AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Yup. Just the rest of the world,” she repeats with a frown.
“Hey, I was just teasing.”
“I know,” she grumbles.
“So what’s wrong?” I ask, concerned with how her playful mood turned sour so rapidly.
“I think I’m going to have to head back into the city tomorrow.”
“But you promised your mom that you’d take this week off,” I remind her.
Piper turns to look over her shoulder, throwing a sad glance at her mom and mine as they laugh away on the porch, playing a game of bridge.
“I know. Damn it, I know,” she retorts exasperatedly. “It’s just that I received news that the Guardians might get sold off this week. What kind of sports agent would I be if I stayed here on holiday when my players might be out of a job next week?”
“Can that really happen?”
“Not sure it can be prevented,” she groans.
My worried gaze immediately finds Nate, coaxing a pang in my chest when he smiles over at me with worship in his eyes, completely oblivious to the threat hanging over his head.
Hockey means everything to Nate.
It would destroy him if he’s kicked off the team he loves so much.
“If Nate can’t play—”
“I won’t let that happen,” Piper assures me, giving my hand a small comforting squeeze. “But now you get why I’ll have to leave tomorrow. If I’m not in Boston to keep a vigilant eye on things, then who knows what Preston will do.”
“So it’s been confirmed? It really is Laurie who’s buying the team?”
“Yep. He managed to outbid everyone who tried to go up against him by a few million. Rumor has it that his father isn’t pleased that their family name will now be associated with such a vicious sport, though.”
“Maybe that’s enough to sink the deal altogether,” I chime in hopefully.
“Doesn’t matter. Even if that deal falls through, another one will take its place. It’s not a question of who but rather when. The team will be sold off, whether we like it or not.”
I bite my lower lip as my thoughts go back to the night at the Winter Ball. Nate said he talked to Laurie and that it went well.But not having witnessed the conversation myself, I can’t be sure if it was as successful as Nate believes.
“Anyway, don’t worry about Nate in that regard. I have his back on that front,” Piper says confidently.
If there is anyone I’d want in my corner, it would be her, so knowing she’s looking out for him eases my apprehension a bit.
“What about you?” Piper asks.
“What about me?” I parrot in confusion.
“What are you going to do about all of this?” She points to the empty space between Nate and me as we watch him pretend to fumble the ball just so my little cousin can steal it away to make a touchdown.
I smile at how sweet and amazing he’s been with everyone in my family, but my smile drops when Piper calls out the one name I didn’t want to hear today.
“You can’t string Nate along like that asshole Cooper has done to you for a better part of a decade. It’s either shit or get off the pot.”
“Classy,” I mumble under my breath.
“I’m a classy chick.” She smirks, head held high. “Now stop evading the question. It’s obvious Nate has fallen hard for you. And I’m not talking about the boner he had to hide after that little bathroom break of yours but the cupid-shot-him-in-the-ass kind of deal. Which leaves me to question, what exactly are you waiting for?”
“You want the truth?”
