Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 84294 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 421(@200wpm)___ 337(@250wpm)___ 281(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 84294 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 421(@200wpm)___ 337(@250wpm)___ 281(@300wpm)
“Great session, man,” he says, sweat dripping from his hair. “It’s going to be a killer season.”
“Yeah, I hope so,” I say, leaning back to rest against the locker as I try to catch my breath. “What are your plans for tonight?”
“Bri’s making dinner,” he explains.
“Oh, yeah. She on the menu?” I ask, taking a minute before standing up and pulling off my sweaty jersey.
He ignores my question, and I smirk in response. He knows I would never touch his sister, but the overprotective brother in him will never quit. “She finally got a roommate,” he tells me.
“Bullshit,” I laugh. “There’s no way you actually approved of someone. Bri’s doomed to live alone the rest of her life.”
“Seriously,” he grins back at me. “Though I don’t think I really had a say in the matter. Bri fell in love with the chick straight away. I swear, they’ve known each other for three days and they’re already joined at the hip,” he tells me with an affectionate smile, one only his twin sister can bring out.
“Shit,” I say. “That’s great and all, but is the chick hot?”
“Smokin’ hot, but she’s too good for your sorry-ass,” he tells me, dropping his pants and standing before me in nothing but his birthday suit. “You’ll be keeping away from this one.”
“Come on, man. I’ll just test the waters. Just dip one toe in,” I grin.
He bursts out laughing, barely covering his junk. “Fuck, man,” he says, grabbing his things for a shower. “You have no clue how fucking ironic that is.”
“Huh?” I ask, completely lost, but all I get is a secretive smile and a shake of his head before he disappears to the showers, leaving me as curious as ever about Brianna’s new roommate. But not curious enough to investigate tonight. I’m too fucking exhausted.
After rushing through a quick shower, I grab my things and glance around at the boys. “C’ya bright and early, boys,” I call out, making my way to the exit.
They all give me exhausted responses and pathetic waves but I don’t bother to bust their balls on it. After all, I’m feeling just as worn out as they are.
I head out of the locker room and jump in my truck. In no time at all, I’m pulling up at my door, scarfing down a quick dinner, and collapsing in bed. Just so I can do it all over again tomorrow.
Chapter 3
CASSIE
Two weeks I’ve been here, and to say Brianna has managed to pull me out of the depressing fog I’ve been living in over the last six months would be a major understatement. No matter how hard she tries, she won’t be able to dull the ache that took residence in my heart six months ago when Dad passed, but at least she has the ability to help me look forward to my days.
The night I moved in, I spilled my guts to her. I told her about my dysfunctional family and about Dad’s heart attack before tackling the crazy lives of my idiotic brothers. I shared with her the memories of my mom, who we lost to breast cancer two years ago.
Then I had to go and tell her about the brown-haired, blue-eyed boy that moved in next door when I was twelve years old. How we were inseparable for six years until I broke his heart at eighteen. How I fell madly in love with him and how, still to this day, he’s the only man I have ever, and will ever love.
He taught me to ice skate on the frozen lake that ran behind our properties, held my hair back when I threw up after stealing as much liquor as we could from the triplet’s stash, and stayed right by my side, holding me when we heard the news of my mother’s cancer.
He was my rock, my soul mate, and I made the biggest mistake of my life by leaving. But here I am, three years later, occasionally still in one piece. That boy I watched grow into a man has turned into a completely different person, one I no longer recognize, and I have only myself to blame.
All I can do for him now is stay out of his way. I’m sure I’m the last person he would want to see, especially now that he has so much going for him. He’s the Captain of the Denver Dragons and is heading straight for a contract to the NHL. He’s getting everything he ever wanted, and I swear to God, I am so damn proud of him.
For the past two weeks, I’ve managed to avoid him like the plague. The first time I saw him on campus, he was flirting with some girl who was busy writing her number on the back of his hand. My heart stopped and so did my world. Seeing him for the first time after so many years threw me straight back to the day I left. My eyes began to water and my legs wanted nothing more than to run to him, so I turned my back and walked away, even though it nearly killed me.