Page 66 of Puck and Prejudice

A fist seems to tighten around my heart. I lost Mom at such a young age that her memory is already fuzzy. But tonight, I feel her absence to the fullest, and I get choked up. I’m saved from crying like a little boy when I glimpse Izzie Bennet in the distance, walking side by side with her sister. The heaviness in my chest lessens.

Aunt Catherine looks over her shoulder to see what caught my attention. She stiffens again. “Oh, the Bennet sisters.”

“You don’t like them?”

She looks at me again. “I have nothing against Chad’s fiancée. Jane is sweet and, despite her background, she’s a good match for Chad.”

I exhale in relief. Things got a bit tense yesterday between the Bennets and the Bingleys when Caroline decided to be antagonizing. If Aunt Catherine hadn’t approved of Jane, that could have been disastrous, since she’s such good friends with Chad’s mom. I had my own reservations about Jane in the beginning, but I made a promise to Chad to be supportive, and I intend to keep it.

“I’m glad you think so.”

“Her sister, however…” Aunt Catherine shudders. “Dreadful girl.”

My stomach coils. “What did she do?”

“She couldn’t stop cursing. Every other word out of her mouth was an F-bomb or some other unsavory term.”

Izzie Bennet has a dirty mouth? I’m intrigued. “Is that so? Why was she cursing so much?”

“Oh, you know. Whenever one of the Vikings got the puck, or there was a call on the ice in their favor.”

“She wasthatinto the game?” I glance in her direction again.

“Jackson Darcy, please don’t tell me you’re interested in that girl.”

I shake my head but don’t take my eyes off Izzie. “I’m not interested in her at all. If you’ll excuse me, I have to go say hello.”

I walk away before Aunt Catherine can say anything else. She’s never approved of any girl I dated, so the fact that she doesn’t like Izzie doesn’t phase me.

Izzie turns in my direction as I approach, and then, her face splits into the most radiant smile. Fuck me. She’s never smiled like that at me, and now my heart is beating at a hundred miles an hour. She takes a step in my direction, and before I can stop it, I’m hugging her.

“Congratulations,” she says with her face pressed against my chest. I’d hold her longer, but she leans back after a moment.

Now I’m fighting the urge to frame her face with my hands and kiss her soundly. I’m not impulsive at all. This must be the euphoria coursing through my veins. “Thank you.”

“You guys so deserve this.” Her eyes twinkle with genuine happiness.

I open my mouth to reply, but then Jane comes to congratulate me as well. Izzie moves aside, and then more people come talk to me. It’s busy, and I get pulled into the celebratory fray. There’s so much going on, and my attention keeps shifting. I lose sight of her, but I know it’s only for now. We won the Cup, and now there are no more excuses. I want Izzie Bennet, and I won’t fight it anymore.

ChapterTwenty-Eight

IZZIE

Italked to Jackson only once on the ice, then he got pulled away by other people who wanted to congratulate the captain. The experience was all overwhelming. I spoke to so many friendly strangers that I lost my voice.

I did see Wickham, but he stayed far away from me and Jane. I might not know what he did to get on Jackson’s shit list, but my last interaction with the man told me all I needed to know. Wickham is not someone I want to associate with anymore.

I hung out at the arena for an hour or so after the game. It was party central in the Lions’ zone. Then Mom, Dad, and Lydia went home. I stayed with Jane, because the party is continuing at Chad’s house, and now Jane is officially the hostess. She hasn’t completely moved in yet, but she brought a lot of her stuff to the house earlier today.

Unfortunately, Caroline came as well, and she tried so hard to take over. She thought Jane would be a doormat due to her sweet disposition. It was awesome to witness my sister put Caroline in her place.

The boys aren’t back yet, so it’s only some of the WAGs—the ones who didn’t have to go home with kids—who are hanging out by the pool and drinking cocktails, plus Caroline and me. It’s not cold, but Jane started a fire just the same for ambience, and we’re all gathered around it, making s’mores.

“How drunk do you think the boys are right now?” Jane asks.

“Drunk enough to pass out in a dumpster wearing nothing but their underwear,” Blair, Alex’s girlfriend, replies.

This is my first time hanging out with her, and so far, she’s my favorite WAG. At first, I was a bit surprised she was Alex’s girlfriend. He and his brother are loud and goofy when they aren’t being total menaces on the ice, and she’s super proper, and calm. But soon I discovered she has a wicked sense of humor, and sharp tongue. She’s absolutely perfect for him.

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