Page 7 of Breakaway to You

Jordan stood there, his dark hair damp from the shower, wearing jeans and a Blue Jays hoodie. “C’mon, Pipes,” he said. “I couldn’t not come see you.”

Pipes? What kind of nickname was that? And why was he calling her by a nickname?

I looked between Piper and Jordan, trying to figure out what was going on.

“I’d prefer it if you didn’t,” she said brusquely, returning her attention to my knee.

Jordan held up his hands in surrender as if approaching a skittish cat. “I just want to talk.”

Her eyes narrowed on him. “Don’t you have some puck bunnies to go hang out with? It is an away game, after all.”

My eyes widened at her accusing tone.

No way.No way. Piper and Jordan? She had dated this pathetic loser?

“There are no more puck bunnies,” he said, his eyes pleading with her to believe him. “I made a mistake, and I hate myself for it.”

Piper didn’t seem affected by his words in the slightest. “Mistakes. Plural.”

He had the decency to look chagrined, a look I’d never seen on him before. “Right. Mistakes.” He nodded in agreement. “Please, Piper. Just give me a few minutes.”

Her lips pursed. “Unfortunately, I gave you a couple years, and I regret it. So, no thanks.”

Pieces of the Piper puzzle began to fall into place. So this was why she didn’t like hockey players. She’d dated one, and he’d cheated on her.

Not all hockey players were losers and cheats. She must have not been over him to have such a blanket feeling about all hockey players. What she’d seen in Jordan, I couldn’t fathom.

Jordan’s fists clenched, but he looked to be trying to reign in his annoyance. “Fine. You need more time. I can give that to you.”

Piper rolled her eyes. “How generous of you.” She gave him a dismissive wave. “Now, if you will please leave, I’m working.”

Jordan let out a short burst of laughter. “On him? He’s a lost cause.” He eyed me like I was dirt on his shoe. “How was being a duster, Lawson?” he asked with a smug smile, referring to me sitting on the bench. “Mark my words—you’re going to be there all season.”

Piper’s hand on my leg gripped tighter, her nails digging into me. “Get out,” she demanded through clenched teeth. “Or I’ll have security escort you out.”

“Calm down, Pipes,” he placated. “I’ll leave. But I’m not going to stop trying to get you back. We belong together. You and I both know that.”

A shudder went through Piper’s body, but she held her chin high as he walked out of the room.

We stayed still as the silence surrounded us. I had learned a lot about Piper in only a few minutes, and I wasn’t sure how she was going to feel about that.

Guessed there was only one way to find out.

I lifted myself up on my elbows, giving her my best smirk. “So I’m guessing he’s the reason you hate hockey players.”

Her body relaxed, and she looked to be fighting a smile. She playfully pushed me down so my back was against the table again. “You don’t help.”

“Me?” I asked innocently. “What have I done?”

“The first day we met, you came in here all cocky and flirty, like I was so lucky to be in your presence,” she said.

Most women liked that, but I had quickly learned Piper wasn’t one of them.

“Then you did a complete one-eighty and got all surly and broody on me,” she continued. “And now you spend our sessions all angsty, throwing a fit that you have to be here. You tell me ifyouwould like hockey players.”

She made a good point, but I wasn’t going to tell her that.

“What if we start over?” I asked, genuinely wanting to have a fresh start with her. She’d obviously been through a lot with Jordan, and I didn’t want his bad reputation tainting what she thought of me. I wasn’t sure why I cared so much, but I didn’t like the idea of her hating me all season long.

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