Page 23 of Exes That Puck (The Honey Badger Puckers #4)

Neither Payton nor I have moved an inch from our beds. The afternoon sun streams through our window, making my headache worse, but I can’t bring myself to get up and close the blinds.

“Are you okay after what happened with Wolf Boy last night?” I ask, my voice scratchy from dehydration.

Payton groans and pulls her pillow over her face. “I just asked him if he wanted to dance. He ignored me. So I asked if he wanted to smoke with me somewhere and he left. So rude, right?”

“Yeah…” I trail off. “So rude… I’m sorry he did that.”

“I’ve been obsessing over him and now I’m so over it. Yeah, he’s like the hottest guy I’ve ever seen like I am so attracted to him, but he’s a dick and being a dick makes him ugly, you know?”

“Yeah,” I agree, thinking about how looks only get you so far when someone treats you badly.

We’re quiet for a moment, and then I realize this is the stillness I need to confess what’s going on with Zeke.

I mutter, “I have something to tell you.”

She lowers the pillow and looks at me. “I saw you kiss Zeke. Seriously, if you want to be with him, just be with him already. Stop sleeping with him and be with him.”

“So I’m going to treat it like dating instead of fully investing myself into the relationship.”

Payton considers this. “That’s a good idea.”

“Yeah, so like dinner dates. Sex, obviously. But that’s it. Maybe I’ll go to his home games, but none of the nonstop texting and late-night phone calls. We were spending too much time together, I think, and we just need to take a few steps back.”

“That sounds so much healthier, Kare. And I hope it works out because I know how much you love him. Just... if things go back to before, you have to promise me, like really promise me this time, that you’re going to be done.”

I nod seriously. “I don’t want to go through that again. I promise. Over my life, Pay. I’ll be done if he fucks up this last chance.”

“You’re really giving him a lot of handouts, Kare. Just be careful.”

It’s quiet for a few moments, then she says, “I love that Ava calls you Kare bear. I don’t know why I didn’t think of that. It’s cute.”

I smile despite my headache. “Zeke gave me that nickname. He even bought me a Care bear with the cute rainbows on the front.”

She looks around the room. “Where is it?”

“I ripped it during one of our fights.”

“Wow.” She sounds astonished. “You did that?”

“It’s so embarrassing. I wouldn’t normally, and I hate admitting it, but I did it to prove a point, and honestly I just sound crazy now, but yeah... he made me crazy.”

“I can tell.”

We fall back into hungover silence. Around two, my phone buzzes.

Zeke:Still on for today?

Kara: What time?

Zeke:3:30? There’s a park near campus we could walk through after.

Kara: Sounds good.

I force myself out of bed and into the shower. The hot water helps with the headache, and by the time I’m toweling off, I actually feel human again.

I stand in front of my closet for ten minutes, trying to figure out what to wear on a first date with someone I’ve been sleeping with for the past year. Too dressy feels weird, but too casual might send the wrong message.

I settle on dark jeans and a soft sweater that Zeke always said brought out my eyes. Not because I’m trying to impress him, but because it makes me feel confident.

“You look cute,” Payton says from her bed, where she’s finally managed to sit up. “Nervous?”

“A little. Is that weird? Being nervous to go on a date with someone who has literally seen me at my worst?”

“No, it’s good. Means you’re taking it seriously and excited.”

I apply minimal makeup and leave my hair down, then check the time. 3:15. Perfect.

“Wish me luck,” I tell Payton.

“You don’t need it. Just remember your boundaries.”

Zeke: I’m outside.

The walk down feels different. This time it’s not sneaky or desperate, just... normal. Like I’m going to meet someone I’m genuinely excited to see.

Zeke’s waiting outside the building when I exit my dorm building. He’s wearing jeans and a navy shirt that fits him perfectly. His split lip looks better, and when he smiles at me, it reaches his eyes.

“Hey,” he says, not moving to hug or kiss me. Just standing there with his hands in his pockets.

“Hi.”

“You look so…cute.”

I lift my shoulder shyly. “Thank you. You look cute too.” I notice he’s not wearing cologne, just the clean scent of soap and laundry detergent. “Ready?”

“Yeah. There’s that sandwich place about a ten-minute walk from here. Let’s go.”

We start walking, and it feels like we never broke up. I don’t know if that’s a good thing or not.

“How’s Ava this morning?” I ask.

“Hungover but better. She wanted me to thank you again for last night. For being understanding, and she will probably apologize.”

I nod. “She’s hurting. I get it.”

He glances at me. “You don’t have to defend her. She was pretty harsh with you.”

“People say things when they’re in pain. It doesn’t mean you don’t matter to them.”

Zeke stops walking for a moment, studying my face. “How are you so... wise about this stuff?”

I laugh. “I’m not wise. I’m just tired of being angry all the time. I just want to let people be who they are.”

We start walking again, but I can feel his eyes on me.

We reach the sandwich shop, and he holds the door open for me. It’s small and busy, the kind of place with a chalkboard menu and mismatched chairs. We order at the counter and find a table by the window.

“So,” I say, settling into my chair. “First date conversation. What am I supposed to ask you?”

“I don’t know. What’s your favorite color?” He grins. “What do you want to be when you grow up?”

“Psychology professor, maybe. Or a therapist. Something where I can actually help people.” I take a sip of my water. “What about you? Still planning on the NHL?”

“Maybe. Or coaching. I love the strategy part of hockey as much as playing it.”

Our sandwiches arrive, and we eat in comfortable silence for a while. It’s strange how normal this feels like we’re just being together and enjoying each other’s company instead of trying to fix something broken.

“Can I ask you something?” he says eventually.

“Sure.”

“What made you think of dating instead of jumping back in?”

I consider the question. “Well, Emma. She pointed out that the all-or-nothing thing wasn’t working for us. Maybe we need to learn how to be together without drowning in each other.”

He nods slowly. “I like that. Taking time to appreciate what we have instead of constantly worrying about losing it.”

I shrug. “So yeah, we make time for dates, but we don’t become consumed in each other. We spend time with our friends, focus on school and hockey, for you. We aren’t boyfriend and girlfriend.”

He nods. “Got it.” But he seems a little offended.

I take a bite of my sandwich and try not to read into it.

After lunch, we walk to the park he mentioned. It’s small but pretty, with walking paths that wind around a pond. The late afternoon sun filters through the trees, and there are families with kids feeding ducks, couples on benches, students studying on blankets.

“This is nice,” I say as we find our own pace on the path.

“Yeah. I come here sometimes when I need to think.”

We walk for maybe twenty minutes, talking about classes and friends and nothing particularly deep. When we circle back to where we started, I realize I don’t want the afternoon to end.

“Walk me back?” I ask.

“Of course.”

On the way to my dorm, he reaches for my hand. Not grabbing or possessing, just offering. I take it, and our fingers intertwine naturally.

“Thank you,” I say when we reach my building. “For making this feel easy.”

He brings my hand to his lips and kisses my knuckles softly. “Thank you for giving us another chance.”

“This is just a first date,” I remind him, but I’m smiling.

“Best first date I’ve ever had.”

I lean up and kiss his cheek, careful to avoid his healing lip. “Text me later?”

“Just one line,” he promises, grinning.

I watch him walk away, and for the first time in months, everything feels exactly right.