Page 7 of Risking the Pucking Defense

He chuckles. “Fair play.”

“So, where is the happy couple?” I ask.

“Down by the lake, having photos. It’s so beautiful over there,” Freya breathes.

“They’ll be done soon, right?” Cole asks.

“Don’t tell me…you’re hungry,” I deadpan.

“We all are. And we’ve had to give all the snacks we were carrying to Bea. How is that fair?” he sulks.

“She’s literally growing another person,” Freya points out. “You should have brought your own snacks.”

Cole groans. “Maybe if we didn’t burn off breakfast after we⁠—”

Freya smacks him in the chest before hissing, “Shut up,” and making our goalie belly laugh.

“Sorry, Hailee, please ignore him.”

“You say that like it isn’t my full-time job,” I tease.

“Hey,” Cole argues. “I don’t talk half as much shit as some of the others.”

“You’ve got a point there,” I say. “Excuse me, I’m going to see what’s happening outside.”

I take off, lured by the sun and the promise of silence.

It’s not that I don’t want to be social, it’s just that…okay, fine.

I don’t want to be social.

Since moving to LA, I’ve lived my life on my own terms, and that generally means that if I’m not at work, I’m alone. And I’m okay with that.

I like my own company.

The best part is that there’s no one who can let me down; no one who has the power to affect my life—just the way I like it.

3

HAYDEN

Hailee’s words ring in my head long after she’s walked out of my hotel room.

I know what I should do. I know what Rylee would want me to do. But it’s hard. Really fucking hard. And I’m aware that by not showing up yesterday and bailing on the service this morning, I’ve made my life even harder.

If I had gotten out of the car last night and faced my friends, then I wouldn’t have to do it now when almost everyone I work with is under one roof.

Hell, if I’d just told them what I was dealing with when I first moved here, then none of this would be happening right now.

I shake my head.

Hailee is right about regrets.

Not only do they last a lifetime, but there’s fuck all you can do about them other than try to accept that at the time, you thought you were making the right decision.

Even if I know deep down that I wasn’t.

I never wanted to leave Rylee, but I was doing exactly what she asked of me by moving to LA and playing for the Vipers.