Page 56 of Cross the Line

Annika’s expression turned solemn. We’d both known him in college. Been friends with him.

“Yeah.” I swallowed hard, past the lump in my throat.

“You guys were close,” Annika said in a gentle tone. “He was like a mentor to you. It’s understandable that you miss him. We all miss him.”

“Not to psychoanalyze you,” Steph said, and we groaned. Steph was going to school for a master’s degree in psychology. “But it seems like you’ve been pushing yourself extra hard since the holidays, especially lately. Do you think you could be burying yourself in work so you don’t have to feel your feelings?”

My knee-jerk reaction was to say no, but the truth wasn’t so simple. “I mean…maybe.” I twisted the hem of my shirt in my hands, unable to completely dismiss the idea. “But not entirely.”

“Then what?” Steph asked.

I sighed. I feel as if I’m on the cusp of everything I’ve worked so hard for, and I’m scared I’ll blow it.

But before I was forced to answer, my phone chimed. I glanced at the screen, smiling as soon as I saw the message.

Trouble: Watched the game. What’s the verdict? Quiet or comfort?

How did he always know exactly what to say?

Annika leaned over, glancing at my phone, even as I tried to push her away. “Trouble again?”

“Why is he named ‘trouble’ exactly?” Steph asked, reading my message. “Because he seems like a sweetheart.”

And that was part of the problem—Carson was a sweetheart, and I didn’t know how to reconcile my brother’s version of the man with my own. Carson was an athlete I respected—both for his talent on the ice and for his actions off the ice. He was important to me.

“Trouble is…a friend,” I said, sliding my phone into my bag before standing. “And I need to pack for my trip to LA.”

Annika and Steph shared a look.

“What?” I asked, even though I had a feeling I’d regret it.

“A little Trouble—” she gave me a meaningful look “—might be the solution to all your problems.”

I shook my head. I’d told my brother that Carson and I were friends, and he’d accepted that. Probably because he was happy in his love bubble with his boyfriend, Alan. But there was no way I could sleep with Levi’s ex-best friend, even if the idea was tempting.

Carson was hot. Flirty. Confident. Supportive.

That might be his most attractive feature—the fact that he saw what was going on in the league, and he was actively working to correct it. He listened to my frustrations as a female athlete, and he was an ally. My brother had warned me that Carson couldn’t be trusted. That he said one thing and did another. But from everything I’d seen, Carson was a man of his word.

“Mm.” Annika grinned, slinging her bag over her shoulder. “She’s thinking about it.”

I pushed away the thought. “Hockey comes first.”

Steph slung her arm over my shoulder. “Babe, I’m going to let you in on a little secret. I love hockey too, but you should come first. In life, and in the bedroom.”

I laughed, feeling lighter after confessing some of my struggles to my friends. “I’ll keep that sage advice in mind.”

CHAPTER TWELVE

Itugged at my collar, scanning the ballroom that was more like an outdoor garden, thanks to all the pink and white flowers. Everyone was gathered at the Huxley Grand LA, waiting for Frasier and Bryn to arrive for their surprise baby shower. Logan had texted earlier in the day to let me know her flight had been delayed, but I hadn’t heard from her since. Thanks to Georgia, I knew Logan had landed, but I had yet to see her.

Georgia was practically bouncing on her toes. In an effort to calm the nervous energy coursing through me as much as her own, I wrapped my arm around her shoulder. She was anxious about the surprise party—wanting it to go off without a hitch. And I was a wreck because I was about to see Logan for the first time since Christmas, since I’d spent the night, and my confession that I liked her. I hadn’t felt this nervous and excited since I’d stepped onto the ice for my first NHL game.

“G.” I tried not to chuckle. “Relax. It’s beautiful, and they’re going to love it.”

“I hope so. And where the hell is Logan?” She glanced down at her phone. “Frasier and Bryn should be here any minute.”

She’d opened an app on her phone that showed the locations of several people. There was a dot for Logan that showed her in the vicinity of the hotel. And another dot for Bryn that was nearing the hotel at a more rapid pace.