Page 24

Taylor

After the fight with Jackie and the tongue-lashing we got from Coach Vaughn after the game, I couldn’t wait to get out of town. I needed a vacation from Strickland University.

Drake had asked me to come to his game against Boston College. I promised I would come, and when Bex begged me to drive with her to see Preston play, I couldn’t say no to either of them.

I hate driving. It’s not something I did often when I lived in California.

I don’t need a car in the city, though my dad insisted I have one for emergencies.

So, we’re riding in the Honda Civic he bought me for my high school graduation.

It’s a decent car that gets me from point A to B when necessary.

My driving skills are beyond rusty, which is clear by my shoddy driving, but Bex forced me to take the helm. She has a license but refuses to drive.

“You look like you will have a nervous breakdown.” Bex shifts in her seat and shoves her hand into the half-eaten bag of Cheetos. “Chill out, Tay.”

I shoot her a wicked look. “Are you serious, little miss I’m afraid to drive?”

She chuckles and then pops another cheesy snack into her mouth, speaking between bites. “It’s not that I’m afraid to drive. I just don’t like it. There’s a big difference.”

“I can pull over and let you take over if my driving bothers you.”

She waves her hand at me. “Nope, I’m good over here. I have my road snacks and plenty of soda to get me through the rest of the trip.”

A beat passes between us with nothing more than the dull hum of the radio filling the void. So, I take this as an opportunity to let her know what to expect once we arrive in Boston.

“We’re sitting with Drake’s parents and his sister. You okay with watching the game with them? I know how particular you are with your seating arrangements.”

Rolling her eyes, she snorts. “I don’t care where we sit as long as I get to watch Preston play.”

“He will be mad when he sees you.”

She holds up her hands, palms out, and shrugs.

“He has to deal with it. I want to show Preston that Kellan is in my past, and that I’m ready to move forward with him.

He’s so obsessed with what Kellan did to me.

I made him promise not to seek revenge. But who knows if Preston will keep that promise. He does nothing he’s told.”

“I’m sure he’ll get at least a few good shots on him for you.

” Clutching the wheel tight, my fingers hurt as I weave from the right to the left lane on the highway.

“He’s so protective of you. And he’s a hockey player.

They’re so aggressive and angry. Let him take some of it out on the boy who tried to ruin your life. ”

She lets out an exaggerated sigh, her eyes on the cars passing us by out the window. “Yeah, I guess. I’m doing this for me more than anyone. I need to see Kellan one last time to prove to myself that I haven’t let him win. Watching Preston play is only a bonus.”

“That’s the spirit.” I tap my fingers on the steering wheel with a triumphant smile.

I’m happy for Bex. She’s lived for years in constant torment over Kellan’s betrayal of her trust back in high school. Like me, Bex had left her heart so guarded no one could ever get in.

I know firsthand how hard it is to allow a cocky player into my life. Men like Drake and Preston aren’t what most would consider boyfriend material. And yet, they somehow have transformed their bad-boy ways. Maybe some men just need a strong woman to tame them.

The next afternoon, I stroll into the freezing-ass cold rink with Bex wrapped in several layers of clothing to keep warm.

We find our seats behind the Strickland Senators bench.

I expect to see Drake’s parents and his sister waiting for us, but their seats remain vacant.

Bex had insisted we come for practice. So, I guess Drake’s family isn’t control freak weirdos like my bestie and will show up on time for the game—like normal people.

“It’s as cold as a witch’s tit in this place,” I mutter between the chattering of my teeth. A shiver rolls down my spine, the cold leeching into my skin. Zipping my North Face jacket, I shudder again, a chill running through me. “How can you be so comfortable in here?”

No matter how many times I sit with Bex at Drake’s games, I still can’t tolerate the cold weather. I prefer the sun on my face and the heat of Southern California.

“I’m used to it,” Bex confesses.

“I don’t think I could ever adapt to freezing my ass off. I prefer sunshine and margaritas by the pool.”

“That’s because you grew up in California.”

“Technically, I didn’t grow up there. It’s just where I’ve lived the longest. Cold weather isn’t my jam, babe. Even after spending the last four winters in Philly, I’m still not used to it.”

