Page 38 of Pucking Bad Boys

“She wouldn’t see it that way. We’re sisters.”

“Come on, Talia.” She argues. “Let’s be real. Gen doesn’t care about anyone but herself. If you had an ex-boyfriend she liked, do you think she would ask your permission to date him? And move on if you weren’t ok with her pursuing your ex?”

I know what she means. “No, but…”

“Look, I don’t know if you’ve heard the rumors, but I have. Last year on spring break, Gen propositioned your brother. Word in the house is that it wasn’t Gen who broke up with Mack, but the other way around. That he dumped her because she tried to hook up with Tucker.”

“I think that might be true. I heard Macklin say that he dumped her for cheating at camp. You know, when she kept trying to get back together with him.”

Sam nods. “Then you definitely have no obligation to observe girl code. Gen isn’t your friend, and she cheated. So I think you should go ahead and find out if Mack was worth crushing on for years. Next time he looks like he’s going to kiss you, let it happen. Maybe even make the first move. He’ll be at tonight’s party. No time like the present, if you ask me.”

“No fucking way.” I snort. “Besides, I bet Macklin isn’t going to try anything in front of Tucker. You know my brother is the biggest cockblocker in the world.”

Sam’s lips curl in a knowing smile. “But Tucker won’t be at the party tonight. I bumped into Taryn earlier, and she told me it’s the two-month anniversary of their first kiss, and Tucker is taking her out on a date. So it sounds like the coast is going to be clear.”

“I don’t know. Becks will be there too. For a second I thought he was going to kiss me too, the night we met. I’ve been thinking about him ever since. Isn’t crushing on two brothers a little weird?”

“Nope,” Sam decides. “I’ll allow it. Let’s get you into something cute and short and make sure you kiss at least one Shayba brother tonight.”

I’m not as confident about my chances to make that happen as she is, but Sam’s enthusiasm is contagious and by the time we’re ready to go to the arena for the Cove Knights’ exhibition game, I’m in higher spirits than I’ve been in a long time.

Chapter 11

Exhibition

BECKS

We win our exhibition game six-zero.

Vaughn Heston scores the first goal, I score two with two assists from Colsen and, of course, Mack outdoes me with a hat trick.

Tucker is an impenetrable wall and shuts out the local team we played tonight.

Despite the score, it wasn’t an easy game. The minor league team we faced, the Cove Raiders, was scrappy as hell and played a very physical game.

They had some very skilled players. Their defense was especially strong. One of their D-men in particular, Ryan McKenzie, was a constant thorn in our side.

Our first goal was the result of a power play we earned when McKenzie landed himself in the penalty box for smashing Heston into the boards.

The attack came out of nowhere; Heston didn’t even have the puck.

“Jesus Christ on a cracker,” Mack gasps in the locker room when Heston sheds his jersey and protective gear. “Are you alright, Vaughn?”

When you play hockey since you were old enough to hold a stick, you’re used to bruises. They come with the territory. The boards and the ice are hard surfaces, and sometimes we hit them as much as we hit the puck itself.

But the huge, dark purple bruise that covers the entire length of Heston’s left torso is ugly enough to make us all flinch.

“I’m fine, Cap.” He bites out with a smile that looks more like a grimace. “What doesn’t kill us makes us stronger. Right?”

“Sure,” Mack agrees. “But maybe you should go see the team doctor. Make sure you didn’t crack a rib or worse.”

Heston continues to take his gear off. “Nah. I’ve had worse. I’m ok, seriously.”

“I would feel better if at least you had Taryn take a look at you for a second. The season starts next week, and you’re one of our strongest players.”

I had almost bought Heston’s lie that he’s fine. But what he does next makes me think that he’s trying to downplay the amount of pain he’s in.

“Aww, I love it when you praise me, Cap. If you promise to keep those sweet compliments coming, I’ll get smashed into the boards every game until the championship final.”