Page 67 of They All Puck Me

I pull out my phone, fingers flying over the keys as I type a quick text to Ethan. “Meet us at the rink. We need to talk. It’s important.”

"What are you doing?" Liam asks.

"We're figuring it the fuck out." I say with a smile.

"Jesus Christ, impatient are we," he says with laugh.

Liam and I wait in the empty arena, the hum of the refrigeration system filling the silence. I glance at him, seeing the same tension in his eyes that I feel in my gut.

“You think he’ll actually show?” Liam asks, breaking the silence.

I shrug. “Only one way to find out.”

A few minutes later, Ethan walks in, his expression wary but curious. He’s got that brooding look, like he’s ready to bolt at any moment.

“What’s this about?” Ethan asks, crossing his arms.

Liam and I exchange a quick look before I step forward. “We need to talk about Olivia.”

Ethan’s eyes narrow slightly. “What about her?”

“We've already established we both don't want to lose her,” Liam starts, his voice steady but serious. “And we know you don't either.”

"Even though I think you don't have a soul." Liam interjects.

"What the hell?" Ethan asks, a look of confusion etched across his face.

"Just ignore his ass. He's had one too many."

Ethan’s jaw tightens, but he doesn’t say anything.

“So we were thinking,” I continue. “This situation is complicated as hell, but maybe there’s a way to make it work for all of us.”

Ethan raises an eyebrow, clearly skeptical. “You’re suggesting… what exactly?”

“An arrangement,” Liam says bluntly. “We all care about Olivia. She cares about us. Maybe she doesn't have to choose between us… and we don't have to choose between her and hockey.”

Ethan stares at us like we’ve lost our minds. For a moment, I think he’s going to laugh or punch us both in the face.

But instead, he surprises me by listening quietly as we explain our idea in more detail. When we finish, there’s a long silence.

Ethan finally speaks, his voice low and measured. “I never thought I’d say this, but… I’m in if you are.”

Relief floods through me. This might just work.

Liam nods slowly, a hint of a smile tugging at his lips. “Hell yes.”

Ethan looks between us, a rare smile breaking through his usually stern expression. “This is gonna be one hell of a ride.”

“No shit,” I say with a laugh, feeling lighter than I have in weeks.

Liam speaks up. "Let's hit the ice for a bit, I do my best thinking with a stick in my hands."

"Fucking neanderthal." Ethan mumbles as he heads towards the rink.

The ice beneath our skates feels almost soothing as we stand in the center, not moving, just talking. Liam crosses his arms over his broad chest, his eyes flicking between Ethan and me. It's a little awkward, but there's also a strange sense of camaraderie forming.

"So," Liam starts, breaking the silence. "How do we make this work without tearing each other apart?"

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