Page 19 of The Hat Trick

She rolls her eyes at me. “Why wouldn’t you?”

“Because it’s not like it’s going to make a difference,” I shrug.

“You should text him something at least,” she insists.

‘Why?” I complain.

“Give me your phone.”

I don’t get a chance to stop her because she snatches my phone from the table and is already typing something out. I try to grab it back, but she moves away from me, and before I know it, she announces she’s done. She tosses my phone onto my lap, and I see what she did.

“Audrey!” I yell.

“What?” She pretends to look innocent, but there was nothing innocent about the text she just sent.

Chandler: Good luck tonight, if you win, you might get a surprise. *Wink emoji*

“You’re fired from being my best friend,” I tell her.

“Yeah, yeah, you can pay me back by setting me up with number thirty-six.”

She’s not getting any favors from me right now. The game starts, and we watch as the guys get into position on the ice. Vince is one of them, along with Matt and Brent, though they are both forwards.

The first period flies by without either team scoring a goal, and during the intermission my phone signals a text message. I dive for it before Audrey gets the chance, because I refuse to have her send anything for me again.

Vince: Careful, if we win, then whatever you have in mind might become a ritual for me each and every game.

I tamp down the butterflies in my stomach that emerge from what he’s saying. I don’t reply, and part of me hopes they don’t win because I’m a little afraid of what that will mean for me.

* * *

They won.

It ended up being a great game. Both teams tied three-to-three until the last minute when Matt scored the winning goal, and the other team wasn’t able to score.

Matt does an interview at the end of the game, talking about how they pulled through, and going on about teamwork which I know is bullshit coming from him. He pushes his sweat soaked hair from his face, and I hate to admit how sexy it looks. The man is hot, there’s no denying it, but he’s such a dick it’d be good to remember that. He’s probably going to have an assembly line of women he’s fucking tonight, especially after what just happened.

A weird pang of jealousy hits me when I think about Vince, and how that could be him tonight as well. There’s nothing stopping him. I know it’s a stupid feeling. I could go fuck anyone I wanted right now. We aren’t together. But the thought doesn’t sit right with me, and I don’t like it.

Audrey and I go into our respective rooms, and Vince has yet to call or text me. I’m sure he’s busy celebrating, whatever that means for him, and I’m going to leave it alone.

I get ready for bed, and as I’m drying my face my phone rings in my bedroom. When I see who it is, I debate sending him to voicemail. But I don’t.

“Congratulations on the win,” I greet him.

“Thanks, I’ve been waiting for this surprise from you.” I hear the humor in his voice. I can’t deny I like that about him. He seems so easy going, and it’s hard not to be drawn to it.

“Oh, um, well, I don’t know.”

“Switch to FaceTime.”

I think about denying him, but decide to do it anyway, and when the call switches over I’m greeted by Vince laying on a bed, a thick muscular arm draped behind his head. He’s obviously shirtless, his hair a messy mop of curls I remember tugging on.

“This works for me,” he says with a smile.

“Has anyone told you that you’re too much?” I roll my eyes.

“Too much of what? Handsomeness?” he jokes.

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