Page 2 of Never Your Girl

I’m saved from further interrogation when my phone chimes with a work reminder. Thirty minutes until my shift starts at a job my best friend doesn’t even know I have.

“I need to head out,” I say, already gathering my things.

“Already?” Willow frowns. “We’ve only been here for an hour.”

“Yeah.” I tuck an errant strand of hair behind my ear. “You know I can only handle being around these guys in small doses. Unfortunately for you, I’ve reached my quota of hockey players and drama for one night.”

“Want company?” she offers. “We could watch a horror movie like we used to. I’ll let you pick the goriest one, even though we both know I’ll have nightmares for weeks.”

The offer makes my chest ache with nostalgia.

I miss those days.

Now that Willow has a boyfriend, everything has changed.

“Nah, you stay here and celebrate with your man.” I force lightness into my tone that I don’t feel. “This week has been exhausting. I probably wouldn’t make it through the first murder. And that’s my favorite part.”

“I’m sorry, did you just say murder?” Maverick McKinnon’s eyebrows shoot up. “Should someone warn Bridger?”

“Please.” I grab my bag, glad for the excuse to shield my expression. “If I were going to murder Bridger Sanderson, I wouldn’t be foolish enough to incriminate myself by talking about it. And you’d never find the body. No body, no murder. Isn’t that how it works?”

“That’s...” Maverick glances at Willow. “Concerning.”

“Don’t worry,” my bestie says, tipping her face toward him with a softness that brings a small, wistful smile to my lips. “We were talking about movies.”

He brushes his lips across hers, whispering something that makes her giggle, and just like that, they’re in their own little world. I watch them for a moment, torn between genuine happiness for my best friend and a loneliness that cuts bone-deep. Willow deserves this—deserves him—after everything she’s been through. But sometimes I miss when it was just us against the world.

My phone buzzes again.

Twenty-five minutes until my shift starts. Randi’s face flashes through my mind. My boss could make a drill sergeant cry with one perfectly arched eyebrow.

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” I say, already backing away.

Willow surfaces from her Maverick-induced haze. “Let me know if you change your mind about that movie.”

“I won’t.” The words come out softer than intended as I turn away to weave through the crowd, dodging familiar faces and wondering, not for the first time, what Willow would say if she knew where I was really going.

Everyone has secrets, but mine feel heavier lately.

“Taking off already?” Garret Akeman materializes in front of me, all cocky grin and practiced charm. “The night’s just getting started.”

“Yeah.” I shift my weight, uncomfortably aware of Bridger’s gaze burning into my back from the bar. “I think we both know Slap Shotz isn’t my scene.”

He glances around with disinterest. “Maybe I’ll come with you. We can chill for a while.”

I shake my head. “Sorry, not tonight.”

“Why not?” His jaw tightens as his eyes sharpen. “You have better plans?”

“As a matter of fact, I do. With my pillow,” I tack on to soften the blow. My gaze strays to the bar, only to find the tall defenseman watching us. “I’ll catch you later.”

“Yeah, sure,” Garret mumbles as I slip past him into the night air, sucking in a deep breath that tastes like freedom. Being around Bridger does this to me. It sets everything inside me spinning until I can barely breathe. Two years later and I still can’t shake him, no matter how hard I try.

My ancient Toyota grumbles to life on the third attempt, and I pat the dashboard like a faithful pet. “Just a little longer, baby. Keep it together.”

The drive to the Envy Room feels like crossing a border between worlds. Here, I’m not Holland Tate, college student just trying to scrape by. I become someone else entirely.

The club’s exterior is understated elegance. It’s nothing like the neon-soaked dives people imagine. Inside, Rocco mans the door in his usual suit and ever-present aviators, gold chains glinting around his neck.

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