Page 3 of Breakaway Hearts

CALLIE: Shouldn’t Dunaway be screaming at you right now?

ME: Done and dusted.

CALLIE: School night for me, I’m afraid.

ME: Don’t tell me you’ve never showed up hungover in front of your students??

I can practically hear Callie’s signature laugh. Even if she was hung over, I’m sure her elementary school students wouldn’t notice. But it definitely would be a pain in the ass for her.

CALLIE: …

ME: Just for a little bit. I’ll drive you home after. Pleeeaaase.

CALLIE: lol. Fine fine. I’ll call a car in a few. The usual place?

ME: Yup. See you soon. :)

I finish getting dressed and tuck my phone into my pocket before slinging my hockey bag over my shoulder and heading out of the locker room. The whole team—minus Grant, Sawyer, and a few others—is probably already overwhelming the poor bartenders at our favorite post-game bar, The Hideout.

My dark blue Porsche 911 is the only car left in the players’ parking area. I squeeze myself into the driver’s seat and head out toward the bar.

The downtown Denver streets are thankfully pretty clear, so I make it to the bar in no time, which is packed despite it being a Thursday. Puck bunnies and regular fans make up most of the clientele, and they stare openly at our team members, ogling with obvious interest and maybe a bit of jealousy—particularly when their gazes land on Noah, who’s got his arm wrapped around Margo.

He used to have a bit of a reputation as the team heartthrob, the nice guy who was also a god in bed, and now he only has eyes for his fiancée. Most of our fans are full-fledged supporters of the love birds, but some of the puck bunnies are a tiny bit resentful that he’s off the market and has settled down.

Honestly, I’m a little jealous too, but not for the same reasons.

I used to be happy like that.

In love.

With the woman I thought I was going to spend the rest of my life with.

I stand at the entrance of the bar and watch the happy couple for a moment before they notice me and wave me over. I put on a smile, which I’m positive will be real at the end of the night, and walk over.

“Took you long enough!” Noah shouts over the din of music and people.

“Hey, Reese. Tough game tonight, but you guys fought hard.” Margo’s blue-gray eyes flash with sympathy, and she wraps me in a hug as if we don’t see each other daily. She’s our team’s social media manager, after all, which is how she and Noah got involved in the first place.

“I hope you weren’t recording a lot of footage for our social media feeds tonight,” I say with a wry chuckle.

“It’s already been deleted.” She winks.

I hold a hand over my heart. “And that’s why you’re the best.”

“Hey, watch it, bro.” Noah laughs, tightening his arm around her and pulling her closer as she melts against him. “She’s already spoken for.”

His tone is teasing, since he knows I would never make a move on his girl, but the possessiveness in his voice is real. He’s been head over heels for Margo pretty much since the first moment they met, and he’s only fallen harder and harder since then.

“I’m gonna go get a drink,” I tell them. “Do either of you need anything?”

“Nah, we’re good. We’ll see you back here.”

I nod and make my way through the crowd toward the bar, feeling the muscles in my shoulders unwind a little. I wasn’t sure I wanted to come out after the loss we just had, but tonight might not end up being so bad after all. We all just need to let off a little steam, and we’ll regroup tomorrow, good as new. Plus, Callie will be here soon, and that’ll lighten the mood even more. The guys love her. How could they not, honestly?

At the bar, I order an IPA and take a long pull from the glass after the bartender slides it over. As I’m setting the glass down, a familiar voice rings out from behind me.

“Hey, guys!”

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