Page 80 of Play Maker

I didn’t have to say a thing. He was barred from campus. Eva wouldn’t admit to orchestrating Shad’s fall from grace, but she didn’t deny it either.

As casually as possible, I scanned the area around us. It didn’t take me long to find the culprit. A tall guy with broad shoulders, dark hair, and tattoos winding up his arms stood at the railing next to the field. We made eye contact, and his lips tipped up on one side in a humorless smile.

He looked vaguely familiar, but I couldn’t place him. After the silent acknowledgement, he shifted his gaze to the cheerleaders. I kept my eyes on him. When one of the stunt team tossed Eva in the air and caught her with one hand, his jaw tightened.

I didn’t get a dangerous vibe from him, but he was definitely watching Eva. I’d have to let her know later. Mystery guy left during the first quarter, and the rest of the game went by in a blur, ending with another victory for TU.

By the time Eva showed us where we could meet Adam and the others in the tunnel after the game, I’d decided her secret admirer was harmless. She had the same effect everywhere she went, and the guy hadn’t done anything except watch the cheerleaders, who weretryingto get the attention of the crowd.

My train of thought disappeared when Adam came out of the locker room doors, laughing with Shaw, RJ, Noah, and another guy he’d been talking to during the game. He spotted me and jogged over with a huge grin.

His arms looped around my waist, lifting me off the ground. “Miss me?”

“Always.” I lifted my face for a kiss.

We’d decided to keep the marriage conversation between us for now, but it was all I could think about. This man with the wicked sense of humor and the heart of gold was coming home with me—would always come home with me. Adam was all mine.

From somewhere to our left, Eva groaned. “I hate you all.”

Adam raised a brow in her direction without setting me down. “You owe me two bucks.”

I smacked his shoulder. “Did you bet on me?”

“She tried to tell me I wouldn’t convince you to wear the jersey. I had to prove her wrong, so she’d stop interfering.” He tucked his hand under the silky material, then made a low happy noise at the bare skin underneath.

I laughed to cover my sudden shiver. “We should thank her. Without her interference, we might not be here.”

Adam grinned and brushed his nose against mine. “Sunshine, you were made for me. We were always going to end up here.”

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Want more Mac? Get a glimpse of Mac and Blue’s happy ever after with the exclusive bonus epilogue.

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* * *

Want more of the Teagan University Wildcats?

Turn the page to see what happens when Eva meets the coffee guy she loves to hate in Ice Cold Player, the first book in the Beyond the Ice hockey romance series.

ICE COLD PLAYER

Day one of my senior year in college, and I was homeless. Prospectless. Hopeless. Probably several other -lesses I didn’t have the energy to conjure up. After a week of tireless effort—there’s another one—not a single apartment, house, condo, or other would let me move in with my duck.

I didn’t want to admit I was giving up, but damn, even my unparalleled manifestation abilities couldn’t create an acceptable housing situation out of thin air.

Sweat dotted my forehead, and I tilted my face up to the blazing sun, hoping the heat would dry some of the tears. I hated crying, hated even more letting people see me cry, which was why I’d tucked myself away in a little-known courtyard behind the business building. The crumbling concrete fountain in the middle had seen better days, and most of the foliage was overgrown with weeds.

Except for the area bordering the edge of campus. Pine trees grew in thick clumps, but the azalea bushes had taken over the ground level in a riot of color. Teagan University had a beautiful campus, but this spot was my favorite.

The faint scent of coffee blew through on a light breeze, compliments of Wildcat Coffee right around the corner, and I could almost imagine this was any other day. If not for the constant calls from my friend group checking in on me.

I silenced my phone and set it next to me. They meant well, but they weren’t helping. I returned to my sun worship pose, but my serenity didn’t last long. Quiet footsteps marked the approach of an interloper.

A shadow blocked the warmth, and I sighed, accepting I wasn’t going to find any more peace today. When I opened my eyes, my heart sank. Standing above me with his arms crossed was my coffee nemesis. Gavin King. Yes, I knew his name, but I refused to use it. ‘Hey asshole’ worked just as well.

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