Page 40 of Hat Trick Daddies

I honk again, this time laying on the horn for a few good seconds.

The front door swings open, and Tyler steps out, his hockey bag slung over one shoulder. His hair is a mess, and he looks like he just rolled out of bed.

“What the hell’s your problem?” he calls, his tone irritated but not serious.

“You said you’d be ready,” I shoot back, leaning out the window with a mockingly sweet smile.

Tyler flips me off as he jogs down the steps, tossing his bag into the backseat with a heavy thud before climbing into thepassenger seat. “Iamready,” he mutters, slamming the door and adjusting his seatbelt.

“Suuure you are, big guy,” I reply, giving him my most assholish grin.

He scowls, but there’s a glimmer of amusement in his eyes.

As I back out of the driveway, I try to push Ally out of my mind, but it’s no use.

For now, though, practice calls, and I have no choice but to focus on the ice.

I take another sip of my coffee. The bitter edge of the brew does its job, chasing away the last traces of grogginess as I steer us toward the rink.

“Tiffany texted me,” I say, breaking the stillness as I set the coffee cup back in its holder.

Tyler’s head swivels toward me, a smirk already forming on his lips. “And? Let me guess, you’re finally over her.”

I snort, shaking my head with a grin. “Completely. The second her name popped up on my phone, I realized I couldn’t care less.”

Tyler tips his head back and laughs, his voice filling the truck. “Funny you say that, bro. She texted me too, and I felt exactly the same way. Like, instant nope.”

I glance at him sideways, raising an eyebrow. “Are you serious?”

“Dead serious,” he replies, his smirk softening into something almost contemplative. “Tiff’s fun and all, but…” His voice trails off, and I don’t need him to finish the sentence to know where his mind is.

“You’re thinking about Ally, aren’t you?” I ask, keeping my tone casual even as the words leave a bitter taste in my mouth.

Tyler’s silence confirms it. He nods, looking almost sheepish, and for a moment, I want to reach over and smack him. But I can’t blame him, not really.

Because Ally’s been running through my mind, too.

The light ahead turns red, and I slow to a stop, leaning back against the seat with a sigh. The car idles, the engine a low, steady hum as the silence between us stretches.

“Do you think Ally would want to be with the two of us?” I ask, the question hanging in the air like a challenge.

Tyler shrugs, but a confident grin spreads across his face. “Why not? I’ve never met a girl who didn’t fall for my charm.”

I roll my eyes, reaching over to punch his shoulder. “Ourcharm, jackass.”

Tyler laughs, holding up his hands in mock surrender. “Fine, fine.Ourcharm. Happy now?”

“Not really,” I mutter, though a small smile tugs at the corners of my mouth.

The light turns green, and the car lurches forward as I press on the gas. The streets blur past, but my thoughts remain fixed on the impossible idea of Ally being with both of us.

It’s crazy, sure, but not entirely out of reach.

“Well,” I say, shaking my bandaged hand in the air for emphasis, “since I can’t play right now, I guess I’ll take over for you and try to win her over during practice.”

Tyler rolls his eyes, leaning back with a smirk. “You? Win her over? Hate to break it to you, bro, but I don’t think you’ve got what it takes.”

“Oh, please,” I shoot back, giving him a mock glare. “If anyone’s up for the challenge, it’s me. I don’t need to rely on cheap tricks and bad pickup lines.”

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