Page 59 of The Hat Trick

Our eyes stay glued to the screen throughout the second period. Brent ends up scoring with Vince assisting and they end the second period with a tied score. During the intermission Brent’s face fills the screen while the reporter interviews him. I watch enthralled as his deep voice talks about how the team is planning to go into the last period. The interview isn’t long, and he ends up thanking the reporter before walking away.

“You have a little drool.” Audrey reaches out to touch my cheek, and I slap her hand away jokingly.

“Shut up,” I laugh.

“Seriously, give me something about them, any of them. My life is so boring,” she complains.

“Oh whatever, your life isn’t boring.”

“Compared to yours, yes, it is. At least tell me who’s the best, oh, or the biggest.” She wiggles her eyebrows, and I can’t help the laughter that pours out of me.

“They are all different, I don’t know. Vince is really sweet, Matt is an asshole and Brent is…in control.” I don’t know how else to describe him. I feel like he holds back a lot of the things he wants and puts others needs above his own. He’s the anomaly of the group, but I am here for everything he does and how he controls me.

“Hot.”

I throw a pillow at her while we laugh.

The game is back on, and the guys on both teams are playing hard trying to be the first to score so they are no longer tied. The other team gets a penalty for tripping one of the Denver players that I’m not as familiar with. Unfortunately, no one scores on the power play and as the clock counts down it gets more and more stressful.

With only two minutes left a Dragons player, seventeen, gets the puck and is skating across the ice, ahead of everyone else. We are on the edge of our seats as he skates ahead, shoots and scores.

We scream in excitement that our team is now winning. The other players on the ice skate up to him, hugging and celebrating. One of them being Matt, and the rare smile on his face makes my stomach flutter. I don’t know why, but something about seeing a genuine happy smile from him is so different from his cocky grin he seems to give everyone else. Especially me.

After a close call, the other team doesn’t score, and the Dragons win two against one. The whole team comes onto the ice to celebrate, hugging their goalie and it makes me smile.

“So, who’s getting the celebratory FaceTime?” Audrey asks, giving me side eyes.

I pretend to think before answering, “None. I’m sure they will be out partying to celebrate.”

“Does that make you jealous?”

I shrug. “I’m sleeping with three of them, I don’t really have anything to be jealous of if they choose to do the same.”

I hate the way my stomach hurts at the thought, but I push it down. Casual, that’s what this is. They are hot professional hockey players in their twenties. They can do whatever they want. At least that’s what I keep telling myself.

Audrey and I clean up the little mess we made before heading upstairs to our own bedrooms. After I shower and change into my sleep shirt I lay down in bed, fully prepared to read a couple chapters before going to bed. I glance at my phone to see a missed call and text from Vince, and another text from Brent.

For some reason my cheeks heat slightly while I read their messages.

Vince: I hope you’re not already sleeping, I wanted to see what I got for winning.

Brent: Have a good night, beautiful.

I chuckle at their differing responses. I also tamper down the slight disappointment that there isn’t anything from Matt. I don’t have any delusions about him, though. What happened before was probably just that and I’m not going to think it will continue.

Plus, two men is plenty to juggle.

I respond to Brent first because I anticipate Vince might call me once I respond to him, unless he’s already busy with something else.

Chandler: Thank you, good game tonight. Glad you were able to get the team in line.

Then, I text Vince.

Chandler: I’m not sleeping. I was actually in the shower.

His reply is almost instant.

Vince: Tell me more.

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