Page 39 of Summer with a Player

"Seems like it," Elle agrees, smiling warmly as we all work to set up our little seaside paradise for the day.

We settle into our beach chairs and take in the beautiful view of Love Beach. Damn, I’m lucky to have such amazing friends – and, of course, Elle by my side.

I lean back in my beach chair, feeling the warm sand between my toes. Elle stretches out beside me with her head leaned back and her eyes closed, taking in the sun’s rays.

"Hey, did I ever tell you guys about the time Asher accidentally walked into the women's locker room?" Dakota asks, grinning mischievously.

"Wait, what?!" Elle exclaims, laughter bubbling up in her throat.

"Ugh, not this again," I groan, rubbing my temples. "It was an honest mistake, I swear."

"Sure, Jet, keep telling yourself that," Ryder smirks, playfully nudging me with his elbow.

"Alright, alright," I concede, throwing up my hands in surrender. "Maybe it wasn't so accidental, but can you blame a guy for trying?"

"Only if he gets caught," Kaleb chimes in, chuckling under his breath.

All our laughter mingles with the sound of crashing waves and distant seagulls. I’m grateful for these moments I get to spend with people I care about. It's easy to forget the pressures of the hockey world when we're all together like this, just enjoying each other's company and soaking up the sun.

"Hey, how about we get a game of beach volleyball going?" I suggest, ready to engage in some friendly competition.

"Sounds good to me," Dakota agrees, standing up and brushing the sand off his shorts. "I'm always ready to school you guys on the court."

"Bring it on," Elle says, her eyes sparkling with determination as she rises from her chair. "You might be surprised by what I can do."

"Is that a challenge, Levine?" I tease, raising an eyebrow.

"Consider it one," she replies, tossing her hair over her shoulder. "Let's see if you can keep up with me."

We divide into teams, Elle and I on one side, while Dakota, Ryder, and Kaleb form the opposing trio. The game quickly becomes intense, our playful banter mixing with shouts of encouragement and friendly rivalries.

I steal a glance at Elle. Her cheeks are flushed, her hair wild and windswept. She catches my eye and grins, that carefree happiness shining through.

"Hey, Jet, focus!" Ryder calls from across the net, snapping me back to reality.

"Sorry, got distracted," I admit sheepishly, repositioning myself for the next serve.

"Can't say I blame you," Kaleb mutters under his breath, smirking knowingly. But despite his teasing, there's an undercurrent of loneliness in his gaze – one I know all too well from my own search for intimacy and connection.

"Alright, let's finish this," I declare, tossing the volleyball into the air and serving it with a powerful swing.

As we play on, the sun sinking ever lower toward the horizon, I'm reminded of the great moments with friends. I'm determined to hold onto them as tightly as I can, knowing they're what truly matters in the end.

The bonfire roars to life, as we gather around it. The smell of burning wood fills my nostrils, mingling with the salty sea air. I glance over at Elle, who's sitting beside me, her eyes reflecting the firelight like emerald jewels.

"Hey," she whispers, snuggling up against my side. I wrap an arm around her, pulling her close. "This is perfect."

"Yeah," I agree, pressing a soft kiss to her temple. "It really is."

As we roast marshmallows, laughter bubbles up around the fire, conversations mingling with the crackling of wood and the distant crash of waves. Dakota tells a particularly embarrassing story about Ryder, leaving us all in stitches.

"Okay, okay," Ryder interrupts, chuckling. "Enough with the past humiliations. Let's talk about something else."

"Like what?" I ask, popping a gooey marshmallow into my mouth.

Ryder hesitates, looking around at our expectant faces. There's a look in his eyes that I haven't seen before; it makes me curious, and a little concerned. "Well... I've been keeping something to myself for a while now. I think it's time I shared it with you guys."

"Go on," Dakota encourages, curiosity piqued.

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