Page 80 of Made Better Together

I get the car started, and when we reach her dorm a few minutes later, the sidewalks have steady traffic. No kisses goodbye then, shit.

But there’s something else I can do before she takes off.

“Are you free Saturday night? Can I take you out?”

A big smile is my reward. “That’s perfect. We don’t have a Sunday game this week. Text me tomorrow?” I nod. “Oh, and forget you ever saw me in these raggedy old shorts, please.”

“Too late, they’re already imprinted in my mind.”

“Dang it,” she jokes as she gets out of the car.

I admire the view of her walking away in those well-worn little shorts before she closes the dorm door behind her.

23

EDEN

Icollapse on my bed as soon as I’m inside the suite, heart racing.

Connor and I are going to get our chance. For real.

No more hot and cold, no more confusion. If staying a secret is what’s going to make it possible, I don’t care.

He was so clear—this is dating. Not a fling. Not just hanging out casually.

If we’re on the same page, I’m more than fine keeping our business private.

I bask in the afterglow of what happened until the front door to our suite opens.

“Heyyyy,” Bree shouts in the direction of my room. “Get dressed. Everyone will be here soon.”

I debate spilling to her everything that just happened—but then I remember, it’s a secret.

So instead, I pull myself off the mattress and get ready to party with my girls.

The Hockey House party is packed, but we treat the evening as a girls’ night more than anything. Whenever a guy tries to impose himself into one of our conversations, we ignore him until he fades into the larger party.

I only acknowledge two guys myself. Greg and I share a head nod when we first make eye contact—the polite thing as amicable exes. And I give Jake a “thank you,” coupled with a small smile, when he hands me a beer in the kitchen.

“You’re welcome,” he replies. “Game went well?”

I shrug. “Just a draw. A tie.”

“I take it that’s not a good thing?”

“Nope. We should have won.”

His brow crinkles. “Bummer. Shake it off with some fun tonight. Have a good time with your teammates.”

As much as I hate the reason for his sympathy, I’m relieved by the chill response, and relax even more when I see him talking to a pretty black-haired woman for much of the night.

Hopefully, we can stay friends without any weird vibes.

“Cap, come tell Monique she needs to dump her guy,” April calls out as I exit the kitchen.

I join the crew, who then launch into an examination of our goalie Mo’s boyfriend and his lameness. He’s bailed on two dates in a row and showed up late for a brunch with her sister.

“Nah…that’s not okay,” April observes as Mo shares the details.