Page 11

ELEVEN

“Dude, incoming smoke show, three o’clock.” Beck nudges my side.

Before I can respond, I spot her out of the corner of my eye. “Ryan, I didn’t know you’d be here.” She wraps her arms around me and leans in to kiss my cheek.

“Rebecca, I didn’t expect to see you here either,” I say, keeping my tone polite but hoping this will be quick. I have nothing against her—we ended things on good terms—but with all the photographers around, the last thing I need is a tabloid spinning a story about our non-existent reunion.

She presses herself to my side, turning her attention to Beck. “Who’s your friend?”

“This is Dylan Beck. We went to college together. He’s in the league too, plays for New Jersey.”

“Dylan, this is Rebecca Solera.” I take the opportunity to untangle her from my side. She shoots me a hurt look but quickly shifts gears, diving into an animated conversation with Beck.

“I’m gonna grab a drink,” I say, using their distraction to make my escape. I push through the crowded, dimly lit room, which hums with chatter and laughter. The mingling scents of alcohol and cologne linger in the air as I make my way toward the bar.

By the time I reach the sleek glass bar along the far wall, the urge for a drink has faded, so I order a bottle of water instead. Glancing at my watch, I calculate how much longer I need to stick around before I can bail. Thirty-five minutes, and I’ll be slipping out with an Irish goodbye.

Fuck, I hate these industry events. Every part of me wishes I was back in the room with Hannah or that she was here with me, but I get why she wanted to skip it. I’d avoid it, too, if I could, but unfortunately, I’m contractually obligated to show up.

I spot the reason Hannah didn’t want to come tonight: Jace. He’s surrounded by a group of players who all look mildly annoyed by his presence. I know the feeling.

I claim a spot on one of the couches lining the space, my foot tapping a steady rhythm. I can’t stop myself from checking the time again. Twenty-six minutes. When Beck plops down next to me, minus Rebecca, it’s a welcome relief. Time passes faster when you’re actually doing something or talking to someone. Well, in most cases.

“Way to run off on me.” He slings an arm over the back of the sofa.

“I was giving you guys a chance to chat without a third wheel.”

His brows furrow. “Isn’t she your ex?”

“Ex might be an exaggeration. We dated casually.”

My version of “dating” consisted of occasional one-night stands, but this past summer, I gave actual dating a try. I couldn’t continue being hung up on Hannah. She wasn’t available, and I lost hope she ever would be when she got engaged to Knolls.

“Oh, yeah? Why’d you let her go? She seems great. Gorgeous, too.”

“It just wasn’t right.”

We met at an industry event and hit it off. She was beautiful and sweet, and I thought maybe we could build something real. But there was something missing. I gave it time, hoping my feelings would change, but when hers grew stronger than mine, I knew I had to end it. She wanted to make it official, and despite my best efforts, I still wanted the one woman I couldn’t have.

“Ah, I gotcha. Nothing to do with the little blonde best friend.” He nudges my side and clears his throat before continuing, “So, you wouldn’t mind if I asked her out?”

“Nah, go for it, man.”

“Sweet.” A grin spreads across his face as he straightens up, clearly pleased with my response. He doesn’t waste any time abandoning me, hopping up from the couch, and heading back the way he came.

I shake out my hands before giving in to the urge to check the time once more. Thirteen minutes. Screw it, it’s close enough. I push off the couch and make a beeline for the exit.

Relief washes over me as I step out of the lounge and into the muggy night air. I spot a taxi waiting to take players back to their hotels and climb in, grateful to be out of there. Firing off a quick text to Hannah, I let her know I’m on my way.

By the time I reach the suite, she still hasn’t responded. With only tonight and tomorrow left together, it bugs me that I wasted so much of the night at that event.

Disappointment settles over me as I enter the suite. It’s too quiet for her to be awake. As I pass her room, I notice the door isn’t fully closed. I hesitate before pushing it open just enough to peek inside. Just to check on her.

The light from the hall casts a soft glow over her face. Her wavy blonde hair sprawls across the pillow she’s curled around. Little puffs of air escape her mouth as she breathes slowly and evenly. My gaze lingers on her parted lips, drawn to the freckle just above her cupid’s bow.

I stand there longer than I probably should, unable to pull myself away. The urge to slip into bed beside her is almost overwhelming. Last night, with her sleeping by my side, was one of the best nights of my life. One night of just sleeping next to her has outshone all my past one-night stands combined. Pathetic, but true.

