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Chapter 1
Cammy
“Look, Cammy, you’re a nice girl. Easy on the eyes. And I tried to give it a chance,” he says around a yawn he doesn’t bother covering. “You know, gotta respect the single mom and all. But I’m just not feeling it.”
Gah, me either.
Zipping my parka against the biting January night air outside Wagner Arena, I nod as fans stream out around us. “I understand.”
Iunderstandthat I should have held out longer with the hockey tickets. Stretched it another month, maybe even two. But he was persistent,whiny, and fine, I felt guilty about using him. Even knowing he was using me for my connections to the Slayers hockey team.
Why did I think this was a good idea?
I’m a romantic. And despite a pretty rotten track record when it comes to guys—present company included, thank you—I still believe in happily ever afters.
This guy was no candidate.
He does that neck-twitch thing that drives me nuts and winces. “You gonna be okay getting home on your own?”
Seriously?I blow out a steamed breath and force a polite smile. “I’m fine.”
Sympathy shines in his eyes and I kind of want to puke a little. “Keep your chin up.”
* * *
“Bullshit!”George snaps from across our table in the back of the Five Hole. “If you’re going to break up with someone, you do itbeforethe game. Not after. Never after. Is he here tonight?” Straightening in her seat, she scowls toward the front end of the bar. “I bet he’s here.”
“He is.” I huff, picking at the damp label on my beer. “A couple friends were waiting for him when he finished dumping me. It was super awkward walking fifteen feet behind them all the way from the arena to the bar.”
“This is why I avoided dating hockey fans,” Natalie groans, absently rolling the fat diamond on her finger. “It’s so hard to read when they’re really into you instead of being into your brother—or brother-in-law in your case.” Her brows furrow. “No wait—Julia had that thing so Greg donated his tickets tonight. George and I sat in Vaughn’s. Whose seats were you in?”
“Rux’s.”
Pinching her lips together against a laugh, she shakes her head. “Oh man, he’s going to be pissed.”
“So pissed,” George gleefully agrees, clinking her beer with each of ours.
Six more bottles land on the table as Quinn O’Brian leans in between them. “Hey Georgeous, who’s gonna be pissed?”
The girls are out of their seats in a flash, George throwing her arms around Quinn’s neck, and Natalie giggling as Vaughn Vassar sweeps her into his. It takes another minute before Rux clears the crowd. He’s tall and broad, dressed in one of his gorgeous custom post-game suits, chestnut hair combed back, but it’s that cocky smile that sets him apart. This guy. Even as he drops into the seat beside me, fans are still slapping his back.
Slinging a powerful arm around me, he flashes a huge grin. “You see it?”
“Nice breakaway.” It was beautiful. Tie game with thirty-seven seconds left in the third, and he scored the winning goal.
Pulling me in tight, he presses a quick kiss into my hair and then leans back, looking around. “Where’s what’s-his-name?”
“You mean The Blip?” George offers, getting comfy in her man’s lap. “Probably jerking it to a selfie from your seats.”
These girls are the best.
Rux leans back with a satisfied smile. “You finally drop his ass?”
I choke on a swallow of beer.
This time Nat is the one chiming in. “Not exactly.”
No more smile.
