Page 92 of My Best Bet

“You’re okay,” I whispered in her ear, even though she was still asleep. “I’m right here with you, baby. I’ve got you.”

After a few minutes, her breathing evened and she was silently sleeping again.

An intense wave of relief and satisfaction rushed through me knowing that I was able to fully comfort her, and I vowed right then that I’d make it all fade if she’d let me.

28.Mer - Coming Home

After that weekend, there wasn’t a day that we didn’t see each other. Colt was consistently making plans for us every day, finding me at the rink dressed in his sweats with a backwards hat and an adorable grin on his face, asking if I wanted dinner with him and Lucy, asking if I wanted to stop by the cider mill with them, and inviting me to bonfires at his house.

Because of all his plans, I didn’t really have space to overthink everything, and I was barely spending any time at my place. My apartment had become a glorified closet at this point.

“Do you think that’s bad?” I asked Piper one day in the locker room. “That I'm spending every night over at his place? Like maybe I'm jumping in too quickly?” It just didn’t feel real, that we could have this much happiness again.

Piper sat in thought for a second. She maneuvered to lay down on the bench and she kicked her skates up on the locker room wall like she’d done millions of times as a teen back at Centre Ice. “Does it make you happy?”

“Yes.” I loved spending time with him and Lucy. I loved falling asleep in his arms.

“Then fuck the rest,” she said with a shrug.

“Yeah, fuck the rest,” I said, feeling a dopey grin take over my face.

Piper laughed. “Your face, Mer.”

“I know!” I covered my eyes with my gloved hands, feeling stupid for feeling so giddy. “I just didn’t think I could feel this way anymore.”

“I love it.” She gave me a kind smile. “You’re happy.”

I was… but my heart stilled as I studied my best friend. “Are you?” I asked gently.

“I will be.” A wicked grin overtook her face. “When I win that gold.”

“You will,” I told her with confidence.

She blew out a breath. “Yeah, Patrick just needs to get his butt back here so we can train.”

My eyebrows knit together in confusion because I thought Patrick was supposed to be back already. But looking at Piper, she didn’t seem too worried about it, so I pushed the concern aside.

Later that day, I went to the cider mill with the guys and Lucy. Colt held my hand while Lucy ran ahead in her cute overalls and boots to the playground. JP and Kappy flanked her sides.

“The little princess and her bodyguards,” I said with a laugh, hugging Colt’s arm.

“Yeah.” He arched an amused eyebrow at his buddies, who were seemingly having just as much fun on the playground as Lucy.

After purchasing donuts, cider, and other warm drinks, we all sat on a bench overlooking a little pond. Kappy was telling a story when he cut himself off with a shriek that sounded like it came from a little girl. He started batting at the air like a crazy person.

“A wasp! It’s a wasp, guys!” he yelled in panic as he ran away from us.

A second later, JP went still by my side.

“What?” My eyes widened.

With a frown on his face, Colt calmly reached out and grabbed somethingin my hair,then threw it to the ground before stomping on it.

“Was itonme?!” I yelped.

Colt smirked. “Not anymore.”

“That was…” I looked at his strong jawline and the slight curl to his hair, “very attractive.”

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