Page 40 of Puck Right Off

I blink at her, irritation coursing through me. “I’m tired of his hot and cold behavior. I wish he’d just act cold like when he returned from his run.”

“If you don’t care about him, then why do you care about how he acts? And why do you want him to be cold? Is it because it makes it easier for you to be mad and pretend you hate him?”

“Who says I’m pretending?” I snap, turning around and grabbing my purse. “Come on. We need to go. I promised Mom we’d get there early to wish Josh good luck. Robert was nagging her to make sure I complied.”

Chelsea nods. “You look amazing. Let’s go knock ‘em dead.”

A genuine smile curls my lips. “Thanks, bestie. You’re hotter than ever.” I nudge her in the side. “I heard Alex calling you legs last night. He looked pretty smitten.”

My God. Did my best friend just blush?I’ve never seen that before.

The genuine smile lighting up her face makes me happy and a tad envious. “He has a great ass.”

I snort, shaking my head.That’s such a Chelsea thing to say. “Is his ass the only thing great about him?”

“I’ll let you know after tonight’s game.” She winks and hooks her arm through mine. “Come on. Let’s go.”

CHAPTER 24

Tristan

Despite Coach Jensen’s pep talk and the private conversation we had in his office, I’m nervous as hell about tonight’s game. It has everything to do with seeing Jordyn again.

“Hey, captain.” Alex slides on the bench beside me as I glumly stare at my locker. “Nervous?”

I slowly turn my head to his. “Yeah, but not for the reason you think.”

“Does it have to do with the blonde voyeur that stomped off last night and refused to talk to you?”

A long mournful sigh is my only response.

“Look, Tristan, the entire situation sucks. Especially since you’ve finally gotten your head on straight in time for her to shove hers up her ass.”

Despite being down, Alex’s words make me chuckle. “Ironic, isn’t it?”

He shrugs. “She’s hurt. If she didn’t care about you, she wouldn’t be acting this way.”

“You think?”

“I know she does. I’ve been around the two of you.” He slings an arm around my shoulder. “Let’s head out. Chelsea mentioned they were arriving early to wish Josh good luck. Stepfather’s idea.”

Hope flares in my chest. “Let’s go.”

I hurry from the locker room, Alex beside me. My eyes scan the people waiting outside the locker room until I spot her long, blonde hair. She’s leaning against the wall, arms folded over her chest, and a pinched expression indicating she’s uncomfortable. Her eyes move back and forth between Robert and Josh.

I hear Josh bragging to Robert and the blonde woman standing beside him about how well he’s been playing. Alex and I exchange a look and I nearly snort aloud. “He’s a damn liar,” I say to Alex.

“And a lazy motherfucker.” Patting my shoulder, his voice is low. “Go talk to your girl.”

Sliding up beside her, I lean down in her ear. “He’s such a pompous ass.”

Jordyn momentarily tenses before she snorts. “Which one? They’re both pompous asses.”

I chuckle, my muscles relaxing. She’s not screaming at me or ignoring me, so that’s progress. I open my mouth to tell her how gorgeous she looks when a jovial voice interrupts.

“Hey. You’re Jordyn Reese, right?” Bryce Gardner, the right defenseman, approaches her, a smile on his face.

I stare at him beneath lowered brows, wishing I could tell him to fuck off. If he looked at me, he’d see it on my face.

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