Lucky Score (The Hawkeyes Hockey Series Book 6)

The drive to drop Brynn off was done in complete silence.

Well, not complete silence. I had the radio on to drown out the lack of conversation between us.

It was a stark difference from the last time we drove this route together to Scallywag’s a couple of days ago, with Brynn singing every note to the songs playing on the radio.

This time, she didn’t sing a single note.

She kept her arm out in the breeze of the side window, watching the palm trees and ocean pass us by.

I saw the look on her face when I told her that I never should have touched her, and I meant it. I never should have touched Brynn because now it’s physically painful not to reach out and do something as simple as take her hand into mine or glide my hand down her thigh as we drive down the road.

If I didn’t know how incredibly smooth her skin is or the soft approving sounds she makes when I touch her, I wouldn’t know how much I lost… though none of it was ever mine. Just like Josslin never really belonged to me. I think I always knew that deep down.

There was politeness in Josslin’s eyes for me, not romantic affection. But I was a stupid kid back then, with my sights on making a name for myself in the NHL, and I didn’t look close enough.

If I’m honest with myself, I saw it when I got down on one knee in front of that fountain with ten dozen roses all set up by the florist. Instead, I convinced myself not to notice the hesitation in her body language when I popped the question.

At the time, my brother was off serving his country, and Josslin was never on his radar. Josslin wasn’t the only one with a childhood crush. I had one too, her.

I couldn’t believe how lucky I was. I had an NHL contract and the girl I had loved since I was a kid was wearing my ring. Little did I know that my brother was jealous of my hockey career, which never materialized for him. So when he returned home from overseas without his best friend, he became broken and bitter, and he thought that taking the one thing I wanted most would help him feel better or vindicate him in some way.. It’s too bad that stealing someone else’s happiness doesn’t convert the way he hoped it would.

Brynn already made her choice well before we met. I won’t be Brynn’s alternate choice. I’ve been there before, and in the end, no one wins.

I pull up to Scallywag’s, and Rita comes out when she hears my jeep.

I don’t shut it off since I have to leave as soon as Brynn gets her things out of the back so that I can be at the airport on time.

‘Good morning, you two!’ Rita beams.

She sees Brynn and I both jump out of the jeep and I move to get the luggage out of the back so that Brynn doesn’t have to. I loaded it all for her, and with the lift on the jeep, it’s too high for her to have to pull it all down.

‘You don’t need to do that,’ Brynn whispers to me as Rita approaches the side we’re standing on.

‘I can help you with your luggage. I loaded it.’

‘You didn’t have to do that either,’ she says just as Rita walks up to us.

I pull all three pieces of luggage out of my jeep, and Rita grabs one of the bags.

‘Off to get our girl?’ Rita asks me.

‘Right after I stop at the hardware store first. I need to pick up some supplies in town for a few of the repairs.’

‘Then off you go. I’ll help Brynn get settled.’

I’d insist on not letting Rita take the luggage upstairs and do it myself but I have to leave or I’ll be late if there’s any traffic, and Miguel is inside if they need help.

‘I’ll see you later,’ I tell Rita.

‘Thanks for the ride,’ Brynn says, grabbing for her bags to read inside. ‘I can’t find my necklace. The clasp is old and I think it fell off somewhere in the house. If you find it, will you let me know?’

‘Sure, I’ll look for it.’

I can’t stay any longer if I want to make sure that I pick up everything and get to Cammy before she deboards the aircraft,

I jump in my jeep and pull out of the parking lot and head towards the airport.

I stand outside of the jeep, leaning against it when my phone buzzes in my hand.

Cammy: On my way out, but brace yourself. I didn’t tell her she could come. She was waiting for me in the airport outside of security when I arrived.

The second I saw Cammy’s text, I had a good idea of what was coming.

I watch the glass double doors, anticipating my niece and my ex to walk through the airport exit.

And then I see Cammy come through first. Her bright smile and brown hair were up in a ponytail with her backpack slung over one shoulder.

Next, Josslin pushes through the door, trying to shove a tube of lip gloss or lipstick back in her bag as if she just reapplied it before coming out here. I watch through my sunglasses as she pulls a designer bag behind her as her full-length beach dress swirls around her wedge heels. It’s low cut in the front, which doesn’t shock me, and her hair is perfectly styled with a thick mask of makeup on in typical Josslin fashion.

