Total pages in book: 92
Estimated words: 90257 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 451(@200wpm)___ 361(@250wpm)___ 301(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 90257 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 451(@200wpm)___ 361(@250wpm)___ 301(@300wpm)
“I’m going to hold you to that promise.”
When there’s another knock on his door, I pop to my feet, ready to get the hell out of here.
One of the assistants sticks his head into the office. “Hey, Coach. You got a minute?”
“Yup. McAdams was just on his way out.”
No need to tell me twice.
“Thanks, Coach,” I say as I cross over the threshold.
“No problem.” There’s a pause. “And Ryder?”
I grind to a halt and meet his eyes. “Yeah.”
“If we got off on the wrong foot at the beginning of the year, I apologize for that. This position has been a transition for everyone. I want you to know that my door is always open if there’s anything you want to talk about. All right?”
For the first time since he summoned me into his office, the tension in my shoulders drains and the corners of my lips hitch.
“Thanks. I’ll keep it in mind.”
He nods. “You do that. Now get out of here.”
As I walk into the locker room, everything Coach said circles through my head. Ever since I was a kid and fell in love with hockey, it’s been my number one priority. What I’ve recently realized is that there’s more to life than school and the sport I love.
There’s Juliette.
Now that we’re finally together, the last thing I’m going to do is fuck it up.
But Coach is right.
All the other bullshit needs to go.
CHAPTER 32
JULIETTE
I yank open the door to the Union and rush through the entryway. Even with a winter jacket, scarf, and hat, I’m still chilled to the bone. The temperatures have dropped, and the wind is whipping through campus. The heat from the building isn’t nearly enough to warm me.
It’s a little before noon and the place is already packed with students looking to grab lunch before afternoon classes start up again. As I scan the tables, looking for Mom and Dad, I catch sight of Brooke and her boyfriend, Crosby. A smile lights up his face as he swallows up the distance between them and playfully nips at her neck. She squeals in response before shoving him away. Laughter simmers from both of them.
As soon as my gaze locks on Brooke’s, she lifts her arm in a wave. I return the greeting. Seeing them together makes my heart sigh. They’re so perfect for each other.
And to think…
It wasn’t all that long ago that she was dating his roommate, Andrew. Or, as I like to call him, Andrew the douche. At that point, she and Crosby couldn’t stand each other. Could barely tolerate being in the same room together. It just goes to show you how quickly everything can change.
I suppose Ryder and I are a perfect example of that. We’ve never really been friends and now…
Now I can’t imagine my life without him in it.
I refocus my attention on Brooke and her friends. The table is packed with football players and their girlfriends. Demi and Rowan, Sydney and Brayden, Sasha and Easton, Elle and Carson. And then there’s Asher Stevens.
There’s more than one girl vying for his attention.
I’ve known most of these guys since freshman year, and a good number of them have always been players. Now that they’ve found girlfriends, that’s all changed.
Well, except for Asher. Looks like he’s the last holdout.
I don’t realize I’m staring until our gazes catch. He gives me a chin lift along with a smirk. We had a few gen ed classes together sophomore year and have always been friendly.
Would I ever consider dating the guy?
No way in hell.
Plus, I don’t think he actually dates. He more or less likes to spread the love around, if you know what I mean.
I shoot him a smile and continue on my way before spotting Mom and Dad at a table off to the side near a large picture window. Even though Mav isn’t here yet, a handful of his teammates are crowded around Dad. Everyone knows who he is, and a few are even repped by his management agency.
Mom quickly rises to her feet and pulls me in for a warm embrace. She’s always been affectionate but is even more so after battling cancer. It’s like she wants everyone in her life to know just how much they mean to her and how loved they are.
For just a second, I squeeze my eyes tightly closed and sink into her warm embrace before unwrapping myself and giving my father a hug.
“Hey, pretty girl. How’s everything going?” Dad asks.
“Good. How about you?”
“Can’t complain. Work’s keeping me busy as usual.”
I drop my bag to the tile floor near the table and unzip my black puffy jacket. Ford, Madden, and Riggs give me chin lifts in greeting. They’ve always been nice, treating me more like a sister than anything else.
Wolf shoots me a smirk.
He’s always been friendly, but there’s something about him that seems almost dangerous. Because of that, I’ve always been cautious where he’s concerned. He’s kind of like a lion lounging on a sunny rock, biding his time. It lulls you into a false sense of security before he leaps and rips your jugular out.