Page 83 of Pucking Bad Boys

“You’re my baby sister. Forgive me for not wanting to know what you’re up to behind closed doors, under the same roof. With yourboyfriend.”

For a second, I wonder if Tucker is going to give away that the relationship between me and Talia is fake. Or at least, the part he knows about.

“Talia is a grown woman, Tucker.” I argue.

“Exactly. There’s barely a year between us,” Talia offers. “And you’ve never had a problem hooking up at parties where I was present. Often, even in the same room. At least Macklin isn’t a casual hookup. Or did you forget how you acted before meeting Taryn?”

Tucker’s scowl darkens. “I’m just trying to protect you, Tal.”

“I care about your sister, Tucker. I would never do anything to hurt her. I told you this before.”

It’s true, and I mean every word. Every minute I spend with Talia makes me care for her more and more.

Before Tucker can keep arguing, Vaughn gets involved.

“Mack means it, dude.” He slaps our goalie on the back.

“How is that any of your business, Heston?” Tucker barks. “And what the fuck makes you say that?”

Vaughn’s shit-eating grin widens. “Did you hear what they were about to do? He was about to give her the pizza to takehome with her. Mack would rather die than share his pizza. He must be in love with Talia.”

Who would have thought that the biggest jackass on the team would be so perceptive?

My phone starts ringing in my pocket. I dig it out of my sweatpants, and for a second, I wonder who could be calling me right now.

“Shit,” I bite out. “It’s Coach Harrison. We’re all late for practice.”

I’ve never seen a crowd disperse that quickly. Our teammates aren’t that scared of Tucker, but Coach? That’s a completely different matter.

Chapter 24

The Group Project

BECKER

Between classes, hockey practices, and Talia’s part-time job, lining up everyone’s schedules to meet up for our group project wasn’t easy.

But we don’t know much about this Ancient Roman dish we have to replicate, and the project isn’t just about presenting the class with a dish. We need to back up everything with solid research and a bibliography of references. With this course being both about art and history, our professor expects us to use historical, literary, and visual art sources wherever possible.

We need to work hard since this will account for fifty percent of our grade. And every session needs to count, because once thehockey season starts with the first official game next week, my schedule—and Mack’s, of course—will only get busier.

By the looks of it, I’m the first one at the library where we’re supposed to meet up.

I look at my smartwatch, irritated. I agreed to meet Vaughn at the gym for a late evening weightlifting session in ninety minutes. As if practice earlier wasn’t enough. But these days keeping busy is a saving grace. It helps to quiet down the incessant noise in my head.

Everything in my life feels uncertain right now, and I have to make choices that will have a huge impact on my future.

Do I enter the draft or do I bet everything on my agent getting me a contract? I’m not picky about where I go, geographically speaking at least.

I’m happy to stay in the U.S. but I’m also open to going to Canada. My only requirement is that my new team have at least solid playoff chances. I don’t want to start my pro career with a struggling franchise. The risk of fading into obscurity is too high. All it takes is one wrong move and I can kiss goodbye to all my dreams of winning the Stanley Cup.

It’s especially important to me because my dad never won one despite a great career where he won an Olympic gold medal.

The problem is that in hockey, any achievement pales in comparison to the Stanley Cup. You can win all the trophies you want, but if you miss your shot at the cup, that’s all people will remember about you.

Case in point, whenever anyone mentions Kendrick Shayba, the first thing they say is that he had an impressive career,buthe never won a Stanley Cup.

The next thing they say is that Kendrick has two sons who are both following in his footsteps, so there is still a chance that the name Shayba will be associated with the Cup in the future.