Page 49 of Trick Shot (Bainbridge Hockey #4)

Claire

I did a really good job of ignoring Pete Santos for the first three and a half years of college, but now that I’ve had a taste of him, it’s damn near impossible.

I’m reminded of him everywhere I go. His shirts are in my drawers, the scent of his cologne is on my sheets, and the look on his face when he walked away is tattooed on my memory.

It’s like there’s a giant, burly shadow following me everywhere I go.

I should be loving life these days. Leslie and Garrett loved the piece I did about getting away on a budget.

They liked it so much that they offered me a paid internship at The Prentiss Report this summer.

It’s the best news I could have hoped for, and Barb and Linda from my work study threw me a little party to celebrate, but not being able to share it with Pete dulls the shine.

It doesn’t help that I’m torturing myself. I’m texting Holland while I’m waiting for the live stream of the championship game to start .

Holland : Ryan said Pete’s miserable without you. I really think you two can work this out.

Claire: I’m not so sure we can. It’s kind of a fundamental difference.

Holland : There’s always a way to compromise.

Claire : I’m too pissed to compromise, and you know why? Because I miss him, dammit. I never liked him in the first place.

Holland : You mentioned how hot he was the first time we saw him.

Claire: I don’t need facts, Holl. I need sympathy. That jerk of a man made me fall for him, and now that I have, everything’s going to shit.

Holland : Right. What a total asshole for being charming and sweet and the exact vision from your every fantasy. And then to have the audacity to act like a man and be short-sighted and stubborn.

Claire: That’s more like it. Thank you.

Once the puck drops, I can’t help but watch the game. I might be mad as hell, but I still want the Wolves to win. And I want Pete to get the accolades he deserves.

But the thing I want most is to have him back in my life.