Page 75 of Ruled Out

“I have never in my fucking life seen anything like that move. I mean, where the fuck did that come from?!” Zach screams at me, throwing an arm around my shoulders.

I pull out my mouthguard and look at him. “Her.”

Just before he skates off, he nudges me in the chest with his glove and winks. “Well, whatever she’s doing, tell her your captain orders more of it.”

Skating down the bench, I bump fists with each player, but come to a halt when Coach grabs me by the forearm.

He leans in, his expression unreadable. “I don’t know what’s changed in you, Callaghan, and I’m not about to ask questions. In ten seconds of gameplay, you just answered years of doubt. That move will be replayed for decades to come. Now give them more material.”

That’s exactly what I do for the remaining ten minutes, securing a hat trick for me and a shutout for Jensen.

“Fucking hero.”

“Top-tier decoy,” I reply to our rookie winger, O’Connor, and clamp a hand on his shoulder as I walk through the locker room and head toward my bench.

“Crazy Callaghan.” Jensen shakes his head at me, awe on his face as he pulls off his helmet and dumps himself down next to me. “I’ll be the first to admit that I knew you were good, but—fuck me, kiddo—that”—he points toward the ice on the other side of the locker room door—“was a fucking master class. A work of art.” He shakes his head and leans down to untie his laces. “Poetry in goddamn motion.”

“Thanks,” I casually say, reaching behind and pulling my jersey overhead.

Jensen’s head whips up as he stands in front of me and chuckles. “Thanks? Is that all you have to say? Our fans turned up tonight, expecting to see a hard-fought game between two teams battling it out for a playoff spot. Instead, what they—andthe whole fucking world—got was a spectacle. That final period was …” He smiles proudly. “I don’t have the words right now to describe what it was.”

“Me realizing my potential—exactly what I should’ve been doing for years,” I offer.

Drawing his lip between his teeth, my best friend looks off to the side as Zach enters the room, heading straight for us.

Jensen quickly refocuses his attention back on me. “Don’t you even fucking think about turning tonight into a reason to hate on your past mistakes. That final period was a glimpse into what Jessie Callaghan is capable of. The world will be going feral over you right now, and so they should. Enjoy it, man.”

“There are actual bras on the ice right now.” Zach thumbs behind him, his shoulders shaking with laughter. “They’re throwing their underwear at you.”

“Don’t suppose any of them are lacy and dark blue?” My response is out before I can stop it, adrenaline loosening my tongue.

Zach’s brows furrow, and Jensen snickers.

“I’m gonna go out on a limb with this and say that was a reference to a forbidden someone.”

I nod, my high dropping a few notches. “Just wish she could’ve been there tonight to watch. With the girls in the family box, cheering me on.”

“Sucks ass,” Jensen acknowledges with the only appropriate response.

“I think it’s time we met the girl behind the game.”

Jensen looks at Zach. “What you got in mind?”

Zach casts a cautious glance around the room, every player is deep in animated conversation over tonight. “It’s well overdue, and Luna has been threatening to organize it for way too long. This coming Sunday is a day off and cheat day. How about a house party at ours on Saturday night? Just our group. We haveenough space for everyone to stay over; even the twins can have their own room.”

Jensen looks at me, nodding his head in appreciation. “What do you say, superstar?”

I swipe a hand across my mouth, assessing the risk, which seems minimal. “I’ll talk to Mia.”

MIA

“Not just generational, Leo. Never been seen before, probably never will again.” Hugh points at the TVs above the bar as Tara sets a bowl of wings in front of me and takes a seat opposite me in the booth.

“I feel like I barely get to see you.” She side-eyes Leo, who’s still preoccupied with postgame analysis and Jessie’s insane hat trick.

I feel another surge of pride as I replay his first goal in my memory.

Taking a bite out of a wing, I shrug a shoulder. “Picked up extra hours at work, and I’ve been living in the library.”