Realizing I’ve lingered too long, I gently brush strands of hair from her face, tucking them behind her ear. With a soft sigh, I straighten. “Night, Sunshine,” I whisper before quietly slipping out of the room.

I get back to my room, ready to climb into bed, but I can’t shake the restless energy. We slept in the same bed last night. Would she even care if we made it two nights in a row? Fuck it. I slip quietly back into her room, easing under the covers beside her, careful not to wake her. Wrapping my arms around her soothes the buzzing under my skin. She stirs, the rustle of sheets breaking the silence. “Ryan.” Her voice is soft and raspy from sleep, laced with confusion.

“Yeah, it’s me,” I murmur, bringing my nose into the crook of her neck. She smells like sunscreen and coconuts.

“I didn’t know if you’d be back.” Her voice is still thick with sleep.

“Where else would I be?”

“I saw the picture of you guys,” she mumbles, her words hesitant. “You make a cute couple.”

“We aren’t together, Hannah,” I say firmly, wanting to make sure there’s no doubt in her mind. “We never really were.” Not in any way that mattered.

“She’s really pretty… She’s a model.”

“Mm-hmm, but you’re prettier.”

“Nuh-uh.” She yawns.

“Go back to sleep. We’ll talk tomorrow.” I pull her in closer and kiss her shoulder.

“Will you stay?” she whispers, already half-asleep.

Like it’s even a question. “Yeah, baby.”

Sleeping beside Hannah is transformative. I feel more rested and focused, like I could take on anything. I’m convinced it’s going to give me the boost I need to win today’s game. Not even the thought of playing alongside Knolls can ruin my good mood.

As I step onto the ice for warm-ups, I let myself soak it all in. The crisp air fills my lungs, and the sharp glide of my skates across the freshly cleaned sheet of ice sends a familiar thrill through me. The arena hums with energy, the buzz of fans mixing with the clatter of sticks.

I don’t take my spot for granted. I work my ass off to stay at the top of my game. But did I ever think I’d be an All-Star? Not a chance. I would have been happy with a solid, middle-of-the-road career in the league. Yet here I am.

Now, my focus narrows to the final game. It all comes down to who takes home the win and, more importantly, the bragging rights.

Stepping into a wide stance, I bend one knee, the stretch deepening as I lean into it. My routine is interrupted by blades slicing across the ice. I know it’s him before I even turn. Knolls, wearing that stupid cocky grin, has one of those faces that’s just begging to be punched.

“Saw Rebecca with Beck last night. I heard they left together.” He’s clearly trying to get a rise out of me, but I give no shits about Rebecca or what she does. Plus, he’s not telling me anything I don’t already know.

“That’s nice.” I drop to the ice to continue my pre-game stretches, hoping Knolls takes the hint to fuck off.

“Everyone you’re with seems to trade up. How long do you think before Hannah does the same? You don’t expect her to stick around, do you?” His mocking laugh follows. My thoughts must be written all over my face, reflected in the smug curl of his lips.

The barb stings more than it should. I know he’s trying to get under my skin, but there is truth in his words. I have always been second best. Fuck, even here. I’m only here because King is out with an injury.

“Fuck off, Knolls.” Determined to have the last word, I get back to my feet and skate away. Still, his words echo in my head.

I glide around the boards, scanning the crowd for the one person whose smile will give me the hit of endorphins I need right now. Hannah. Just knowing she’s in the stands helps keep my urge to pummel Knolls in check. If only he were on the other team, I could at least knock him into the boards. But unfortunately, that’s frowned upon when it’s your own teammate.

It doesn’t take long to spot her. I stop in front of her section, tilting my head in greeting. She smiles back, her bright green eyes locking with mine. The noise of the arena fades into the background, and for a minute, it’s just us. My shoulders loosen, and the tension coiling inside me slowly drains away.

We lose. Badly. As the final buzzer sounds, disappointment washes over me. The bitter taste of defeat is hard to swallow. I was wrong to think I had anything close to magic; nothing could have saved that game—not even sleepovers with Hannah.

I could have done more. It’s the same thought that creeps up every time my team loses a game.

Skating back to the bench, I try to catch my breath. I didn’t play like an All-Star, that’s for sure. It was obvious to me—and to the rest of the guys—that Knolls and I weren’t vibing. Of course we weren’t. How are we supposed to play hockey together when we can barely stand each other?

But it wasn’t just the two of us; the entire team didn’t mesh. Our passes didn’t connect. We didn’t set each other up with goal opportunities. Our defense was inconsistent, at best. We weren’t playing as a unit. It was every man for himself, and the competing team took full advantage of that. Our goalie saved us from being butchered, but the score still ended 1-3.

