Total pages in book: 90
Estimated words: 89535 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 448(@200wpm)___ 358(@250wpm)___ 298(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 89535 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 448(@200wpm)___ 358(@250wpm)___ 298(@300wpm)
Kole smiles and leans in to kiss me, but—
“Let’s go,” Rossi says, sticking his head back inside the locker room.
“On it, Captain.” I drag Kole toward the door. “Two whole nights.”
“No kids.”
“No exams. Just my two favorite things. Hockey and you naked in my bed. Or in a bathroom. On a table. Against the wall. On a couch.” Damn it, now I’m hard, and Montreal is two hours away.
We meet the guys out in the parking lot—Rossi, Simms, Kaplan, Beck, and Jacobs are coming, and when we get up there, we’re meeting Cohen, who’s a PR assistant for the Montreal team. He scored us tickets to the game.
“We have room in our car,” Beck says, and Kaplan and Simms look our way.
Cohen might have warned me against getting into Beck’s car. Apparently two hours in a confined space with him can drive anyone mad.
Rossi goes with them, while the four of us pile into Kole’s car.
“Do you think Coach sent Beck to spy on us?” Kaplan asks on the way up north.
The three of us laugh at that absurdity.
“You have more chance of Kole ratting one of us out, and he loves me,” I say.
“You weren’t here the last two years when Beck was one of us,” Simms says. “Trust me. He’s the least of our worries. He’ll always be a man child.”
“Really?”
I don’t know why Kaplan is surprised, but then I really think about it, and Beck has been more subdued this past year. “Maybe he’s growing up.”
“Thank fuck I still have another year before I need to do that,” Simms says.
I turn to him from the passenger seat. “You and me, next year, we’re getting every agent’s attention. We’re keeping you out of law school.”
We fist bump.
“I’m, uh …” Kaplan starts. “I’m thinking of entering the draft next year.” His voice pitches at the end as if he’s asking our permission to do it.
“That settles it,” I say. “We have to win the Frozen Four this year and get everyone to our games next season.”
“Aww, look at you three being a team,” Kole says. “I didn’t think this would ever happen at the beginning of the season.”
“I don’t think any of us did,” I murmur.
“Say, ‘thank you, Kole.’”
Simms and I flip him off as though on cue.
When we finally make it to Montreal, I text Cohen to say we’re here, and he replies he’ll meet us in our hotel bar for pregame drinks.
And as we dump our stuff in our room and head downstairs, my old line mate stands to greet me with a hug while his boyfriend scowls at me. It’s cute because Seth Grant is not an intimidating guy.
Cohen still has his kind face and goofy grin. “Rumor has it you’ve stopped being an asshole this year, but I told Beck he’s full of shit because I didn’t think that was possible.”
“I’m a delightful human being, you complete cockwomble.” I don’t even need to look at Kole beside me to know he’s rolling his eyes.
“Ah, there’s the guy I know,” Cohen says.
I pull Kole close. “This is my boyfriend. Kole, this is Cohen and Seth.”
“Oh, so you’re the reason he’s not an asshole anymore?” Cohen asks and shakes Kole’s hand.
“Nope. He loves me even when I’m an asshole.” I pull Kole closer.
“Unfortunately, that’s true.” My boyfriend sighs.
Cohen laughs and grips my shoulder. “You do look happy, so that’s something. I’ve also been keeping tabs on your games. You guys are killing it this year.”
“Aww, are you checking up on me?” I ask in my flirty tone.
Beside him, Seth growls.
I throw my hands up. “I’m sorry, but it’s so easy to get under your skin, and I love it.”
Kole nudges me. “I can see why you had the reputation you did when I met you.”
“Whatever. I’m totally innocent.”
None of them believe me.
“Drinks!” Kaplan yells and puts a tray of shots down. “First ones I bought legally. I love Canada.”
Cohen introduces himself to the freshman and greets Simms. Behind them, Jacobs, Beck, and Rossi enter the bar and beeline it toward us.
“Just in time.” Kaplan hands out a shot to everyone. “What should we toast to?”
Cohen holds up his drink. “To line mates, old and new.”
We all clink the small glasses and throw them back except for Cohen, who hands his to Seth, who downs both.
I cock my head at Cohen. “Pregnant?”
“I’m on PR duty tonight,” he says. “Are you all ready to head to the arena?”
We walk the couple of minutes, my arm around Kole the whole time, and I can’t think of a better way to spend the few days off I have than with him and a group of guys I’m quickly becoming close to.
I never realized how important true friendship was until I met Kole.
They’re an escape from all the shit that drags me down.