“Plenty of time to round up the troops. You could have a whole bunch of muscular hockey players here to help unload your most prized possessions. Just say the word.”
“Nah.” I shook my head. “It’s too soon.”
Sympathy shone in his whiskey eyes, and our conversation’s playful nature faded. “He’s an idiot.”
Ducking my head, I whispered, “Yeah.”
“Want me to break his legs the next time he comes to town?” Braxton offered.
“Tempting, but no. That’s okay. I just want to move on. Is that too much to ask?”
“Of course not,” Dakota jumped in before Braxton could say anything more. “Let’s get you all settled in, and then we’re going out before your big first day tomorrow.”
“I don’t know . . .” I started to turn her down, but she shook her head sharply.
“Nope. You’re in my town now, and it’s time to make new memories.”
“I have a lot of unpacking to do,” I countered.
Dakota propped both hands on her hips. “Unpacking can wait. Maybe I can repay the favor from when you forced me out of the house on a night when I protested.” She stared lovingly up at Braxton.
Yeah, I could admit their relationship wouldn’t exist without a gentle—albeit not subtle—nudge from me. Not only had I dragged her to that house party, but I’d made sure Braxton knew how to find her when she bolted after learning that he played professional hockey. And then I may or may not have gently coaxed her into needing a personal hockey tutor for her book. I might be the puppet master, but they were the ones putting in the hard work, day in and day out. I simply got the ball rolling and they took it from there.
“Fine.” I blew out a breath. Pointing at Braxton, I added, “But no hockey players invited, understood?”
Braxton nodded, crossing his heart with a finger. “Absolutely no players. I promise.”
There was a twinkle in his eyes that I couldn’t place, but I knew he was up to no good.
Going out tonight would probably be a disaster, but I couldn’t deny being with my friends again felt good.
Chapter 3
Bristol
“This is where theSpeed hangs out post-game?” I slowly scanned the karaoke bar, Pipes, finding that hard to believe.
It was kitschy, with a neon sign hanging on the wall behind a wooden stage that spelled out the bar’s name in all caps, with a microphone instead of an “I” in Pipes. There were buckets of shelled peanuts on every table; the broken pieces of discarded shells lay littered across the floor. I suppose we were close enough to Nashville that this kind of thing appealed to people in the area, but hockey players?
Granted, I was used to the makeshift bar and dance floor in the basement of Nix’s house parties, but that was because he was a younger player. While on his entry-level contract, he didn’t have the cash to drop at the Comets’ post-game hangout of choice, Spades, an upscale downtown Hartford nightclub.
That right there should be enough to prove that even though I was a puck bunny, I wasn’t a gold digger. It was never about the money for me. It was always more about the game and the lifestyle of players andtheir families. There was a camaraderie that came with being the significant other of a hockey player. They became one big family.
Not that you were a part of that during your three years with Nix because he refused to name you as his official girlfriend.
No. I shook my head. He didn’t belong here.
Dakota tugged my arm to a table near the stage. “I know, it’s kinda cheesy, but the guys here like to keep it lowkey. Plus, get them drunk and on that stage? They would go viral on social media like that.” She snapped her fingers. “But thankfully, the regulars know enough to put their phones away. Everyone just has a good time hanging out and cutting loose.”
Sitting across from her at a table while Braxton went to the bar to grab our first round of drinks, I plucked a peanut from the bucket. “Sounds like you really like it here.”
She reached over to clasp my hand. “I do. But it’ll be so much better now that you’re here too.”
Fuck. I was not going to cry tonight. I’d done enough of that already.
Stupid Nix.
This was my fresh start, and I was determined to be upbeat about it.
