Page 91 of From Wink to Kink

Lucy beams at Tyler, clearly proud. I, on the other hand, am speechless.

"Are you... are you giving me your blessing to date your teammate?" I ask, incredulous.

Tyler shrugs, a small smile playing at his lips. "I'm saying that if it's what you want, I've got your back. Both of you."

Tears prick at my eyes. "Thanks, Ty," I manage.

"Don't mention it," he says gruffly. Then, with a wicked grin, "Seriously, don't mention it. Especially not the part where I had to hear about my little sister's sexy retreat adventures."

We all laugh, the tension of the evening finally breaking. As we finish our meal, the conversation turns to wedding plans and hockey gossip.

Not surprisingly, my mind is elsewhere.

For the first time since I left Chuck's apartment, I let myself really consider the possibility of a future with him. It won't be easy.

As we leave the restaurant, I make a decision. Tomorrow, I'm going to talk to Chuck. Really talk to him. No more running, no more excuses.

47

RUBY

The streetlights blurpast as Tyler drives us home, the car filled with a comfortable after-dinner silence. Lucy's dozed off in the passenger seat, her head resting against the window. I'm in the back, my mind replaying the events of the evening—the laughter, the confessions, the unexpected support from my brother.

And then, out of nowhere, like a crack of lightning on a clear day, a thought hits me so hard it steals my breath…

I love Chuck.

Before I can process this earth-shattering realization, before I can clamp my mouth shut and pretend I never had this thought, the words come tumbling out of my mouth.

"Oh my God, I think I'm in love with Chuck."

The car swerves sharply, tires screeching as Tyler yanks the wheel, pulling us onto the shoulder of the road. Lucy jerks awake with a startled, "What happened!", looking around in confusion.

Tyler throws the car into park and whips around to face me, his eyes wide with disbelief. "You what?"

I clap my hands over my mouth, as if I could somehow stuff the words back in. But it's too late. They're out there, hanging in the air between us, impossible to take back.

"I... I don't know why I said that," I stammer, my heart racing. "I didn't mean to?—"

"Didn't mean to what, Ruby?" Tyler interrupts, his voice rising. "Didn't mean to fall for my teammate? Or didn't mean to blurt it out like that?"

"Both? Neither? I don't know!" Panic rises in my chest. This isn't me. I don't blurt out declarations of love. I analyze, I overthink, I make pro/con lists. I don't... I don't do this.

Lucy places a calming hand on Tyler's arm. "Ty, maybe we should?—"

But Tyler shakes her off, his gaze fixed on me. "Ruby, do you have any idea what you're saying? This is Chuck we're talking about. Chuck, who's been in more tabloid scandals than actual relationships. Chuck, who's one bar fight away from getting kicked off the team."

His words sting, partly because they echo my own fears, but mostly because they feel unfair. "That's not who he is," I argue, surprising myself with the vehemence in my voice. "You don't know him like I do."

Tyler scoffs. "I've known him a lot longer than you have, sis."

"Maybe," I shoot back, "but have you ever really talked to him? Like, really talked? Because I have. I've seen sides of him that I bet you've never even glimpsed."

"Oh, I bet you have," Tyler mutters, and I feel my face flame with a mixture of embarrassment and anger.

"That's not what I mean and you know it," I snap. "God, Tyler, why can't you just be happy for me?"

"Happy?" he repeats incredulously. "You want me to be happy that my little sister is in love with a guy who's more likely to end up in rehab than in a stable relationship?"

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