Page 24 of Tangled Vows

“Damn, it sucks he got hurt so early in the season,” Kent mused. He was met with a chorus of mumbled agreements.

An awkward silence descended over the group, our expressions somber as I was sure we were all reliving the moment Quinn got hurt. He’d managed to keep their center from scoring and wore a huge smile as Weiss helped him off the ice, but that saved point wasn’t worth him getting injured.

“I have an idea,” Kent announced, clapping his hands together to get everyone’s attention. Reaching behind him, he pulled out a glass bottle and several small plastic cups from his bag. He lined up five cups and began pouring shots into them.“We’re going to play never have I ever.” He passed the shots around, and everyone silently took them.

“Are these mouthwash cups?” Shayla asked.

“That’s all I had,” Kent replied with a shrug.

“Uh, won’t we get in trouble?” Slater asked, glancing around nervously. He technically wasn’t old enough to drink, but being a pro hockey player tended to offer these guys some leniency as long as they were discreet about it.

Kent waved him off. “The hot tub is open for another forty-five minutes. No one is going to come snooping around until it’s time to close. We can get at least a couple rounds in before that.”

“Alright, if you say so,” Slater replied warily.

“I’ll go first,” Kent said, then tapped his chin as though he didn’t already know what he would say. “Never have I ever sucked a cock.”

A choked sound left Shayla’s mouth, and she coughed. Dr. Norton reached over and gave her a couple gentle pats on the back while attempting to hide her amusement. Once she was composed, she brought the shot to her lips. She and Doc slung theirs back in unison. A spike of jealousy speared through my middle. I didn’t like the thought of Shayla’s lips wrapped around another man’s dick. Of course, I realized how ridiculous that was. I had no claim to her, and she surely wasn’t a virgin. But still, the idea of her with someone else sent white hot envy coursing through my veins.

“Alright, Walker, you’re next,” Kent said as he refilled the two lady’s cups.

“Okay,” I began, completely unprepared for what I would contribute to this game. Then I remembered what I had the misfortune of seeing in the locker room earlier. “Never have I ever had my genitals pierced,” I proclaimed, smirking at Kent.

He returned the gesture and drained his shot. To my surprise, so did Dr. Norton.

“Fuuuck,” Slater groaned and ran a hand over his face at the same time Kent hooted a, “Hell yeah!” Shayla’s eyes were wide as she took in her friend.

“I had no idea,” she half whispered, stunned.

“You’re not exactly my type, so I never thought to show you,” Claire replied cheekily with a wink.

Slater was up next. “Never have I ever had a threesome,” he admitted sheepishly. Everyone but Shayla took a shot. I avoided her gaze as I drained my drink.

It was Shayla’s turn next. “Never have I ever,” she began, tilting her head thoughtfully. Her gaze landed on me, and I held my breath, awaiting what she would say. “Had a one-night stand,” she finished, keeping her eyes trained on me. I’d known that night we met she wasn’t used to doing things like that, and I could kick myself for what went down. I could’ve been her first. Now, it was possible she could give that honor to someone else. And I wanted to kill him, whoever he was.

Everyone but Shayla tossed back their shot. At this point, Dr. Norton had to be getting tipsy. She was the only one who’d had to drink each time, and now it was her turn. Was there anything left that she hadn’t done? But she was ready, and she brought out the big guns.

“Never have I ever,” she began, a sly smile tugging up one side of her mouth, “hooked up with a coworker.”

I nearly flinched as a curse worked its way up my throat, but I swallowed it down. She was watching me as if she knew what happened between Shayla and me. Had Shayla confided in her?

My gaze flicked to Shayla who held stock still, just like I did. She wasn’t drinking. Neither would I. Technically, we hadn’t hooked up. It was just a kiss. The most incredible kiss I’d ever had in my life, but still. We didn’t have sex, not even oral. My dick never entered her body, so it didn’t count. Right?

Dr. Norton’s gaze bounced between Shayla and me as I deliberated. No one else drank, but I felt the heat of their stares on my face. Kent and Slater remained silent as tension slithered around us. They all knew something was up, but they couldn’t prove it, and I wasn’t admitting anything. The ball was in Shayla’s court. I just kept waiting for her to pick it up to play.

20

SHAYLA

“Did you take your vitamins yet?” I asked my mom, handing her a mug of peppermint tea and a sleeve of saltines. She was nearly a month into her first round of chemo, and the nausea medicine they prescribed her only worked for so long. Her infusion yesterday had left her even more weak and sick than usual. Her hair had begun to fall out, and though she put on a brave front in front of us girls, I could tell it bothered her.

“I did,” she assured me with a soft smile. I was doing my best to look after her and ensure she took all her medications and supplements on time. She’d already lost weight, and I didn’t want her to become malnourished. The chemo was already so hard on her. I needed her as strong and healthy as possible. I needed her to pull through this.

My phone buzzed from the coffee table, and I looked down to see a text from Claire.

Doc: A few of us are heading to Raging Richmond after the game. Want to come with?

Me: I’m almost afraid to ask but … what is Raging Richmond?

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