I head straight for my niece, wrapping my arm around her shoulders and bringing her in for a squeeze. I’m grateful she looks more like a Wrenley every day and nothing like Josslin, except for those deep green eyes and that tall, slender ballerina figure.

I take her bags and turn back from the Jeep before Josslin has a chance to catch up.

‘How was your flight kiddo?’ I ask.

‘Long but good. I’m starving, though. My connecting flights were too close together so all I ate today were some crackers and a couple of fruit juices. Can we go to Scallywag’s for dinner?’

‘Yeah, sure, whatever you want—’

‘Hello,’ I hear Josslin’s voice behind us. ‘Are you two just going to ignore me?’

‘That was the plan, yes,’ I say, turning around to face the woman I had already warned not to come.

‘Well, I’m here now. So we might as well make the best of it,’ she says, glancing from Cammy to me with a smile as if she didn’t just intentionally force her way into Cammy’s vacation.

I sneeze twice in a row the moment Josslin’s heavy perfume wafts past my nostrils.

‘Are you getting sick?’ Josslin asks.

‘No, I’m just allergic to you.’

I hear Cammy try to stop the giggle that bubbles out from my response.

Though I agree that was funny… sometimes I wonder what happened between Cammy and Josslin to make Cammy despise her mom and move all the way to Seattle to get some space from her.

‘I hope you secured a rental car and a hotel for yourself. You’re not staying with us,’ I tell Josslin.

‘Can I at least have dinner with you two? My car rental won’t be ready until tomorrow.’

I know better than to give in to Josslin, and if Cammy weren’t here, I’d happily leave her stranded in the terminal.

Cammy leans in closer to me. ‘We could just leave her here,’ she whispers.

‘She’s your mom, Cammy.’

‘So…? You don’t talk to your mom either.’

She has a point, but how would that look in front of my niece if I abandoned her mom right in front of her?

I’m trying to be the best example of what a man should be since Cammy’s dad is an alcoholic who plays video games all day to hide away and avoid getting the help he needs. I don’t want Cammy ending up like Josslin. Married to a guy who isn’t present in Cammy’s life. Not that Josslin doesn’t deserve some of the Karma she’s getting. I just don’t want that for my niece.

‘You can come to dinner, and then I’ll drop you off at your hotel after. After that, you’re on your own,’ I tell her.

‘See? We’re getting along so well already,’ Josslin says, handing me her bag as if I’m her chauffeur.

I’m going to fucking regret this. I already know it.

I take the bag anyway. It’s obviously heavy, and if I leave it for Josslin to attempt to lift in the back of my Jeep, we’ll be here all day, and my goal is to get dinner over with and drop Josslin back off at whatever hotel she booked.

Cammy gets in the front seat before Josslin can and then soon, I’m back in the driver’s seat,

Cammy bends closer to me again.

‘You’d better not let her talk you into going fishing with us tomorrow like you caved on dinner.’

I lean in closer to Cammy. The jeep is loud but whether Josslin hears me or not is none of my concern.

‘I’ll throw myself overboard if that happens.’

Cammy starts laughing, and then I pull off the curb, and we’re off to Scallywag’s.

Brynn

It’s been a few hours since I got settled upstairs in the apartment.

The space is your basic run-of-the-mill, two-bedroom apartment but Rita has every wall painted in a bright color.

There are two small rooms with a shared bathroom, a small living space with a couch and TV, and a small L-shaped kitchen with everything I’ll need. It’s perfect for one more week while I pound out the last of my book.

Downstairs, the lunch rush is over and there are a few tables coming in for early dinner.

‘Cammy!’ I hear Rita’s voice from across the restaurant.

I quickly glance up to find three people standing at the entrance of the restaurant.

Rita throws her arms around the young woman standing next to Seven. That must be Cammy.

The moment Rita pulls back, I’m struck by the resemblance of Seven and Cammy standing next to one another. The Wrenley family must have strong genetics or Eli and Seven must look a lot alike.

Then, my attention is taken up by the striking, beautiful woman standing behind them.

