Page 43 of Playing for Keeps (Seattle Hawks Ice Hockey #4)

Jade

The second I get back to my room I quickly jump in the shower and wash away the remnants of last night, not that I want to, but I need to wash the sex off me if I’m going to show my face around my family this morning.

Little Luca has already been up looking for me for hours by now, bless his heart.

I towel dry my hair and whip out my phone because a girl conference is exactly what I need before I head to breakfast and try to act normal around Jay.

First, I send a message to Beth.

Me

Vegas agrees with me. I bit the bullet and went to Jay’s cottage late last night. We need to talk later

I place my phone down on the marble counter in the bathroom and stare at my reflection in the mirror while I wait for Beth’s reply.

The same face stares back at me that I saw yesterday, but somehow, so much has changed since I last looked in the mirror.

My body sings happily when I think back to last night, but it’s going to take my mind a little getting used to.

Patting my cheeks, which seem to be a little permanently flushed these days, I reach for my face serum.

I pump out a couple of squirts into my hand and spritz myself with some rose water face mist, breathing in the beautiful, soft scent as I pat the serum on my face and spread it around.

My fingers stroking over my neck and back up and I follow with a few drops of rosehip oil and a good dollop of moisturizer.

Grabbing my rose quartz gui sha for a little extra attention on my face, I gently press the cool crystal over my skin in an upward and outwards motion.

I reach for my tinted moisturizer with SPF when my phone pings back at me. I glance down and smile when I see Beth’s name flash up.

Beth

OMG Tell me everything!

Me

I’ll call you later. Let’s just say I had fun and we got a little down I don’t know what happened after that.

“I’ll be sure to send postcards,” Jay promised, he’d been quiet all morning when he’d packed his things. Every possession he owned fit into a duffel bag and one ruck-sack.

Tanner reached forward and gave Jay the longest bro hug I’d ever seen. “Look after yourself, Man.” I’d never seen Tanner look so upset, the edges of tears forming at the rims of his eyes. I wasn’t sure if they were going to spill over or not.

“I will.” Jay patted him hard on the back in the way men do. His eyes landed on mine over Tanner’s shoulder. We were all standing in the hallway, Dad ready to drive Jay to the airport, where he’d grab a bus for the last leg out to his grandfather’s place.

I would never be able to forget the look he gave me that day, trepidation in his eyes, a solemn, heartfelt smile, like this was the hardest thing he’d ever had to do.

And I knew that was impossible, he’d been through way harder things than this.

Casting my mind back to the night of the storm made me realize that.

I still didn’t know the extent of what happened that night, and maybe I’d never know.

He mouthed a ‘thank you,’ toward me and I mashed my lips together as my gaze dropped to the ground. Tears pricked at my eyes, and I knew I wouldn’t be able to hold it in like Tanner was.

It was only when Jay reached out to give me a hug, his long arms wrapping around me and holding me tight, that I cracked like an eggshell that’s been dropped on the floor.

A million little pieces left in tatters.

I was going to miss him so much. All those study sessions, all the times he’d made me laugh and not make me feel like a nuisance.

“Make us all proud,” I managed to garble out, a loose tear rolling from one eye, closely followed by a second from my other. They continued to roll down my face towards his shirt, leaving a splotchy imprint on the material on his shoulder. “I’m sure it won’t be hard for you to do.”

“I’ll try,” he whispered. “Look after yourself, Little J.”