Page 14 of Don't Puck Your Best Friend’s Girl

A brunette in a crop top catches my eye from across the room. She's dancing with her friends, hair swaying as she moves. When she notices me looking, she smiles –– not the shy, look-away kind, but the confident come-talk-to-me variety. I make a mental note to find her later.

"Yo, Connolly!" Jake appears at my elbow, already well on his way to drunk. "Didn't know you were coming."

"Yeah." I clink my cup against his. "Good turnout."

"Always is." He grins, scanning the crowd.

Morrison and a few other teammates join us. Without Sandy around, they're different –– looser, more willing to include me in their conversations.

"That move you pulled in practice," Morrison whistles, shaking his head. "Where'd you learn that?"

"YouTube," I deadpan, and they all laugh.

We fall into easy hockey talk –– discussing plays, they roast each other's mistakes, debate which NHL team has the best odds this season. It feels natural, like I've been part of this team for years instead of days. Maybe this is what it would've been like if I'd never quit.

Movement near the kitchen catches my attention, and I nearly choke on my beer.

Saylor.

Here.

At a party.

She's wearing tight black jeans that hug every curve and a deep green top that makes her skin glow under the party lights. Her hair falls in waves around her shoulders, and she's laughing at something one of her friends said. The sound carries over the music, bright and genuine.

I've never seen her like this –– relaxed, happy, free from the perpetual scowl she usually wears around me. She's even smiling. It's unsettling.

Jake follows my gaze and grins. "That's Mina, my girlfriend. The one in the middle."

"And the one in green?" I ask, trying to sound casual.

"Her friend, Saylor. She's—" He stops for a second to swallow his drink. "She's Mina's roommate, but she never comes to these things."

As if sensing our attention, Saylor looks our way. Her smile doesn't falter when she sees me.

Jake's face brightens as he raises his hand in a half-wave at his girlfriend, and Mina dances over to him, her smile widening as she approaches. She wraps herself around Jake while her two friends hang back, surveying the scene with caution.

"Ladies, this is Cade," Jake announces, gesturing toward me with his beer. "Just joined the team."

Saylor's eyebrows shoot up, her lips pressing into a thin line. She exhales forcefully, the sound somewhere between a scoff and a sigh. Her reaction is so dramatic it's comical.

"Say––" I begin, the nickname slipping out automatically, though I've never called her that before. I've heard Byron use it enough times that it feels familiar somehow.

She shakes her head sharply, cutting me off before I can finish. The beer buzzes pleasantly through my system, dulling the edges of my irritation. Her friend is staring at me with unabashed curiosity, while Mina whispers something to Jake. They clearly have no idea who I am to Saylor, which means Saylor hasn't been sharing stories. Small mercies.

"Saylor," I call out, louder this time, determined to break through whatever wall she's built between us.

She pivots away, presenting me with her back –– a dismissal so clear it might as well be written in neon.

"Damn," Jake laughs, oblivious to the tension. "Mina, I think your friend is ignoring my new teammate."

Mina glances at me, then leans toward Saylor. They exchange whispers, heads bent together. After a moment, Saylor shrugs, the gesture both defiant and resigned.

"Saylor," I repeat, patience evaporating with each passing second. My voice carries an edge now. What is her problem? I didn't want to believe that she broke up with Byron because of me, but now I'm starting to think it's the only reason she did. Watching her ignore me feels personal in a way I don't understand.

"Saylor," I say again.

"What?" The word snaps like a whip, sharp enough to make Jake laugh awkwardly.

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