Page 39 of Tempting the Goalie (Riverside U #5)

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

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The guys are all gone for an away game this weekend. I’m sitting on the couch scrolling through my options for a grad program when Ruby comes downstairs.

“I’m heading over to Briar’s to see their new apartment,” she says. Aaron and Briar recently moved out of here with their new baby. They are living in a grad building off campus. “Do you wanna come?”

I’ve only known Ruby for a few months but in that time we’ve become close, which I guess will happen when you live together. I’ve learned she is kind and sweet and a bit of a nerd like me.

“Thanks, but I need to finish these grad applications. I have a month to go until the deadlines come up. I haven’t finalized my decisions. I promised Luc I would figure things out while they were gone.”

“Okay, good luck. If you change your mind, I’ll text you her new address,” she says.

“Thanks, Ruby. Say hi to Briar and give Atlas a kiss from me,” I say to her.

"Will do," she says, pulling on her puffer jacket as she steps outside. The air is cooler now with winter creeping in a little more each day. “Bye.”

“Bye.”

With Ruby gone, the house is quiet. I read through some information on American programs and then switch to read through some Canadian ones. I lose my patience and decide I need the help of my friends. I text Priya and Yuna and ask if they want to come over.

They both answer me within minutes, saying they are on their way. My stomach growls and I make my way over to the fridge to see if I have any food to feed my guests but the fridge is empty. I decide to Uber Eats some Chinese food, knowing my friends they haven’t eaten either.

They arrive before the food. They don’t come here often since the house is usually very busy.

I open the door to both of them. “Thanks for coming,” I say, and I hug each of them as they come into the house.

“I still can’t believe you’re living here,” Priya says, looking around wide-eyed.

“I know,” I say to her. “If you would’ve told me a year ago I’d be living with Luc, I would’ve told you were batshit crazy.”

“But you seem so happy,” Yuna says with a wide smile.

“I am,” I confirm and wave them inside. “I’m just losing my mind over grad programs. I need you guys to help me.”

“Of course,” Priya says.

We take a seat on the couch in the family room and the doorbell rings.

“Expecting company?” Yuna asks.

“I ordered us Chinese food,” I say to my friends, which buys me cheers.

“I love you,” Priya says.

“Aw thanks, sweets,” I say as I walk to the door.

A cold breeze blows in, and I pick up the bag of food that was left at the door.

I head inside and open the containers on the coffee table. We all dig in.

“Have you guys finished your applications?” I ask them.

Yuna is forking some lo mein noodles and chicken into her mouth when she nods. “I applied here and to Penn for a joint master’s/PhD program.”

“I’m also applying here but just for the master’s, my second choice is NYU,” Priya says.

“I was thinking that a combined program makes sense for me, but I also don’t see myself staying in the U.S. for another five years. Being home this summer made me realize how much I missed being around my family. But do I make a decision based off my academic needs or my emotional ones?”

“It needs to be both,” Priya says and Yuna nods.

“What does Luc think?” Yuna asks.

“He wants me to do what’s good for me, but I don’t know what that is. I want to be close to him and my family. Maybe I want too many things,” I sigh, feeling exasperated with myself.

“Nonsense, you have a right to be happy. You came out here to Riverside to be close to him,” Priya reminds.

“I just couldn’t imagine us not seeing each other for years,” I say.

“Where is Luc going to be next year?” Priya asks.

“He has offers from Montreal and Philadelphia, but more may come in,” I explain.

“Does he have a preference?” Yuna asks.

“He’s waiting on me. He doesn’t want me to decide based on his career. He says, if he’s lucky, he’ll be playing hockey for the next decade, but he wants me in his life always,” I say and I feel a tug in my chest. He’s only gone for the weekend, but I miss him.

“Aw, that is so sweet,” Yuna coos. “What a romantic.”

“Seriously,” Priya adds.

“It sounds like you want Montreal. Are there good programs out there?” Yuna asks.

“Yes, there is a very good program, and Montreal isn’t that far from Val-Du-Lys. I just don’t want Luc giving up on a better team because of me.”

“It’s nice that you’re both so considerate of each other, but you need to get applications in. I know they can be costly, but why don’t you apply to a few Canadian schools and a few American ones? The programs are super competitive, so you don’t know where you’ll get in,” Priya suggests.

