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“We’re sitting with Drake’s parents and his sister. You okay with watching the game with them? I know how particular you are when it comes to your seating arrangements.”
Rolling her eyes, she snorts. “I don’t care where we sit as long as I get to watch Preston play.”
“He’s going to be mad when he sees you.”
She holds up her hands, palms out, and shrugs. “He’ll have to deal with it. I want to show Preston that Kellan is in my past, and that I’m ready to move forward with him. He’s so obsessed with what Kellan did to me. I made him promise not to seek revenge. But who knows if Preston will keep that promise. He never does anything he’s told.”
“I’m sure he’ll get at least a few good shots on him for you.” Clutching the wheel tight, my fingers hurt as I weave from the right to the left lane on the highway. “He’s so protective of you. And he’s a hockey player. They’re so aggressive and angry. Let him take some of it out on the boy who tried to ruin your life.”
She lets out an exaggerated sigh, her eyes on the cars passing us by out the window. “Yeah, I guess. I’m doing this for me more than anyone. I need to see Kellan one last time to prove to myself that I haven’t let him win. Watching Preston play is only an added bonus.”
“That’s the spirit.” I tap my fingers on the steering wheel with a triumphant smile.
I’m happy for Bex. She’s lived for years in constant torment over Kellan’s betrayal of her trust back in high school. It still shocks me that she gave Preston a chance. Like me, Bex had left her heart so guarded no one could ever get in.
I know firsthand how hard it is to allow a cocky player into my life. Men like Drake and Preston aren’t what most would consider boyfriend material. And yet, they somehow have transformed their bad-boy ways. Maybe some men just need a strong woman to tame them.
The next afternoon, I stroll into the freezing-ass cold rink with Bex wrapped in several layers of clothing in an attempt to keep warm. We find our seats behind the Strickland Senators bench. I expect to see Drake’s parents and his sister waiting for us, but their seats remain vacant. Bex had insisted we come for practice. So, I guess Drake’s family isn’t control freak weirdos like my bestie and will show up on time for the game—like normal people.
“It’s as cold as a witch’s tit in this place,” I mutter between the chattering of my teeth. A shiver rolls down my spine, the cold leeching into my skin. Zipping my North Face jacket, I shudder again, a chill running through me. “How can you be so comfortable in here?”
No matter how many times I sit with Bex at Drake’s games, I still can’t tolerate the cold weather. I prefer the sun on my face and the heat of Southern California.
“I’m used to it,” Bex confesses.
“I don’t think I could ever adapt to freezing my ass off. I prefer sunshine and margaritas by the pool.”
“That’s because you grew up in California. If you were raised in Philly, you’d be used to the cold.”
“Technically, I didn’t grow up there. It’s just where I’ve lived the longest. Cold weather isn’t my jam, babe. Even after spending the last four winters in Philly, I’m still not used to it.”
“You got your early acceptance letter to UC Berkeley. You’ll be back to warmer climates in no time.”
I frown at the thought of a single year of school without Bex to keep me company. “I’m gonna miss you next year.”
Her expression turns grim, her sadness mirroring mine. “I’ll miss you, too, Tay. But we have to grow up and become adults.”
“I am an adult,” I counter. “But not like a real adult. I just look like one.”
She tilts her head back and chuckles. “I don’t want things to change.”
“Me, either.” I tap her on the arm and nod in the direction of the players as they skate onto the ice. “Maybe you’ll end up with Preston in whatever city selects him.”
She smiles, a dreamy look in her blue eyes. “Wouldn’t that be nice?”
I wiggle my eyebrows in a joking manner. “You could be a hockey wife. That would be fun.”
“I can’t follow him around from city to city. If I rely on a man for everything, I won’t have anything if he walks away. I’m not saying Preston will leave me, but anything can happen. I have to at least get my foot in the door at a sports management agency or do something sports related. Otherwise, my four years of college will be a complete waste.”
Before she finishes, I spot Preston skating toward us. He stops inches away from us, his gloved hand pressed to the Plexiglas. His lips part in shock, surprised to see Bex in the stands.