“You got your early acceptance letter to UC Berkeley. You’ll be back to warmer climates in no time.”

I frown at the thought of a single year of school without Bex to keep me company. “I’m gonna miss you next year.”

Her expression turns grim, her sadness mirroring mine. “I’ll miss you, too, Tay. But we have to grow up and become adults.”

“I am an adult,” I counter. “But not like a real adult. I just look like one.”

She tilts her head back and chuckles. “I don’t want things to change.”

“Me, either.” I tap her on the arm and nod toward the players as they skate onto the ice. “Maybe you’ll end up with Preston in whatever city selects him.”

She smiles, a dreamy look in her blue eyes. “Wouldn’t that be nice?”

I wiggle my eyebrows in a joking manner. “You could be a hockey wife. That would be fun.”

“I can’t follow him around from city to city.

If I rely on a man for everything, I won’t have anything if he walks away.

I’m not saying Preston will leave me, but anything can happen.

I have to at least get my foot in the door at a sports management agency or do something sports related.

Otherwise, my four years of college will be a complete waste. ”

Before she finishes, I spot Preston skating toward us. He stops inches away from us, his gloved hand pressed to the Plexiglas. His lips part in shock, surprised to see Bex in the stands.

“You have a very hunky admirer waiting for you to notice him.” I point at the glass where Preston is standing.

Bex flashes a smile and waves with a cheeky expression on her face. Preston looks thrilled to see her. He tilts his head to the side, gesturing for her to meet him where the players exit the ice.

“I’ll be right back,” she says to me.

I sink into my chair and hug myself for warmth, burying my face in my scarf. Bex chats with Preston and her dad for a while, leaving me alone with my thoughts and a row of empty seats. My gaze falls to Drake. He’s so big he hulks over everyone on the ice. His body covers the net like a shield.

His teammates take practice shots on him, and as usual, Drake’s movements are flawless. For such a big guy, he has so much grace on the ice. He looks just as comfortable in a pair of skates as he does on his feet.

I’m busy fantasizing about Drake, too preoccupied with my dirty thoughts to notice I have company until they’re standing over me.

I glance up to find a beautiful raven-haired woman with icy-blue eyes hovering above me.

She’s gorgeous for someone her age, her skin without a single crease or wrinkle.

I take a few seconds to recall how I know her.

I’ve seen her picture dozens of times on the backs of her book covers.

“Mrs. Donovan, right?” I stand up to allow her to pass by to take the seat next to me.

She cups my shoulder with a firm grip and laughs. “Oh, honey, you must be Taylor. Call me Sydney. Mrs. Donovan makes me sound so old.”

Another stunning dark-haired woman is behind her, dressed in a white and very elegant winter coat, paired with red gloves and a hat to match the bright shade of her lipstick.

Like her mother, I recognize her from her picture.

Chloe Donovan is taller than I had expected.

She’s eye level with me, with the lean build of a model.

Her fitted designer jeans mold to her frame as if made for her.

“My mom hates when people call her Mrs. Donovan.” Chloe laughs, and it’s pretty and soft, just like her. “She’s so afraid of getting old that she does anything to pretend like she’s still in her twenties.”

“Age is nothing more than a state of mind,” Sydney says, flicking her long hair over her shoulder. “I can be whatever age I desire.”

She’s so polished in her expensive jeans and jacket, it’s the perfect combination of casual and classy.

There’s a hint of refinement in her tone.

Even the way she speaks sounds like money.

Drake had mentioned his mother’s family to me over the last few months.

His mom comes from a wealthy family. It shows in the way she carries herself.

There’s an air of sophistication surrounding her.

I still can’t believe I’m talking to two famous romance authors. This is so damn crazy. Under normal circumstances, I would feel out of place among women like them, and yet, I feel so at ease right now.

A very large man trails behind Chloe. He’s so damn tall and muscular, and from one look at him, I can see Drake is a carbon copy of his father.

Both of his parents have dark hair and features and those same crystal blue eyes.

But it’s clear that Chloe takes after their mom, where Drake is one hundred percent like his dad.