Page 1 of When Alec Met Evie
CHAPTER 1
ALEC
Don’t get me wrong—myteammates deserve to be happy. But seeing the ones I’m closest to suddenly coupled off, three guys married and two in serious relationships—I have to admit. I didn’t see this one coming.
I’m the Appiescaptain.And I’m spending my Friday night with the rookies because all ofmyfriends are at some sort of couples’ party.
They invited me.
They aren’t jerks.
But I’m not enough of a masochist to go to something like that on my own. Even sitting at Mulligan’s with a pair of eighteen-year-old defensemen is better than watching my friends pretend I’m as interesting as the women in their lives.
Across the table, Carter, one of the newest Appies, laughs and Coke comes out of his nose. His twin brother, Theo—they were recruited together because of how well they read each other on the ice—smacks him on the back and they both start to laugh.
I twitch as my jaw tenses.
I take it back. This isn’t better.
I should have just stayed home. There’s a new episode ofThe VoiceI still haven’t watched, and there’s leftover lasagna in the fridge from the team dinner Felix hosted last night. Nobody makes lasagna like our goalie and…man,I sound old.
But these guys are barely out of high school. I’m practically babysitting. Especially since we’re in a bar, and they aren’t old enough to drink. Even if Mulligan’s won’t serve them—and they won’t—the twins are both wearing Appies gear. I can’t be sure an enthusiastic fan won’t buy them a round if I’m not watching.
“Dude, she’s checking you out,” Carter says, tilting his head toward the bar.
I glance over my shoulder and recognize a blond woman I’ve talked to before. Jessica? Jasmine? Jennifer? We make eye contact, and she lifts her fingers in a fluttery wave.
Last season, I might have invited her over. Bought her a drink. Charmed her like I know I can. But in my current mood, I can’t bring myself to care.
“Who’s checking who out?” Tucker says as he rejoins the table, fresh beer in hand. He was the one who convinced me to come to Mulligan’s in the first place—something about camaraderie and helping the rookies feel like they’re part of the team. That used to be me. Looking out for people, making sure we’re united on the ice and off. But Tucker has been stepping up lately. It’s a good thing, but I have to wonder what happened to the player I was last season and if he’ll ever make an appearance again.
Theo tilts his head toward the woman. “She is. Been staring at Captain all night.”
Tucker looks over his shoulder. “You know her, right? I can’t remember her name.”
“Doesn’t matter,” I say before draining the last of my drink. “I’m not interested.”
“That’s right. You’re still seeing that woman in Chicago. Riley somebody?”
I should probably correct him because I’m not seeing Riley. Not anymore.
I met her last spring when I was in Chicago doing a brand deal with the company she works for. We saw each other a few times over the summer, once when I went back to Chicago to visit, and two more times when she happened to be on the east coast for a wedding and then again visiting her family. She’s nice enough. But she’s busy and I’m busy, and whatever we had never felt special enough to do the extra work the distance created. She still texts every once in a while, and if she showed up in Harvest Hollow, I’d probably want to see her. But I think we both know nothing will ever happen between us.
But I don’t feel like explaining all that to Tucker. And it won’t change my level of interest in the woman at the bar. I glance at my watch.
“All right, I’m out,” I say.
“Already?” Theo asks.
“Already,” I repeat. “And you guys shouldn’t be far behind me. You’ll probably be on the ice a lot tomorrow.” Rookies usually are in preseason games, so I fully expect Coach Davis to start these two over me and Nathan, even though we usually defend with the first line. I hold up a warning finger. “That means no drinking. Even if someone offers.”
Theo and Carter nod in unison, their faces looking more similar than ever. “Right. Yes. Understood,” Carter says.
I glance over at Tucker. “Sorry to bail early.”
He waves a dismissive hand. “You already stayed longer than I thought you would.”
I tilt my head toward the pair of rookies. “Keep an eye on them?”
