Chapter Fifteen Classic Remington
Chapter Fifteen
Classic Remington
Chase
So… I messed up. Pretty badly.
I stare out at the waves crashing against the shore. Rip lies at my feet, snoring softly, blissfully unaware of the absolute wreck I’ve made of things.
“I put my nose where it didn’t belong and said some things that angered Scarlett,” I continue, phone pressed to my ear. “If I could take it back, I would. She’s not speaking to me, and I haven’t seen her in a week.”
There’s a beat of silence before Evie sighs dramatically. “Chase.”
“I know.”
“No, you don’t know. Because if you did, you wouldn’t have done whatever stupid thing you did to make her mad.”
I groan and let my head fall back against the deck railing. “It wasn’t even that bad.”
“Uh-huh. And yet, you haven’t seen her in a week?”
I scowl. “It’s not my fault she’s actively avoiding me.”
Evie hums, and I can practically hear her amused little smirk through the phone. “Are you sure? Maybe she just realized she needs a break from your relentless charm.”
I grunt. “If that were the case, she wouldn’t have lasted more than two days.”
She snorts. “You sound like you miss her.”
I kick at a loose plank on the deck, watching as Rip twitches in his sleep. “I don’t miss her.”
Evie lets out a sharp laugh. “That was the least convincing thing you’ve ever said.”
I glare at the water like it personally offends me. “It’s just… weird. After the power outage, the storm, the ice cream, I thought…”
I trail off because I don’t really know what I was thinking.
That we were friends? That we’d actually started to enjoy each other’s company? That maybe—just maybe—I was finally getting under her skin in a way that wasn’t just pure irritation?
I shake my head, frustrated.
“Forget it,” I mutter. “Doesn’t matter. Michigan’s almost over. We’ve got one book club thing in Dallas, and then we’ll go our separate ways.”
Evie scoffs. “Yeah, sure. Because working together in front of a million eyes is gonna be so easy when she’s still pissed at you.”
I rub my temple. “I never said it was gonna be easy.”
“She’s still pissed?”
“I’m assuming so. Did you miss the part where I said I haven’t seen her in seven days?”
Evie clicks her tongue. “And you haven’t tried to fix it?”
“I can’t exactly force her to talk to me. She’s stubborn as hell.”
“Well, duh. That’s why you like her.”
I still.
My heart kicks up.
Evie doesn’t say anything for a beat, letting the words settle.
I scowl. “I don’t like her.”
She hums. “Mmm. Okay.”
“Evie.”
“Chase.”
I groan, scrubbing a hand over my jaw. “I don’t.”
“Right. And I’m sure you’re totally fine never seeing her again after this whole book club thing wraps up.”
I grind my teeth.
Evie definitely hears my silence because she laughs.
“Oh my gosh,” she says. “You do like her.”
I pinch the bridge of my nose. “I’m hanging up now.”
“Fine, fine. Just do me a favor?”
I sigh. “What?”
“Fix it.”
I let my head fall back against the railing again and stare up at the sky.
Yeah.
Easier said than done.
***
Bennett Wilder lives in a house that looks like it belongs on one of those fancy home renovation shows—big windows, sprawling backyard, the kind of kitchen that probably cost more than my entire rookie contract.
It’s a step up from the downtown condo he used to own when we were roommates, but I guess that’s what happens when you settle down, get married, and start popping out kids.
“Come on in, Uncle Chase!” Lucy says, pulling the door open with a grin.
I step inside and am immediately met with the sound of toddler squeals. Their son Theo—two years old and full of chaos—comes barreling toward me with all the force of a charging bull. I crouch just in time to catch him, scooping him up before he can crash into my nuts.
“Buddy, you gotta work on that stopping thing,” I say, ruffling his mop of curls.
He grins up at me, all dimples and trouble. “Chase go fast!”
Bennett strolls in from the kitchen, wiping his hands on a dish towel, shaking his head. “Great. He’s already associating you with speed and recklessness. Just what I need.”
I smirk, setting Theo back on his feet. “Can’t fight genetics, Wilder.”
Lucy, who has been standing nearby with a hand on her belly, snorts. “This baby is going to inherit my coordination.”
Bennett slings an arm around her waist and kisses her cheek. “Baby, you once tripped over air in our kitchen.”
Lucy shoves him away with an affectionate glare. “I was distracted.”
He smirks. “By me?”
She rolls her eyes. “By hunger.”
They’re disgusting. I hate them.
Lucy waddles back to the kitchen, rubbing her belly. “Make yourself at home, Chase. Dinner’s almost ready.”
“You mean I made dinner,” Bennett corrects, grabbing a beer from the fridge.
Lucy waves a hand. “You’re good at it. I’m growing a human.”
I shake my head, watching them bicker like this is the best part of their day.
Lucy Quinn, formerly known as the Queen of Hockey Social Media, somehow went from being the bane of Bennett’s existence to the love of his life.
It’s weird seeing one of your best friends happy. Like, domestic happy. It used to freak me out. But now?
I dunno.
It doesn’t freak me out as much as it used to.
Dinner is full of the usual—Bennett trying to get Theo to eat his veggies, Lucy failing miserably at pretending to help, and the two of them tag-teaming me about my off-season.
It’s to be expected.
“So,” Lucy starts, pouring herself a ginger ale. “You went off the grid for a while there. No wild parties? No random hookups making headlines? No Chase Remington ‘Bad Boy’ antics?”
I sigh. “Nice to see you, Luce. Always a pleasure.”
Bennett snickers. “She’s not wrong, man. Usually, we have at least one What Did Chase Do Now moment before training camp.”
“I went home for the summer,” I say, shrugging. “Got a beach rental in Michigan. Worked out, relaxed, spent time with my family.”
Lucy raises a brow. “Relaxed? You?”
Bennett smirks. “Let me guess. Lasted two weeks before you got bored out of your damn mind?”
I stab a piece of steak. “More like three.”
Lucy grins. “Impressive.”
I take a sip of beer. “Not much else to report. Now I’m back, getting ready for the season.”
“And co-hosting a book club with a famous author,” Bennett points out, leaning back in his chair.
Lucy perks up. “Oh my gosh, that’s right. You’re working with Scottie Calloway.”
“Your guess is as good as mine for how it’s gonna go,” I say, shaking my head. “Should be interesting, to say the least.”
Bennett eyes me, suspicious. “Interesting?”
Lucy narrows her gaze. “That’s an understatement if I’ve ever heard one. Her whole thing is anti-romance, right? ‘Women don’t need men’ and all that?”
“Yep.”
“And you are literally hockey’s biggest flirt.”
“Also correct.”
Lucy leans forward, eyes twinkling. “Chase. Please tell me you’re going to take this seriously.”
“I intend to, but here’s the thing…she kind of hates me.”
Lucy exchanges a look with Bennett, then tilts her head. “What’d you do?”
Does it annoy me that they assume I did something wrong? Greatly. Am I surprised? Not a bit.
I take another sip of my beer.
“She probably hates all men,” Lucy waves me off.
Bennett snickers. “Oh yeah. This is gonna be fun to watch.”