Page 58 of Hockey Heart

“I have to go.”

“I know.” He sighed back, as if just the thought of it made him ache.

“I really don’t want to, though.”

“Let me drive you.”

“Sure, I’d like that.”

Outside, we sat in his car for a beautiful moment, both of us smiling shyly. Then our lips found each other again, and it all faded away. He wasn’t a hockey player or a fantasy anymore. He was just Hayden and, right now, he was mine. For the first time since I came back to Merryville, I wasn’t a teacher or a confused mess. I was his. And that mountain of a man had let his heart soften until it had melted into mine.

Love had leveled us. Now, it might just heal us.

32

BALL BABE?

Cara

To hell with this. It was time for me to leave. Not just Merryville, but perhaps a part of me behind too.

I might tell you that you’ve got the wrong idea of me, that we all do terrible things every day, and that you’re no different. But that’s not entirely true. Yes, I do terrible things, but the fact is, I enjoyed doing them. That, at least, I can admit to. Can you?

And why change when you always get what you want? The thing was, though, I wasn’t so sure I did get what I wanted anymore. Or even what it was I wanted in the first place.

I was shockingly brilliant at being a thorn in people’s lives, but that was proving to be a lot less fun than it used to be. Because, like I already said (keep up, will you?), I always got what I wanted.

But Solly, Hayden, somehow all of them were now getting everything they wanted. And maybe, if I really care to think about it, this time I hadn’t.

I mean, Hayden and that goofy teacher, what the heck was up with that? Those gooey eyes they were giving each other all night at the ball were beyond nauseating. Then I’d heard them stumbling in that night like lovestruck teenagers, despite my best efforts.

On the bright side, she would be better for Maiden than I ever would be, and that kid deserved the world. One I couldn’t give him. Too selfish. Too unmotherly. I can admit that too. But don’t think I’m so cold that I don’t care.

And look, it’s not that I didn’t want Hay to be happy either, but not if I wasn’t. And I hadn’t been for a while. Happy, that is. So, sure, maybe I made things a little hard for him sometimes, and you can judge me all you want for that. But he’s a goddamn hockey player! He could handle a little rough and tumble, couldn’t he?

Then, of course, there was that whole drama with Solly. Who I’d helped out, but only after I’d helped myself to him first. Now he’d gone crawling back cowering to that neurotic and jealous wife of his. All of it made me feel like I really wasn’t on my game anymore.

But, if they can change, I can too. Don’t get me wrong. I’m not softening up. When one door closes, another opens, and there’s a new door already opening on the West Coast for me. I’m about to board for LAX, where Logan Beattie will be picking me up. Yes, THE Logan Beattie. What’s the baseball equivalent of a puck bunny anyway? A ball babe? Well, whatever it was, I was about to find out. It was time to move on to something new.

Maybe you’ll think I’m delusional (I really couldn’t care less by the way),but in a funny way, I’d helped all this come about, hadn’t I? So give credit where it’s due. Everyone is happy because ofme. Queen Cara. So, I’ll gracefully accept your applause right now.

Perhaps we’ll see each other again, when you’re handing me my coffee, packing my groceries, trying to clean my windscreen at traffic lights, or whatever it is you regular people do. Hey, we can’t all be me.

33

COULD THIS BE?

Sarah

“…After that heavy hit, it looks like Hayden and Sampson are about to renew their rivalry from last season, get ready for some heavy hitting from these two heavyweights… Oh, wait! What’s happening here? Hayden Raynor, hockey’s bad boy, refuses to drop the gloves! For the third game running, the Hellraiser has declined the invitation! I can’t believe what I’m seeing… The crowd are on their feet howling as Raynor turns and points a glove toward someone in the crowd…

What a change we’ve seen in this player. His most goals and assists in a season since he joined the team. He looks sharp, focused, not the brawler we all know!”

Hayden turned off the game highlights and sunk his head under the bubbles of the hot tub, rising back up through the steam like my own personal fantasy come to life. Six months later, and I still had those giddy feelings about him.

“More Champagne, my lady?”

“Sure. I still can’t believe you haven’t seen The Holiday!”

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