Page 2 of The Good Girl Next Door

“Prudence,” Coach Parker says, glancing over his shoulder.

My angel has a name, and it’s beautiful.

She removes the pen from her mouth as she turns, chestnut hair with blonde highlights falling in thick, silky tresses around her shoulders. Her gaze lands on Coach before it turns to me and I feel the full brunt of her, skewering me in place with brilliant blue eyes.

I know what it feels like to lose control, but what Prudence is doing to me is something else entirely. Explosions boom throughout my body, and blood thrums in my ears as I look at the most beautiful girl I’ve ever seen.

“Silas…”

Coach’s voice sounds like it’s traversing through a deep ocean to reach me. Like I’m drowning and he’s at the surface calling out to me. It’s not far off from what I feel. I’ve never felt anything like this before. He gives me a few good shakes and I snap out of it, finally breaking my trance with Prudence.

Coach turns his head. “Could you give us a few minutes, Pru?”

I swallow as I straighten myself out, watching Prudence out of the corner of my eye. It’s probably not the best idea to stare at the coach’s daughter like a starving man—a manobsessed—especially in front of him. It’s taking every ounce of self-restraint inside me to keep my head down for the moment.

Just this once.

“Come on in, Silas,” Coach Parker says, guiding me inside. “Have a seat.”

I slide into the chair across from him. My head might be bowed but all my attention is on Prudence. Every slight sound. Every movement. I feel everything.

Prudence, Prudence, Prudence.

Everything about this wisp of a girl is gutting me. She might be small, but she’s crushing my lungs like a boulder sitting on my chest as she collects her things. I blink and I see her eyes. I breathe and I breathe her in. Bright and citrusy and intoxicating.

“I’m heading to the library,” she says, breezing by me like a breath of fresh air, rejuvenating my tired body and aching lungs.

Does she not know what she’s doing to me? Hervoice. Jesus, I’ve heard nothing like it before, and I need to hear more as it echoes in my ears like my favorite song on repeat.

“I’ll see you at home,” Coach says.

The door shuts but Pru’s still here. I feel her on my skin, electricity crackling and arcing across it before plunging inside me, igniting a fire I have no hope of ever extinguishing. Her presence looms over me in Coach’s office like her unmistakable, irresistible scent. The air is so thick I could climb on it.

“Let’s talk about expectations,” Coach says.

I draw my head up to meet his gaze, but I’m not listening. I should be paying attention. I should be focused on the man who risked his neck for me, but everything I know I should be doing fell to pieces when I saw her.

Prudence Parker is my new goal.

And everyone on the ice knows I’m relentless when it comes to pursuing my goals. But does she?

She’ll know soon enough.

I’m not going to stop until I score her heart.

* * *

Apart from the rocky start, my meeting with Coach Parker went about as well as I could ask.

“I think we can do great things together, Silas. You’ve got talent, that’s clear. It’s everything that happens off the ice that we need to work on.”

Story of my life. The only thing that ever worked for me was hockey. Everything else was a complete shitshow. I used to be able to keep the two worlds separate, but after last year, I couldn’t do it any longer. The two worlds slammed together and the rest is history.

“Thanks for giving me the opportunity.”

I offer him my hand and he accepts, giving me a few curt shakes before releasing it.

I mean it. I’m not used to kindness. I’m used to fighting for everything I have. This is the first time someone offered me a helping hand, and I don’t want to let him down.

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