Page 162 of Pucking Around

Speaking of horny…

“Hellooooo,” Tess sings into the phone. “Earth to Rachel. You there? You were in the middle of telling me how you’ve added a third freaking man to your hockey harem!”

I snort. Tess is the only one who knows about the guys. I’ve been hiding it from everyone. I’ve all but iced out Harrison. I’m pretending we’re playing the world’s longest, most unsatisfying game of phone tag, but really I’m hiding. I’m not ready to pop the pretty pink bubble of my new, very fragile polyam relationship.

“Rachel, I swear to god—”

“I’m here,” I say with a laugh, checking traffic as I make a turn at a red light.

“So…what’s the deal? You went to Cincinnati with the goalie—stood me up, by the way,” she adds. “I had an expensive bottle of wine and a $70 cheese board waiting for you, bitch.”

I snort. “Yeah, well I had a 6’5” blond Viking saying ‘bend over.’ You tell me what you would’ve done in my position, Tess.”

“Ooooohmygod,” she squeals. “He didnotsay that!”

“He did,” I reply, my chest feeling all warm and fuzzy.

“So…what is this then? The boys and you are all one big happy family? You’re taking dicks three at a time, living the dream in the beach house with the dog and the four-person income? When’s the wedding? Am I invited?”

I groan, hands gripping tight to the wheel.

“Uh-oh. Trouble in paradise? It’s been like a week, Rach. What happened?”

“I don’t know. There’s something they’re not saying. Something holding them back. Caleb and Jake, at least. I feel like the vibe between us can’t settle until they let their secrets out.”

“Rach, this whole thing is one big messy secret,” she replies. “You’ve all but made me swear in blood to stay silent. They’ve got secrets, you’ve got secrets, and you’re keeping it all a secret. I don’t know how you’re doing it, honestly. And I don’t know how they’re cool with it.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean that guys like that…rich guys, confident guys, guys used to showing off their girls and being super public with their relationships…asking them to shut up and hide out in the corner with you while you work through your trauma has got to be tough on them.”

I sigh. “Tess—”

“I know, I know,” she says quickly. “I didn’t live through it with you. And I know how hard you’ve worked to rehab your image. But…” She sighs, falling silent.

“But what?” I urge.

“Well…at least part of you has to know what you’re doing here, right?”

“What do you mean?”

She huffs. “Come on, Rach. Youknowthe press heat you’ll get for this when it comes out. ‘Hal Price’s wild daughter dating three men.’ The headlines will write themselves. You’ve got two NHL players and their equipment manager wrapped around your sexy little finger. When this blows up in your face—and itwillblow up in your face, because secrets like thisalwaysdo—you’ll leave a Rachel-sized crater in their lives. They’ll never recover, babe. Their careers, their hearts. You’ll blow them wide open, and leave them for dead.”

My heart is pounding as I check my mirrors, switching lanes. “What do you mean ‘leave them for dead?’”

“Well…”

“Tess,” I hiss into the phone.

“Fine,” she huffs. “I’ll just say it, okay? I’m saying it. You’ve got priors. You never stick around, Rach. The moment things get tough, you bail. The moment things get too public, you bail. If you think there will be a nanosecond of press scrutiny on your life or your decisions, you bail. You’ve perfected the art of living like a mouse in the wall.”

“This is different,” I say quickly.

“Howis this different? All I’ve heard is that you’re living in a mousey little nest of secrets. You’re living with two men, involved with a third. They all live very high-profile lives and yet you’re managing to keep it all under wraps. But that won’t last, Rach. Listen to Tess. Youwillget caught. What’s your game plan when you do? You gonna break up with them all and bail again? You going to pick one and yeet the others? Or are you gonna put on your big girl panties and march out into your own dang spotlight and live your life boldly on your terms?”

“But it’s not just my life,” I say, pulling over at the front of Ilmari’s neighborhood. “They didn’t sign up for my mess—”

“Theydid,” she presses. “By choosing you, they chose your baggage too. That’s how grown-up relationships work, Rach. They don’t get the girl without the drama. If all three of them are sticking, and you want them to stick, you gotta let them stick, babe. But you have to come up with a plan. Sit down with them, ask them what they want, and plan it out. I love you, and I don’t want you hurt, and Ireallydon’t want to see you live with the pain of having hurt them.”