Page 125 of Pucking Revenge

“Ha ha. Hilarious, Colton. He knows I’m embarrassingly single, folks.”

“How is one embarrassingly single?”

“Embarrassingly single is the kind of single when you stay home alone and order takeout, yet still feel like you were out on a date because you watched the live posted by Brooks Langfield’s girlfriend, Sara, and her best friend, Lennox.”

“Oh, I might be that kind of single, then too.”

Eliza laughs. “To be fair, I’m fairly certain all of Boston was watching. The minute they went live, I was sure Lennox was holding the camera and that Brooks would drop to one knee.”

“They’ve only been together a few months.”

“So? They’re perfect together. It’s clear how much he loves her. It’s the sweetest thing ever. And did you hear his nickname for her? Crazy girl. Ugh, I can’t. It’s so cute.”

“Are we going to talk about hockey today? The Bolts are looking great, in case you were wondering.”

“You’re the one who asked about my Valentine’s Day…”

FORTY-THREE

BROOKS

Sara: I’m mad at you.

Me: You’re mad at me?

I smirk. This’ll be good.

Sara: Yeah, I’m mad at you because you don’t give me phone sex.

I cough to cover up my laugh. War snaps up straight beside me, so I spin so he won’t see my phone.

Me: Phone sex?

Sara: I’m sitting with Becca. She says she gets phone sex when the team is on the road.

This time, I laugh out loud, leaning against the lockers and shaking my head. War takes this moment of weakness to snatch the phone from my hand.

His eyes go wide, then he snorts as he scrolls through her commentary. “Oh, she’s typing again,” he warns.

I grab it back just in time to see the dancing dots turn into a message.

Sara: And don’t even come at me with the nonsense that I travel with you. I DESERVE PHONE SEX.

My chest rumbles, and I can’t wipe the smile off my face.

“What’d she say now?”

War grabs for the phone again, but I bolt upright and hold it to my chest.

“Come on, man. I want to smile. Let me smile.”

Still clutching the device, I shake my head. “Get your own girlfriend.”

This has been the status quo for the last few months. Pure happiness. Smiling. The team is playing as well as we did last year. Life with Sara is amazing.

We travel together, and when we’re in Boston and not at the arena, we’re wrapped up in one another. Cooking together, making love. We finished every season of Dawson’s Creek, and I’m not afraid to admit that I was fucking sweating at the end when I worried Joey might actually pick Dawson. If she had, it would have totally ruined Sara’s declaration of love.

But like Joey and Pacey, Sara and I are forever. Best friends and everything else.

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