Page 44 of The Pucking Player

Jess’s grin widens. “I can tell. You’re glowing, Soph. It’s beautiful to see.”

For a moment, we sit in silence, the fire popping occasionally. Then Jess’s expression turns serious.

“You know we can’t tell Dad about this, right?”

I nod, my stomach clenching. “I know. He’d freak out.”

“Freak out is an understatement,” Jess says, grimacing. “He’d probably bench Liam for the rest of the season. Or worse, trade him to a team in Tennessee.”

I gasp. “He wouldn’t!”

Jess gives me a look. “This is Dad we’re talking about. The man who once threatened to install a moat around our house to keep boys away. Trust me, he’d do it.”

“But...but that would be terrible for the team,” I stammer.

“Exactly.” Jess nods. “Which is why, for now at least, this stays between us. And Liam, of course.”

I slump back into the couch, my mind reeling. “So, what do we do?”

Before Jess can answer, her phone buzzes. Once. Twice. Then it’s like a swarm of angry bees has taken up residence in her pocket. She frowns, fishing it out.

As she scrolls, the color drains from her face. Her eyes widen, darting back and forth across the screen.

“Jess?” I lean forward, my stomach dropping. “What is it?”

She looks up at me, her expression a mix of shock and...is that a hint of amusement? “So much for keeping it quiet.”

She turns her phone toward me. My jaw drops.

It’s an Instagram post. A series of photos, actually. Me and Liam, leaving the B&B. His hand on the small of my back. Us laughing as we navigate the snowy parking lot. The last one— oh God—shows Liam helping me into his car, but from the angle, it looks like we’re locked in an intimate embrace.

The caption reads: “Bad Boy of Hockey, Liam O’Connor, spotted with mystery brunette. New love interest? #LiamOConnor #NewGirl #HockeyHottie.”

“There’s more,” Jess says grimly, swiping to a TikTok video.

It’s a montage of clips from the gala, set to some pop song about secret love. There we are, dancing. Liam leaning in. Me laughing. The final clip shows us leaving together, Liam’s arm protectively around my shoulders as we brave the storm.

The comments are a mix of excitement, curiosity, and speculation.

OMG, Liam O’Connor is settling down?

Who is this girl? She’s gorgeous!

This is exactly what the team needs right now!

Liam in love = Defenders winning the Cup. Calling it now!

I feel like I’m going to be sick. “Jess, what do we do? Dad’s going to see this. He’s going to kill Liam. Then me. Then probably resurrect Liam just to kill him again.”

But Jess is already tapping away on her phone, a determined look on her face. “Okay, don’t panic. I’ve got this.”

“You’ve got this?” I echo, my voice rising an octave. “How exactly do you ‘got this’?”

She looks up, a glint in her eye that I recognize from countless childhood schemes. “Simple. We’re going to tell Dad it’s part of the plan.”

“What?”

“Look,” she says, showing me another post. This one’s from a sports blog. “They’re already talking about how this could help the team’s image. After the PED scandal, we need good press. What’s better than the swoony captain falling for a sweet, smart girl?”

---