Page 45 of Chasing the Puck

Suddenly, I’m starting to feel particularly charitable. I might just do Rhys a solid and tell him I’m willing to take the responsibility off his hands.

“Damn, Rhys. You look like shit.”

The burly defenseman turns to me, an eyebrow hitched. “Boy, Tuck, you know how to make a guy feel appreciated.”

“Don’t get me wrong. You’re still sexy as hell. I mean, that bad boy aura you’ve got with the tattoos and the messy dark hair that falls over your eyes? If I were into guys, I’d be ripping that towel off your waist right now.”

“I hate to eavesdrop,” Lane says, turning towards us from his locker. “But this is a strange conversation even for you, Tuck.”

“I’m just saying, Rhys looks tired. Worn out. Like he’s been working too hard, on and off the ice. It’s making me sympathetic. So sympathetic that I might … you know what, Rhys? I’ll do it. I’ll go to that stupid gala instead of you. You need the rest more than I do.”

Rhys folds his arms over his broad, ink-covered chest. “Why?”

“Why? What do you mean why?”

Rhys’ brow pinches, his eyes searching me. Geez, is it so hard to believe that I just want to do a solid for a good friend?

“It’s because Olivia’s gonna be there,” Hudson says, appearing suddenly and leaning against our row of lockers.

Damn it, Hudson.

“Huh? Who is? Olivia? Oh. That’s interesting.” I can hear my own voice well enough to know that I don’t share the acting talent of the woman in question. “I didn’t even know that.” I shrug. “I probably won’t even see her there. When I go. Because I’m going instead of Rhys. Because he needs the rest.”

Rhys rolls his lips thoughtfully. “You know what? I’m kind of looking forward to it. Nah, I’ll go.”

He turns around to his locker and steps into a pair of boxers underneath his towel before pulling on where he’s tied it to his waist and letting it fall to the ground.

“But … you don’t want to go!”

He shrugs. “Changed my mind.”

I know Rhys doesn’t want to go. Mingling with a bunch of academics and donors is his version of hell.

I know what he’s trying to do.

“You’re extorting me, aren’t you?” I grouse.

“Extortion? Tuck, do I seem like the type to extort a dear friend of mine?” He turns to me, his wry grin giving himself away.

“Yes.” My eyes narrow.

“I’m hurt. All I’m saying is, I’m really looking forward to the gala. I want to go so bad that it would take … persuading, for me to give my spot to someone else.”

“How much persuading?”

He pushes his tongue against his cheek and looks up to the ceiling in mock thoughtfulness. “I guess if someone did my laundry for a month … and took over my house chores for a month … I might consider it.”

“Done.”

Rhys laughs. “Wow, that was easy. I need to play poker with you sometime. I’d clean you out.”

Rhys can gloat all he wants. A couple extra chores and loads of laundry is a small price to pay for a miniature vacation with Olivia Lockley.

20

OLIVIA

Concord, New Hampshire is beautiful. It’s got the kind of New England small town vibes that I love so much about Cedar Shade, while being way bigger.

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