Page 3 of What If We Do

“You already have the tickets, don’t you?”

“Yeah.”

She sits back in her chair with a smile and gestures to my phone. “Then get on that thing and invite someone to go with you and take that fucking trip. Go. Have a fucking blast without the man who is footing the bill. Do all the things. You can consider it revenge if you want to, but really, you deserve to get away and do something that makes your soul happy.”

The idea of attending the Halloween party without Mark does excite me to some level, but “Who would I ask to be my plus one?”

Maria shrugs. “Anybody. Put it on your platforms. See if you get a bite. My guess is someone out there wouldn’t mind a free trip to New Orleans and to one of the biggest Halloween parties of the year.”

“You mean you guys don’t want to go?”

Jess shakes her head. “Babe, you’re a social media influencer and your followers love you! Take them on this trip and showall those jilted lovers out there that this is how you stand up and take what you deserve. Scarlett Dayne doesn’t just lay down and take it up the ass. She deserves the foreplay. The fun. The excitement. The adventure. You can do this.”

A smile broadens across my face. “You know, I think you might be right.”

“Hell, yes, I’m right.” She gives me a high five. “Now let’s work on what you’re going to say and how you’re going to choose and then we’ll create the perfect video for you to put out there.”

I swallow down my mimosa, because what’s better to drink when you’ve been drinking for days and you’re hung over than more alcohol and sit up in my chair. “Let’s get to work.”

Chapter 2

Oliver

When the siren goes off the team hits the ice in celebration of our win. A hard-fought game for sure, but we had no injuries tonight and that surely paid off with a victory against Phoenix.

“This game goes to Bear!” I exclaim when we enter the locker room. I give our burly goalie a fist bump and a bro hug as the team cheers him on. “Expertly maneuvered game tonight, man. You were on fire tonight.”

“Yeah, my knees will be telling me that through the next four ice baths, but I wouldn’t have it any other fucking way. We do what we gotta do to take what’s ours.”

Barrett “The Bear” Cunningham joined the team last year from Toronto as our starting goalie after our goalie of six years was traded. We weren’t sure how things were going to go with him given his new status on the team, but he’s shown us every step of the way that he deserves the job and he excels at it. It’s been an absolute pleasure having him on the team.

“You deserve a beer after tonight, Bear!” Griffin caps his shoulder. “First one’s on me.”

“I may be a little late,” he tells us. “Ice bath first, then stretches before I shower and get out of here.”

“No problem, man.” I tell him with a nod. “Take your time. We’ll see you at Jay’s?”

He nods. “I’ll be there.”

___

Since we don’t board the plane for New Orleans until eleven tomorrow, we all celebrate with a beer and the juiciest fucking burger Jay’s Sports Bar can whip up and they do not disappoint.

“What the fuck is she doing now?” Ledger says, shaking his head at his phone. The baffled smirk on his face tells me he’s not as pissed as he sounds.

“She who?” I swallow my bite. “You’re not still creeping all over Marlee’s social media are you?” Marlee Remington works in the front office and has for a couple of years now. She’s the Events and Operations Manager, which means every event that includes a member of the team goes through her. She knows where every one of us is supposed to be, when we’re supposed to be there and what we’re supposed to be doing. We see her daily if not every couple of days and it’s no secret Ledger has eyes for her. “Honestly why don’t you just ask her out already?”

Ignoring my question completely, he shakes his head and answers, “No. Not Marlee. My cousin.”

“Who’s your cousin? She famous?”

“Depends on who you ask, I guess. Her name is Scarlett Dayne. She’s an influencer so I guess to a large enough group of people out there, she’s famous, yeah. She’s the one I mentioned last week. The one with the wedding.”

I snap my fingers after recalling his story. “Oh yeah, the one who got left at the altar?”

“Yep. That’s the one.”

Cringing, I lift my beer and take another gulp. “That must’ve been a terrible day for her.”

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