She’s gorgeous, with long blonde hair and a body that looks like it has never missed a Pilates class.

Seven mentioned that his niece was coming but he didn’t mention another woman would be accompanying them. I could understand why he would want the spare bedroom for Cammy, but is there more reason for why he wanted me out of his house so desperately before Cammy arrived? Is it possible that Seven also has a confession about his relationship status?

I watch as Seven introduces the blonde woman to Rita, and then his eyes flash to mine as Rita and the blonde exchange pleasantries.

I quickly divert eye contact, not wanting him to know that I was staring at them.

Pulling the bin full of dishes off the table that I just cleared, I glance up, pulling the bin into my arms, and find Rita leading the other three straight toward me.

‘Brynn, I want you to meet Cammy, Seven’s niece and my favorite human on earth.’

Cammy smiles over at me and reaches out a hand.

The box is too heavy for me to shake her hand, but Seven grips the bin and pulls it effortlessly out of my hand before I can decline.

‘I’ll take this to the kitchen for you,’ he says and heads for the back door, where the busboy is already loading and unloading the dishwasher before the dinner rush.

‘Oh… uh, thank you,’ I tell him, but he’s already halfway across the restaurant in seconds.

It’s almost as if he was looking for an excuse to leave.

‘Hi, I’m Brynn,’ I say.

‘It’s nice to meet you finally. I’m Cammy. I’ve heard a lot about you. You’re the woman who’s been sleeping at my uncle’s place, right?’ Cammy smiles at Rita, and now I know where the informant came from.

‘What?’ I hear the blonde woman beside Cammy say, her face scrunching up a little.

Certainly, if the woman is here to see Seven, Cammy’s comment could seem a little jarring.

‘That was a misunderstanding. I got scammed out of renting his house, and then he generously let me stay until Rita found a spot for me here.’

‘Hi, we haven’t met yet. I’m Josslin, Cammy’s mom and Seven’s fiancé—’

‘Ex-fiancé,’ I hear Seven say as he makes steps toward us on his way back from the kitchen. ‘And I think sister-in-law is the title you settled on almost twenty years ago, if I’m not mistaken.’

This is the woman he told me about last night?

‘You still proposed marriage to me once, or have you forgotten.’

Cammy and Rita both send Josslin sideways looks.

‘No Josslin. I haven’t forgotten any of the things you did in our past,’ he says.

There’s almost a threat in his eyes, and she crosses her arms over her busty chest as if she’s upset that he called her out.

Well, that confirms it. This is the woman who broke Seven’s heart.

Why didn’t he mention last night that Josslin was coming, too? I guess it’s none of my business.

There’s a pang of jealousy that shoots through me at the thought that the woman before me used to hold that much power over him, especially when I’m merely the woman he regrets spending the night with.

Josslin is the polar opposite of me. She has long blonde hair, is tall, and has a perfect body. She’s Daniel’s usual type as well, and she’s nothing like my short five-foot-four stature and brown hair.

‘You three came for food, so let’s get you seated, shall we?’ Rita says.

The three of them follow Rita to another table, and I watch as Josslin attempts to sit next to Seven on one side of the booth, but he narrowly escapes and decides to sit with Cammy on the other bench, leaving Josslin on her own.

I’m grateful when I notice that my shift is almost over, and I won’t have to find busy work around the restaurant while we wait for the dinner rush to start.

I head back to the kitchen to see if I can help with the dishes, but everything is about caught up.

‘You can take off a little early if you want. Everything is looking good in the back. You can head upstairs and get some writing done if you want,’ Marie says, walking into the back with the receipts from the lunch rush that ended a couple of hours ago.

‘I think I’ll take you up on that.’

With only a week left, it’s crunch time to finish this book. And avoiding the possibility of running into Seven again tonight is appealing all on its own.

I clock out and head back up to the apartment, sending a quick text to Sheridan.

Brynn: Wrote 6,000 words last night.

Sheridan: How’s it going with Seven?

Brynn: It’s a long story. Talk later?

Sheridan: Sure thing. Are you staying the rest of the week?

Brynn: The writing is coming together and I have a place to stay now.

Sheridan: Call me when you can.