Page 1 of Pucking Tangled

ONE

Mia

Mia closed her laptop and sighed.

The search for a new place to rent was not going well, and she was running out of time.

With only a year left until she had her law degree from Widener University, she wasn’t looking for a long-term rental, and she didn’t want to get tied up in another roommate situation only to be left high and dry when her roomie fell in love and got married—like the last two roommates had done.

If she didn’t find something in the next two weeks, she was going to be homeless.

“What’s wrong, Blondie?” Waylon walked up behind her and wrapped a strand of her blonde hair around his finger. “You look tense.”

Mia scowled from where she sat in the oversized recliner and pulled away from him. “Ew. You stink, Waylon.” She tried not to gag.

Her best friend since childhood just so happened to be Casey Novak, star forward for the Lancaster Barn Raisers hockey team. Waylon was their cocky defenseman, and Casey’s roommate, who loved to drive her crazy whenever she visited.

The guys had just come back from a morning skate, and from the smell of it, Waylon hadn’t bothered to shower before leaving the rink.

He smirked, flexing his arm muscles. His heavily tattooed arm muscles…

She rolled her eyes. “Go shower. Please. Before you make me vomit.”

Waylon was like an overgrown man-child. All two hundred and thirty pounds of him. Not that Mia looked up his profile or anything.

He flirted with every woman he laid eyes on and seemed to double down on the flirting and cocky attitude when it came to Mia. But she had no interest in playboys like Waylon, who probably slept with a different puck bunny every night.

“Seriously. What’s going on, Mia?” Casey flopped down on his sofa and stretched out, kicking his feet up on the coffee table. “Still no luck finding an apartment to rent?”

Mia and Casey had known each other since birth.

Their mothers grew up as best friends, always doing everything together.

That included somehow getting pregnant within weeks of each other with them.

Both of their baby books showcased pictures of their mothers pregnant together, followed by their tiny newborns meeting milestones together, too.

If you asked Laney Abbott and Hannah Novak, Mia and Casey were destined to be a couple one day, too.

That wasn’t ever going to happen. Even if Mia had hoped it would at one point when they were teens. It was a short-lived fantasy, especially when she realized her best friend liked boys. At least she thought he only liked boys…for a long time.

“Everything is out of my price range or in a terrible part of town.”

“So stay here,” Casey said without hesitation.

“What?” Mia scrunched up her nose. “No way. I can’t stay here with the four of you.”

All that testosterone and maleness in one place?

That felt like a recipe for disaster and fodder for the rumor mill if anyone found out.

She’d already been the subject of a few rumors since she’d often been Casey’s plus-one to charity events and public appearances until he and Owen Hawk, captain of the Barn Raisers, came out publicly.

Thankfully, Owen hadn’t seemed to mind Mia being his boyfriend’s cover until he was ready for the world to know that he was actually bisexual.

Owen sat down next to Casey and stole the remote. “Case is right. Just stay here. We’ve got a spare bedroom, and you’d have your own bathroom.”

“It’s not like you don’t already know all four of us. And you wouldn’t have to worry about paying rent while you finish your degree,” Casey said, doubling down on his offer.

“I can’t live here and not pay rent, Casey.”

He and Owen each raised a brow.

Mia tried not to laugh.

If they thought they were intimidating her, they were sadly mistaken. The faces they were making amused her more than anything.

“Mia, we don’t need you to pay rent. Between the four of us, we’ve got it covered,” Casey said, as if she needed reminding. Pro hockey players made a lot of money .

“You might not need me to pay rent, but I need to pull my own weight. I don’t expect the four of you to cover me.”

“Then cook us dinner once in a while. Do the grocery shopping with Casey’s credit card,” Waylon said, injecting himself into the conversation as he returned from his shower dressed only in a pair of shorts, his hair still wet and water droplets running down his chiseled abs and the tattoos on across his chest on full display.

Mia forced herself not to drool.

Wait, no.

No!

No way she’d drool over Waylon .

Damn it. His sexiness was so unfair. Why were the annoying ones always so damn…hot.

Although Mia thought as she pulled her gaze away, if she were to move in with ‘the boys’ as she called them, the scenery would never be boring.

