got me hooked.
Reaching back to the bar, she picks up her water glass and takes a sip. “For your information, thicker hair and a natural glow are all signs that a girl might be … you know.”
I step a little closer.
Jesus, talking like this in public—with Jack, Coach, and the team only a couple of tables away—is dangerous.
Regardless, the risk isn’t enough to stop me.
“Are you pregnant, Darcy Doll?” I whisper so only she can hear.
She wets her lips at the depth of my voice. It feels like we’re already in bed, wrapped around each other while I make her come all over me.
“I am. Although I still don’t think I believe it.”