Page 45 of Learn Your Lesson

I watched as Suter’s brows slid together, his Adam’s apple bobbing hard in his throat.

And then, I swore against all fucking logic that the corner of his mouth curled into something very much resembling a smile.

Not a cocky grin, not a sneer — a genuinesmile.

It shocked me almost as much as when my daughter did the same the other night, and Aleks wobbled past us and toward the locker room, mumbling something about taking a quick break.

Coach and I watched him go, blinking at his back and then at each other.

“That was interesting,” Coach surmised, a thumb pointed over his shoulder to where Aleks had disappeared.

“Or creepy,” I volleyed. “I think his smile scares me more than his scowl. What the fuck was that about?”

“I heard they grew up together.”

Coach and I whipped our heads toward Carter, and it was like Coach just realized he was there. He grinned and pulled him in for a hug, squeezing his shoulder when they broke apart.

“Who?” I asked.

“Him and Mia.”

“No fuckingway,” Vince said, crossing his arms and leaning against the boards. “How does that make sense? He grew up in Germany, no?”

“Her parents were his billet family,” Jaxson said, chugging from his water bottle. “Pretty sure he lived with them through high school — at least during the hockey seasons.”

Coach’s lips turned down in ahuhgesture, like this was news to him, but nothing too wild to believe. Carter grinned wryly like he knew something the rest of us didn’t. And I just blinked.

Because I’dneverseen that asshole show any kind of emotion that came close to what flashed across his face at the mention of her.

My wheels were spinning the rest of the day, and when we crushed New York four to one that night, we had Aleks Suter to thank.

He scored three times — a hat trick.

He didn’t get evenonepenalty.

And at the end of every period, I swore I saw his gaze sweeping the suites like he was looking for someone.

Apologize One More Time…

Chloe

It was a quiet Wednesday evening in the pool house when Ava came sprinting into my bedroom in a full-blown panic.

Well, as much of a panic as she could show, anyway.

I was kicked back on the bed finishing up my mushroom cross-stitch that I planned to turn into a pillow, periodically texting in the group chat with my mom and grandma. They’d been asking for constant updates since I moved in — and also begging me to come visit. I’d been so busy between school and Ava, though, that I hadn’t had the time yet. So, for now, group texts and phone calls would have to do.

I also had a group text with the girls, photos of Grace in Spain the current topic of conversation. Well, that and the photo Livia had sent, which was of a cylinder-shaped object that looked like tall cup covered by a fake vagina.

I wasn’t sure I wanted to know what it was for.

The fireplace was setting the mood, and I was feeling Zen in my coziest pajamas — the only set of thick ones I owned, since living in Florida meant I was usually sweating, not shivering. But we’d had a cold front blow in, and it was just shy of fifty degrees as the sun cast its final rays of gold along the pool.

I had the evening off — by strict orders from Mr. Perry, who had all but threatened me to stay gone until Chef Patel called us for dinner. Between school and his rigorous schedule lately, he hadn’t had much time with Ava, so he was taking over for the night and wanted me to do whatever it was I would usually do before I became his nanny.

I hadn’t fought him. I absolutely adored Ava, but I trulywasexhausted, and a night to myself sounded like heaven.

I was also maybe still cringing from my last conversation with Will, where’d I’d admitted in an unfortunate case of word vomit that I’d lost my virginity to an old rap song with my head hanging off the bed.