Page 1 of Wish You Were Mine (Kings of Eden Falls #3)

LUCY

The neon lights of the club pulsed, flashing to the beat of the music as my best friend, Nora, and I made our way toward a table in the corner where our friends from the university hockey team had decided to gather for the night.

Usually, the guys held their after-game parties at the big house just off campus where a bunch of them lived so they could celebrate their win with the other students at Eden Falls University.

But since it was the middle of winter break, and most of their fan club was home for the holidays with their families, they decided to take their celebration to The Garden.

“This place is amazing,” I told Nora as I slipped into the booth beside her, wondering why we’d never been here before.

We didn’t drink much, since we were both on the university gymnastics team and tried our best to stick to our meal plans, but we did enjoy a good party on the nights we weren’t studying or training.

“I know, right?” she said, glancing around at the main level of the upscale club. “I heard this place was meant to look like the Garden of Eden or something, but I didn’t really believe it would look this good.”

“I wonder if all the plants are real,” I mused, eyeing the leafy vines creeping along the balcony above and the botanical arrangements filling every corner.

It was full-on winter in Connecticut, but here, with the lush foliage and columns wrapped in vines and leaves to resemble trees, I could almost pretend that summer was right around the corner.

In this ethereal ambiance, I could almost forget that my final semester of college was looming on the horizon, along with the reality that I’d have to start acting more like an adult soon.

Yeah...I had mixed feelings about graduating this coming May.

Sure, as a senior I was thrilled to be almost done with my bachelor’s degree—it had been a grueling few years working to keep my grades up while trying to be in top shape for gymnastics.

But even though things got crazy at times, I was also a bit overwhelmed about what came after.

My life had revolved around gymnastics since I was three, and with my final season ending in just a few short months, I didn’t know what I’d do with myself once it was all over.

Hopefully, I’d find a job I liked in marketing…since changing my major for the fourth time was not exactly an option at this point. Not unless I wanted to come back for a fifth year of college.

"So, what are you wearing to my brother’s New Year’s Eve party?" Nora asked, breaking me from my thoughts.

"I haven’t decided yet," I said, tossing a lock of my blonde hair over my shoulder. “I’ve never been to a party at a famous pop star’s house before. Do you think everyone there is going to be crazy rich?”

“Probably.” Nora shrugged. “Ky doesn’t exactly have normal friends these days.”

That was an understatement. Nora had come from a normal middle-class family, but after her older brother, the famous Ky Miller, won a Grammy for Best New Artist for his debut album a few years ago, everything changed.

Now Ky had a huge place in the Hamptons, where Nora invited me to stay with her for New Year’s.

“I’m just hoping Miles will be there,” I said, thinking about Ky’s NFL quarterback friend who had been at Ky’s Fourth of July party a couple of summers ago.

“Oh, definitely .” Nora’s eyes lit up. “He’s always fun to flirt with.”

“And not too bad to look at either.” I winked, picturing the tall guy with broad shoulders who was the sole reason Nora and I now tuned into the New Haven Sentinels games on Sunday afternoons. “Hopefully, he gets a night off with their big game against the Dragons coming up on Sunday.”

Though, since New Year’s Eve was on Friday, there was probably a low chance of him sneaking in time for a party.

I was about to ask if she and I would be sharing the same room at Ky’s house when a familiar raised voice caught my attention.

“I wouldn’t be saying that if I were you,” the angry voice of the hockey team’s captain, Josh Rallison, cut through the club’s upbeat music. “I saved your butt out there, and if it wasn’t for me, you’d be sitting out our next game.”

I turned toward the sound of his voice, my heart giving an involuntary thud. Josh was standing a few feet away, speaking to another guy on the team, his jaw set and his body tense.

And even though we were trying to stay friends after our breakup last spring, my stomach still rolled at the memory of his temper.

But before I could get too worked up, Josh’s eyes immediately softened and his lips curled into a grin as he slapped Andrew on the back, laughing. “Just kidding,” he said, his tone suddenly light. “Let’s just not make a habit of it, okay?”

I exhaled, the tension leaving my body as I watched the two guys laugh together.

So he was just joking around this time?

“You okay?” Nora asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Yeah,” I said, shaking my head with a small, relieved smile. “Just...old habits die hard, you know?”