Each of them was attractive in their own way. Physically and otherwise.

Waylon may be a pain in his ass, but he also had a gorgeous ass. Thick thighs. A ridiculously stupid smile that would make her panties melt if he wasn’t such a player.

Luca. Well, she only met Luca at the beginning of the season when he joined the team, and Casey had been asked to mentor him.

He moved in shortly after. Whenever Mia visited, Luca had his nose in a book and barely spoke a few words unless the guys gave him a few beers.

Then he became the most adorable socially awkward butterfly.

Casey and Owen, well, she’d never admit it, but the two of them together made for the most intoxicating combination of all.

It seemed weird to think about her best friend and his boyfriend like that, but she couldn’t help it. They were both built like Greek gods. She knew the two of them shared women before. Mia couldn’t help but feel jealous, especially since Casey would never think of her that way.

Casey interrupted her daydream about the men by agreeing with Waylon. “That sounds like a fair trade.”

Owen seconded Waylon’s idea with a decisive nod as his stomach growled loudly. “How much longer until that pizza gets here?”

Luca looked up from the copy of Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman that he was reading and checked his watch. “Another ten minutes.”

“What are your thoughts, Mr. Scholar?” Waylon asked, as he threw one of the couch pillows at Luca.

He rolled his eyes and stuffed the pillow behind his back. “Thoughts on what?”

Waylon chucked. “Mia wants to move in. We’re taking a house vote.”

Luca’s eyes widened.

Mia held up her hands. “Whoa, whoa, whoa. Mia does not want to move in. Casey is going all ‘big brother’ on me and thinks that I should.”

“Oh.” Luca’s shoulders sank as if he was disappointed. “It’s not my place to say.”

Owen snorted. “Here we go,” he said, directing his comment to Luca. “Now Casey’s going to get his feelings hurt because you still don’t think this is your home, too.”

“Shut up.” Casey elbowed his boyfriend.

“Would you mind if I moved in?” Mia dared to ask the shy and most introspective guy of the bunch.

“If Casey’s okay with it, then I don’t see an issue,” Luca replied. “I don’t think you need to cook us dinner or do the grocery shopping, though.” He smirked .

“You fucker, you were paying attention all along,” Waylon grunted.

Luca just shrugged and buried his nose in the book again.

“Tell you what, I’ll house sit for you guys through the play-offs. That’s it. I’m not moving in.” Mia looked at each of the guys.

She was okay with that. She could handle a short-term arrangement. At least that’s what she convinced herself she was committing to. But moving in? Not so much.

“Is she hearing herself right now?” Casey looked at Owen.

“Did we not just tell her to move in? But she’s still only talking about staying temporarily.

” He let out a frustrated sigh and looked back over at Mia.

“You’re the one making a big deal out of it.

You need a place to stay. I’ve got this big ass house,” he continued with a smug smile.

“We’re doing each other a favor. I won’t have to board Skeeter while we have away games next season either. Win-win-win.”

Mia rolled her eyes as Skeeter, Casey’s ninety-pound Bernese Mountain dog, came running and jumped on top of Casey.

“Uhmpf,” he grunted, “I wasn’t calling you.” Casey scratched the dog behind his ears, cooing, “You are such a good boy, though, aren’t you? You’re going to keep Auntie Mia company while Daddy’s gone, arentcha boy?”

Mia’s heart squeezed in her chest. Casey’s sweet voice whenever he talked to Skeeter that way had that effect on her.

“Unless you and Skeet want to go on a road trip with the team? I’m sure I can find some pet-friendly accommodations for you both,” Casey offered.

“I have too many assignments due over the next few weeks. I am not traveling with the team.” Mia rolled her eyes. “Besides, I think Skeeter would rather stay home with Auntie Mia. Hockey is not his favorite sport, and you know it,” she teased.

Skeeter barked like he was agreeing with her.

“Traitor,” Casey scoffed.

Next to Casey, Mia was Skeeter’s second favorite person in the whole world, much to Owen’s disappointment. It was fitting, though, since it was Mia who brought Skeeter, who had no name at the time, to Casey’s house after finding him on the side of the road as a tiny little puppy.

