Page 25 of Pucking Forbidden

Hadley has changed out of her skates and is walking along the outside of the boards. She waves in excitement and hurries toward Grace and Stacey. She just manages to step off the ice when both women reach her and pull her into a tight hug.

“What are you doing here?” Stacey demands, pulling back just enough to look at her, her grin wide. “I thought you were still in London!”

Hadley laughs and nods. “I was, but now I’m not.”

Grace narrows her eyes. “Hadley.”

“I live here now. Thank Skyler.” She winks, as if it’s just that simple.

Stacey blinks. Then she lets out a sharp, incredulous laugh. “Shut up.”

“I’m serious,” Hadley insists, smiling wider now. “I transferred.”

The guys have made their way over to the boards by the girls, looking just as stunned to see Hadley as Grace and Stacey.

“Wait, what?” Owen gawks. “You’re here now?”

Hadley nods. “Yeah.”

“Since when?” Carson asks with a grin.

“A few days ago,” she explains. “I’m going to finish school here in Denver.”

“And you didn’t tell anyone?” Jayce cuts in, skating closer with a chuckle and a blue-eyed wink. “That’s cold, Hads.”

She laughs, shrugging. “I wanted to surprise you guys.”

“Well, congrats,” Zander says, shaking his head. “You definitely did that.”

“Ugh, I have to get to the PT offices,” Stacey groans, reluctantly breaking away from the group. “We’ll talk later, okay? I need a full life update!”

“Of course!” Hadley assures Stacey, who hurries through a side door and disappears.

Grace grabs Hadley’s hands, still apparently processing the fact that Hadley is standing in front of her. “Oh, my God! You’re actually staying?”

“Yep,” Hadley nods.

Owen lets out a low whistle. “Damn. Guess we’re stuck with you now!”

“Tragic, I know,” she shoots back with a teasing grin.

Carson laughs, dropping down onto the bench behind the boards. His goalie pads click together loudly, his large frame occupying half the bench as he unstraps his helmet. “I don’t know, I think we can manage having another Sullivan hanging around.”

“Speak for yourself,” Jensen mutters. He steps closer to the boards, leaning his forearms against the top rail, before slowly lifting one heavily padded glove to press it flat over his chest. He closes his eyes, faking a grimace of absolute, mock pain. His huge, dimpled grin completely ruins the performance. “I’m still processing the betrayal.”

“Of what?” Hadley asks, amused.

“You kept a secret,” he says, mock serious. “That hurts.”

She rolls her eyes, but she’s still smiling.

Grace steps in, sliding her arm through Hadley’s. She shoots a pointed look over her shoulder at her husband. “Oh, please. Don’t listen to my hubby, Haddie. He’s just a sore loser because he and Carson bet fifty bucks that us girls would share all our girl talk with them if they asked nicely.”

Jensen chuckles, his mock pain melting into a soft look as he gazes at his wife. “Hey, watch it, wifey. It was a calculated tactical investment.”

“Clearly,” Grace laughs, turning her full attention back to Hadley, her eyes sparkling with excitement. “Okay, what are you doing tonight? No excuses, because we are absolutely getting everyone together. This is a massive deal, and it is officially time to celebrate.”

Hadley’s brows shoot up toward her hairline. “What?”