“Oh, I know…” It looked like Nora was going to say something bad about Josh. But her expression softened instead. “I think it’s cool that you and Josh are getting along better this semester. After everything that happened.”

“We’re getting there.” I nodded slowly. “It’s definitely…complicated, but we’re making progress.”

“Well, I still think you need to find another guy tonight, like we were talking about earlier.” She smirked, her tone turning light. “You know, before you’re tempted to fall back into that ‘on-again, off-again’ cycle with Josh.”

“I’ve learned my lesson,” I said, sounding less sure than I intended. “We won’t be getting back together.”

“Good.” Nora gave me a satisfied smile. “You deserve someone who knows how lucky they are to have you. Someone tall and strong and sexy…”

“Are you sure you’re not daydreaming about Miles Hawthorne again?” I grinned into my glass, the starry-eyed look in my best friend’s eyes all too familiar. It was basically the same expression she had on Sunday when the cameramen zoomed in on his face during the Sentinels game.

“No…” She shoved my arm and shot me a look. “You know my brother’s best friend is off-limits.”

“Yes…but that hasn’t stopped you from having steamy dreams featuring him and you in a hot tub now, has it? ”

She rolled her eyes. “I knew I never should have told you about that dream.”

I laughed. “I mean, it did sound like a really good dream. I certainly wouldn’t mind a good hot-tub make-out sesh right about now.”

She raised her glass. “You and me both.”

“For real.” I clinked my glass with hers.

“Which is why our dating drought has to end tonight,” Nora said, turning in the booth, her eyes scanning the club like a hawk.

“I mean, we’re hot, talented seniors on a Division I gymnastics team.

We’re catches. And even if none of the guys at school were smart enough to snatch us up fall semester, surely there’s someone here who could be our perfect knight in shining armor. ..for at least one night, right?”

“I guess,” I said, glancing around at the various men in the club. “I mean, there has to be someone here for you at least.”

Nora’s brow furrowed. “But not you?”

I shrugged, my gaze drifting over to Josh, who was standing a few feet away chugging a beer with a few of his hockey friends while the other guys chanted “chug, chug, chug” in unison.

“It’s probably not the best idea for me to hook up with some random guy in front of my ex…” I sighed, looking back at Nora. “Especially when I already agreed to be his designated driver tonight.”

“Ugh, why do you always have to be so considerate of his feelings?” Nora tsked, shaking her head. “I mean, he’s the one that messed up.”

“I know.” I sighed, the familiar knot of confusion tightening in my chest. “I just don’t want to risk messing up the truce we have going right now.”

When she opened her mouth to protest, no doubt ready to accuse me of being too considerate of my ex, I quickly added, “ But he won’t be at Ky’s party, right? So we can focus on finding my knight in shining armor on Friday instead.”

“I’m gonna hold you to that.” Nora’s face lit up with a mischievous grin as she pointed a finger at me. “Because after dating the same dud for three years, you deserve to have at least a little fun during your last few months of college.”

“So true.”

“All right, let’s get serious,” Nora said, shifting in her seat again. “Time to scan the room for potential candidates.”

With that, the playful energy between us kicked back in. But as I glanced around the club, I realized I wasn’t exactly sure what I was looking for, since I had no clue what type of guy Nora would be in the mood for tonight.

But apparently, Nora was more decisive than usual because she quickly pointed toward the bar.

“Okay, I’ve got a contender,” she said, her voice low with excitement. “Oh, he’s a major hottie.”

I followed her gaze and froze as I took in the guy she was looking at. He had dark hair, was tall and broad-shouldered, and looked...surprisingly familiar.

I blinked my eyes a few times, wondering for a split second if I was seeing things.

Was it possible the bartender had slipped me the alcoholic version of a Moscow Mule instead of the virgin one I’d asked for and the alcohol was messing with my eyes?

But when I focused on the guy and recognized the button-up shirt I’d given him for Christmas, I knew I couldn’t be mistaken. Because I was ninety-nine percent sure the guy my best friend was pointing at was none other than...my older brother, Theo.

“Umm, Nora…” I started to say when Theo turned his head sideways just enough for us to get a better view of his face .

And I knew the moment Nora recognized him, too, because her face immediately went beet-red.

“Oh my gosh!” She gasped, covering her mouth with her hand. “That’s Theo! I can’t believe I just called your brother a major hottie.”