This game is low stakes, with only our pride on the line. So, at least most of my temporary teammates are in good spirits. With the weekend wrapping up, everyone’s eager to get home. While I’m excited to get back to Chicago and rejoin my team, I hate that it means leaving Hannah.

I changed my flight from tonight to tomorrow morning, but extending my stay any further isn’t possible, no matter how much I want to.

We’re heading back toward her parents’ place in Palm Beach. Hannah and I have dinner plans, and I’m hoping she’ll agree to spend one more night with me at the hotel I’ve booked nearby.

By the time I make it out of the arena and to the Jeep, she’s waiting, already settled in the passenger seat. Instead of heading to the driver’s side, I open her door. She looks up at me, confused, but before she can say anything, I pull her into a tight hug. Her blonde hair is down, so I run my hand through it and bury my nose in her neck. Her body fits perfectly against mine, her skin slightly sticky from the humid air.

“I’m sorry your team lost. You did great, though,” she lies.

I chuckle and ease back. “C’mon, Sunshine, I played like shit.”

A small smile lifts her lips. “Okay, it wasn’t your best performance.”

I can’t hold back the full belly laugh, and she joins in. I buckle her in and head around to the driver’s side. Pulling my phone out of my pocket, I hand it to her. “You play DJ. Ready to go?”

“Yep.” Our fingers brush as she takes the phone, and a jolt runs down my spine. Apparently, even a brush of our hands will do it for me now. I shake out my arms, hoping to dispel the direction of my thoughts.

Hannah scrolls through my playlists, oblivious to the effect she has on me. “What did he say to you before the game?”

I know the he she’s talking about is Knolls. “Same old, trying to get into my head.” Not sure I want to get into my insecurities with her. I mean, I don’t think that’s the way to win over a girl, is it?

“Not about me, right?” She chews on her thumbnail. “I don’t want my problems to cause issues for you.”

“Your problems are my problems, but no. Well, kind of, but not really.”

Her brow furrows. “Want to explain?”

“He insinuated Beck and Rebecca hooked up last night.”

“The woman you were with last night? The one you dated? You’re upset she left with him…” Her last words are so quiet that I almost don’t catch them.

Doesn’t she remember our half-asleep conversation last night?

“No, absolutely not. I have zero feelings for Rebecca. None.” I glance at her, trying to read her thoughts, but she’s staring out the window, her eyes avoiding mine.

Fuck. The last thing I want is for her to think I’m into Rebecca—or anyone else, for that matter.

“Okay, so why did things end? Why didn’t you ever tell me about her? You never tell me about anyone you date.”

Even though we’re close, I’ve rarely shared much about my dating life. It always felt awkward. How do I both be honest and not freak her out?

“She wanted more of a commitment than I was willing to give. I ended things when I realized we weren’t on the same page. I didn’t tell you because it was nothing serious. And we don’t talk about my dating life because I don’t really have one.”

She eyes me skeptically. “Maybe dating isn’t the right word for it.”

“Do you want to discuss my sex life, Hannah?” I joke, really hoping the answer is no. First, because it’s a sad state of affairs. Second, the thought of discussing her sex life makes me feel sick. It can’t be a good sign if she’s unaffected by mine. I know I have no right to these feelings, but I still don’t want to imagine her with anyone else. Secretly—or maybe not so secretly—I hope she feels the same.

“No, no, no. Definitely not.” She covers her ears with her hands. “We got way off track. Back to what Jace said. How does that have anything to do with me?”

“He made a comment about you being with me. Said it would be a downgrade. You know, his usual shit-stirring.” I try to play it off, but the words linger. I hope telling her doesn’t plant the same seed of doubt that’s already rooted itself in my mind.

“What the fuck? He’s really stuck on this idea that we’re going to get together. No matter how many times I reassured him over the years, he always thought there was something between us.”

Hasn’t there been? She looks over at me as if waiting for my response. I can’t tell if she wants me to confirm or deny the accusation. Rather than risk getting it wrong, I deflect, “Did you just curse, Banana? You never swear.”

She positions herself so she’s now almost fully facing me and grabs my hand from the wheel. “You know that’s absolute bullshit, right?”

“Oh, another one.” I shift in my seat.

“Ryan, I’m serious. You’re the best man I know. There’s no trading up from you. You’re top tier. Understand?”

I squeeze her hand, not realizing I needed those words until she said them. “Thanks, Sunshine.”