“That’s another problem, it would be better for Luc to sign a contract earlier rather than later, but I’ll only find out about grad school somewhere between February and April,” I add, feeling even more confused.

“I wish I had better advice for you,” Priya says.

“Make a list of pros and cons for each school,” Yuna suggests.

“Yeah, maybe I will,” I say.

“I mean now,” Yuna says. “Come on, go grab a pen and paper.”

I place my plate of food on the coffee table and go on a search in the kitchen. I find a drawer that has a notepad and pen. I walk back into the family room.

For the next half hour, we come up with a list while enjoying the food. If anything, it’s nice to be in their company. I’m going to miss not having them around next year.

“What will I do without you guys next year?” I pout.

“We can all hop on FaceTime calls,” Priya says.

“It isn’t the same,” I tell her.

Now we are all pouting.

“I think we need wine,” Yuna says.

“Wine?” I ask. None of us are really drinkers.

“I can drink wine.” Priya nods. “Let’s go buy some.”

That’s how I find myself in a back of an Uber headed to the wine store.

When we arrive to the store, my friends think it’s a good idea to buy two bottles between the three of us, and who am I to be a downer? So, I go along with their plan because getting drunk on wine should definitely help me make decisions that will determine my entire future.

We head back to the hockey house with two bottles of wine in hand.

I head into the kitchen to find wine glasses but I find glass mugs instead, so that is what I bring to the coffee table. We bought a wine bottle opener in the store, and Yuna has the honors of opening the first bottle. She passes it to me to pour into the mugs. With the mugs filled, we lift them.

“What should we toast to?” Yuna asks.

“To our friendship,” Priya declares.

“To Izzy figuring out what to do next year,” Yuna says.

“To our friendship lasting forever,” I add.

We finally clink glasses together and drink. The wine tastes a bit vinegary at first, but after a while it goes down smooth.

Yuna turns on her Spotify play list on her phone and then we are dancing in the living room. It feels good to just let loose and not worry about my future. After a few songs, we drink more wine until we’ve finished off both bottles.

I don’t feel myself falling asleep on the couch, but I do feel my shoulder being nudged and it’s seriously annoying. There it goes again. I flinch away and turn on my side.

“Izzy,” I hear the whisper and know it’s Luc’s voice. This must be a dream.

“Izzy,” I hear again.

“Wow, this is a cool dream.”

I hear laughter, but it isn’t Luc’s. It’s coming from multiple guys.

My eyes shoot open to see the guys are back from their game.

They are still in their jackets, and they are staring at me and my friends passed out on their couches with empty containers of Chinese food and empty wine bottles scattered across the coffee table.

“Did you guys have fun last night?” Luc asks, a silly crooked grin on his lips.

I sit up and rub at my eyes. “We drank wine.”

“I can see.” He grins.

“Priya, Yuna wake up.” I nudge. They are just as groggy as I am as they sit up and rub at their closed eyes.

Priya is the first to open her eyes and when she does, they practically bulge out of her head. “Holy shit.” She looks at the row of four hockey players standing in front of us.

Yuna is next, but her reaction is even funnier. “I’ve died and gone to heaven.”

I laugh.

“Come on, guys, let’s get out of their way,” Luc says.

Steve and Hugh take that as their cue to leave and head up the stairs. The freshies don’t do anything that will piss off the seniors I’ve learned.

Macklin is still standing in front of us. “Is Ruby home?” he asks.

“I... I’m not sure. She went to visit Briar last night. She either came home late or stayed there.”

He nods. “Thanks.” Then he walks away.

“I’ll go upstairs, Mon coeur.” Luc grins and he walks away to give my friends their privacy.

“I can’t believe we passed out,” Priya says and she starts to gather the empty food containers.

“The last thing I remember is saying that I love Luc, and I just want to be with him,” I relay as I pick up the empty wine bottles.

“Which means you need to sit down with Luc, and not by yourself, and both of you need to decide what programs you’re applying to and what contract he needs to sign,” Yuna advises.

After we clean up, I thank my friends and they both head home. I head upstairs to my man. I want his arms around me. I need to feel like whatever we choose will be okay.