Page 110 of Pucking Amazing

I manage a small smile at her words. Selena always knows what to say to make me feel better, even just a little. I may have resigned in disgrace, torpedoed my own career...but at least I still have my sister by my side. Her unfailing support means everything.

We continue walking as the cool breeze ruffles our hair. I’m still reeling, my professional future as shaky as my legs in these worn-out sneakers. But Selena’s right about one thing, at least—I can’t let myself spiral.

I have to pick myself back up somehow.

I loop my arm tighter through hers as we turn the corner. The future terrifies me...but for now, I’ll face it one step at a time, with my sister at my side and an iced coffee in my hand.

It’s a start.

CHAPTER 39

TYLER

I slide in across from DJ at the tiny table, our knees knocking beneath. The cafe near the arena bustles with the usual lunchtime rush but it all fades away as I meet his troubled gaze. He looks as exhausted and heartsick as I am.

“Any luck?” I ask, already dreading the answer.

DJ shakes his head grimly. “Nada. Straight to voicemail again. Texts still on ‘unread.’ It’s like she’s vanished off the face of the earth, bro.”

I scrub a hand over my face. “Fuck. What are we gonna do, man? We can’t lose her. Not like this.”

“I know.” DJ toys with the wrapper from his sandwich, jaw clenched. “It’s killing me, Ty. I can’t stop thinking about her, worrying if she’s okay. If she hates us now.”

“She doesn’t hate us,” I insist, though uncertainty gnaws at my gut. “Sydney’s just...processing. So much has happened. She needs time.”

“And space, apparently.” DJ’s voice cracks and he looks away, blinking hard. “Away from us.”

My chest constricts. It physically pains me to see him hurting like this. Impulsively, I reach across the table and grip his hand.

“Hey. Look at me.” I wait until DJ’s glistening eyes meet mine. “We’re gonna fix this, alright? Failure is not an option. Not when it comes to Sydney.”

He swallows thickly. “I want to believe that, but...what if we can’t fix it? What if we pushed her away for good? I mean…she resigned. It can’t get more final than that, right?”

I refuse to even entertain that possibility. “Nope. I won’t accept that. We fight for what we want, remember? And there is nothing I want more than the three of us, together. We’ll make her see how much she means to us. Whatever it takes. We’ve just gotta make it through the playoffs and then we can focus on getting our girl back.”

DJ searches my face for a long moment before managing a small nod. “Okay. You’re right. We can’t give up.” He squeezes my hand. “Thanks, Ty.”

I squeeze back, mustering up a smile I don’t quite feel. The thought of flying off tomorrow and facing our biggest rivals without Sydney by our side just doesn’t feel right.

This can’t be how our story ends. Not when it feels like we’re just getting started.

The next day I’m staring out the airplane window watching the clouds below, lost in thought.

“You okay, man?” DJ asks from the seat next to me, nudging my arm.

“Yeah, just...thinking about Sydney.”

DJ sighs. “I know. Me too. But she’ll come around. It’s like you said, we’ll figure out how to get through to her.” He rests a reassuring hand on my shoulder, his touch lingering.

I glance over at him and manage a half-smile. “I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

“Probably be even more of a moody goalie,” he teases with a wink.

I roll my eyes but can’t help chuckling. “Whatever, dude. You love that I’m dark and broody.”

“Among other things...” DJ murmurs, his gaze heated as it roves over me. I inhale sharply, my body reacting to the fire in his eyes despite the swirl of nerves in my stomach. Damn, if only we were alone…

My filthy mind would love to drag him into the bathroom and join the mile high club, but these toddler-sized airplane toilets barely fit one fully grown professional athlete, let alone two. That would be quite the show for everyone.

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