Casey and Mia had searched for his owners, just in case the pup had run away, while her best friend had covered the hefty veterinarian bill to nurse the malnourished puppy back to health.

By the time they exhausted all options for finding the dog’s previous owners, Casey had already named him Skeeter because he’d looked more like a mosquito than a large breed dog when he first laid eyes on him.

And, because Mia’s rental didn’t allow dogs, Casey had bought an oversized house with five bedrooms, five baths, and a huge fenced-in yard with a pool in the back in the middle of Lancaster County to house him.

It didn’t take long for his house to quickly become home to the other three guys on the team. They were like a band of brothers on and off the ice.

“You have everything you need here. It’s better than letting my entire fridge go bad during this away stretch,” Casey said, circling back to their original conversation. “So, I fully expect you to have all of your stuff moved in by the time we get back. I’ll even hire movers if you need them.”

“Casey, first of all, I know you ordered groceries the minute I asked if I could stay here tonight. More than half of the foods in your kitchen right now are things that you know happen to be my favorite. Things that you don’t even eat!

Second, I don’t need movers. I can manage the few pieces of furniture and stuff that I have, I have on my own. ”

He shifted and moved Skeeter off his lap. “It’s not a big deal.”

But to Mia, it was.

Casey was the only person besides her parents who cared. At least it felt that way.

“Well, whatever you say. I appreciate you offering me a place to stay and helping me move. And for my favorite snacks.”

“Anytime, Mia.” He yawned and stretched.

The t-shirt he was wearing rose up, giving Mia a glimpse of his toned, tanned skin and the dark happy trail below his belly button.

She stifled a shiver. It sucked when your best friend was smoking hot—and so completely off-limits.

“I’m going to bed. We have to be to the arena early tomorrow for some press shit,” he said, pushing to his feet. “Want me to wake you before we leave?”

“Pass.” Mia shook her head.

“You’re not eating pizza with us?” Owen practically pouted when Casey leaned down to give him a kiss goodnight.

“No. Some of us are sticking to our meal plan today.”

“No wonder you’re ready for bed. You’re like an old man,” Mia teased.

Moving quickly, Casey grabbed her foot, tickling the bottom.

“Stop it,” she gasped between fits of laughter. “ Knock it off.” She tried kicking him with her other foot, but it did nothing to deter him. “Casey McAllister Novak!”

Finally, he let her foot go and stepped back with a wide grin on his face. “Goodnight, Mia. Don’t let the rest of these assholes get on your nerves.”

“Too late,” she said, narrowing her gaze at Waylon, who seemed to annoy her just by existing.

When the pizza arrived a few minutes later, Luca held off Owen and Waylon while he stole a few slices for himself and Mia.

“Oh. I’m just going to stick with the salad,” she said with a shake of her head, pointing to the bowl of greens she’d ordered.

Luca’s face hardened. “You’re not eating just a salad. We all know you love pizza.”

She did love pizza, but she didn’t love the fifteen pounds she put on in the last year. Neither did her ex, and he had no problems letting her know it. Which was why she was trying to avoid all of her favorite foods and sticking to healthy salads instead.

“It’s fine. Really. I’m trying to be more health conscious.”

“Mia, one slice isn’t going to derail you. Christ, there’s barely anything in that salad besides lettuce,” Luca pushed.

“Are we going to sit here and argue over my food choices?” She shot him a questioning glance.

“No. We’re not. Because you’re going to eat at least one slice of this pizza with it.”

The rest of the guys chuckled when she continued to protest.

“Come on, Mia. Don’t let some dumb fuck’s stupid comments get in your head,” Owen added .

“Wh-what are you talking about?” she asked, feigning ignorance.

“Really?” Owen raised a brow. “Do you think that I didn’t see how that asshole treated you? The comments he made about your weight. About the way your clothes fit or didn’t fit? He was a stupid fucker. Any man would appreciate your curves and be more than happy to worship them.”

Mia’s cheeks flushed. “I…he…”

“Don’t defend the douche,” Luca added. “Owen’s right. A real man would embrace your curves.”

“Fine,” she sighed, ignoring the way their subtle compliments made her feel. “Forget it. I’ll eat the damn pizza.”