Page 83 of College Hockey Bully

With a gasp, I grab the phone, gaping down at the Instagram photo posted an hour ago. They look quite cozy posed against a rose-gold balloon backdrop, the brunette quite stunning in a blue dress, Aiden relaxed in a buttoned-up shirt. My focus goes back to the brunette and a memory makes my heart crash to the floor of my stomach. It’s the same girl who touched his face a few weeks ago. Tabitha warned me about them, and I didn’t listen.

Oh, my God.

Reunited and it feels so good,the caption reads.

I think I’m going to be sick.

Holding back the tears, I hand Mrs. Hunter the phone. “You need to leave.”

“Not before I give you something for your trouble,” she replies, following me into my bedroom. “You shouldn’t suffer for what my son did to you.”

Before I can ask what she’s yapping about, she pulls out a piece of paper from her purse. My eyes widen.

“While it can’t mend your broken heart, this can certainly fix quite a lot of things around here,” she says as Mom comes into the room.

“A hundred thousand dollars!” Mom exclaims, clutching her jaw.

Mrs. Hunter grins. “More money than you will ever see in your life. Take it.”

I stare at her blankly. She sighs, resting it down on the dresser. “You’re a smart girl, so I’m sure you’ll do the right thing, Scarlett. Otherwise, it won’t end well for you.”

With that, she goes out and I wait for the front door to close before crumpling on the bed as the sobs break free. Mom rubs my back soothingly, whispering words that, under usual circumstances, would calm me down.

Sadly, there are no words strong enough to repair a broken heart.

Chapter 32

Aiden

“Tonight was amazing,” Casey gushes on the sidewalk of the entertainment center where she just hosted her party. “Where are we off to next?”

With impatient finger taps on my thigh, I will the valet to hurry. “Home,” I mutter.

“Mhm…” She presses herself into me, running her fingers down my chest. “I love the sound of that.” Her middle finger makes a lazy drag across my belt. “I missed you so much, Aiden.”

Usually, that sensual tone would have me throwing her over my shoulder and rushing to the car, but I simply ease her off and guide her forward, taking my key fob from the valet. There’s a soft frown on her face when I get into the driver’s seat.

“That was the part where you’d say, ‘I miss you too, Casey.’”

Without a word, I pull out from the spot.

“What gives, Aiden? You’ve been such a dead log all night. Why the hell would you show up to my party if you weren’t up to it?”

Because I’ve got the worst parents in the world.

“I’m tired, Casey,” I reply instead.

“Thus my question: why did you come?”

I could give her the answer that would please my folks.Although I’m exhausted, I’m done with playing hard to get, Casey. I’m in love with you. I didn’t want to go another night without seeing you and telling you how I feel.

Yeah, I’d surely score major points with that answer, but it’s hard to lie when another woman has been on my mind all night.

“Are you going to answer me?” she snaps. “I hate when you get withdrawn like this. All night, you’ve been acting like you’re doing me a favor by hanging with me, when we both know it’s the other way around.”

I throw a surprised glance in her direction. Did Casey know what my parents were up to all along?

“What?” she asks, scowling even more. “You might be the hockey star of Hempton, but there are guys who would’ve fallen over themselves to share the spotlight with me tonight. Consider yourself lucky, instead of acting like a total dick.”

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