Page 129 of Pinkie Promise

“You should have just told her, Hunter.”

“I am very fucking aware of that, Mom.”

She takes the newspaper from under my arm and gives me another little whip across my pecs.

I breathe out a laugh and drop my head.

Then she does something that I didn’t see coming. She tosses the paper on the cabinet beside us and wraps her arms around my middle, pressing her cheek gently to my chest.

I circle her shoulders with my forearms, willing away the stinging behind my eyes as I rest my cheek against her head.

“You’ll figure it out,” she tells me quietly, before giving me a reassuring squeeze. “Don’t hound her, though. She might need a little time to wrap her head around how illogical her silly boyfriend is.”

I don’t like the idea of giving Fallon time. Especially not when I’m supposed to be winning the Frozen Four finaltomorrowand it’s only worth winning if Fallon is there with me.

“I’m going to head to her place and try to talk to her,” I decide, already making my way back around the counter.

My mom follows behind me. “What if she doesn’t let you in?”

Damn, I hadn’t thought of that.

“Think she’ll hate me even more if I break her door down?” I ask.

“Hunter, you have a huge game tomorrow. It would probably be a good thing if you try not to get arrested before then.”

Fuck, fine.

Then I’ll try the condo and, if she doesn’t let me in, I’ll call her. And if she doesn’t pick up, I’ll text her.

And then I’ll just hope and pray that I see her tomorrow in the stands.

Because if she isn’t there, then I’ll have my answer.

Chapter 32

Hunter

I pull the last stripe of tape over the toe of my stick, yank the roll taut, and then cut it clean with a violent rip of my teeth.

“Uh, okay,” Tanner says, tentatively confiscating the roll from my hand.

I don’t bother looking at him as I start tearing the tape off, but I can feel his worried eyes on my face as I sort out my stick. Irony is,Tannershould be the player that everyone is worried about due to the fact that he should still be on injury rest – although no way is anyone going to stop him from at least one period on the ice when he’s worked as hard as any of us to get our team to the position that we’re in right now.

Caden has been in charge of the pre-game playlist so we’re buzzed to the point of fucking cardiac arrest. I finish up with my stick, toss it beside me on the changing room bench, and then I pull my phone into my lap one more time, my jaw rigid and ticking as I stare at the blank screen.

According to her roommate, Fallon wasn’t at the condo when I pulled up yesterday evening, and she didn’t seem to be lying which was almost as bad as if she was.

I mean, what’s worse? Your girlfriend not wanting to see you because you acted like a lovesick idiot before you were even a couple, or your girlfriend not beingat homefor another reason entirely?

’Cause like… where the hell was she? She betternothave been at fucking Connell’s place because, if I find out that she was, I am punching that prick square in the jaw.

My next move was to call her but it went straight to the network, meaning that either she’d turned off her cell or the battery had died. Neither of those prospects made me any happier than her not being home.

I couldn’t exactly wait outside of her condo all night because, one, I’m not a fucking stalker and if the girl needs space then I’ll listen and give it to her. And two, yesterday evening the Rangers decided to pull a last-minute grind on the ice ahead of the big game. Being honest, I was damn grateful for it because it gave me a space to work off some of my pounding adrenaline.

I texted Fallon this morning hoping that, if her battery had died the day earlier, she would have charged it by now and she would be able to see my message telling her that I love her, and I’m sorry that I behaved like such an idiot.

I want more than anything for her to be in those stands for me, but I would understand if she wasn’t because I know I crossed a line. I came off too strong and it finally caught up to me.

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