Page 3 of The Captain

And Cassie had actually shown up willing to work with me.

I took that as a sign that she was willing to let go of the past, to forgive my mistakes, and maybe she would have. Maybe it all could have worked out.

If only I hadn’t fucked it up again.

TWO

Cassie

Six Months Ago

Biting my lip, I regarded my best friend’s boyfriend with skepticism. He was holding out all of my favorite treats, his eyes pleading with my own, the look I’d only ever seen on his face when he was looking at his favorite person, my best friend, Mick.

“What’s the deal, then?” I asked, not giving in yet, though I would. I was a sucker for many people. I was too nice, too friendly, too forgiving.

Or at least, that’s what my two best friends, Victoria and Mick, said.

“I have a player who’s struggling in his creative writing class. If he doesn’t pull his grade up, I’ll have to bench him.”

For the briefest of seconds, I saw Tanner fidget. Tanner wasn’t a fidgeter, he was a very sure man, knowing exactly what he wants and how he wants to get it. Hence, him secretly dating my best friend.

That was my major secret. I’d never held a secret this detrimental before, and this was one I would take to the grave, mostly because it wasn’t about me.

“How bad is his grade now?” I asked. My hands itched to take the goodies out of his hands. My weakness was chocolate, and somehow Tanner knew that, bribing me with it whenever he came to see his girlfriend.

He may or may not know I was a terrible secret keeper and was trying to keep me calm.

“He’s on the verge of failing, but I think with your help, we can save his grade. We can’t lose him as a player. He’s too valuable.”

I paused all my movements, my breathing, blinking, and toe-tapping ceased. “Valuable, huh? What position does he play?”

For the first time since I’d met Tanner, he hesitated. He lost his aloof coolness.

His eyes averted when he cleared his throat. “He’s really important, Cass, and I wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t vital. It’s…” His eyes dart to Mick’s room and back to me. “Important that he stays on the team.”

My eyes glanced to Mick’s door and back to him, my arms crossed slowly. “No way.”

“I wouldn’t ask—”

“If it wasn’t important, I know. I get it. I don’t have any ill wishes toward your hockey team, Tanner. I may not like hockey—” His eyes become incredulous. “I mean, I don’t not like hockey, it’s just not my favorite thing to watch. Anyway, I’m getting off track.” I paused and took a deep breath. “I cannot work with him, Tanner. We hate each other.”

“I know you do,” Tanner sighed, slumping in early defeat. I frowned, not expecting him to give up so easily. “It’s fine, really. I will just have to break the news to Mick that not only can we not tell her family we’re dating, but her brother is going to hate me because I have to kick him off the hockey team, dashing his and his family’s hopes and dreams for him to become a professional hockey player.”

My heart gets locked in my chest, and I gaped at the man standing in front of me.

“You can’t be serious.”

“I am.” He shook his head sadly. “I can’t exactly keep him on the team without his grades improving, and you are his only chance.”

I found that hard to believe, but Tanner was really laying on the guilt. “You’re trying to trick me. It won’t work.”

“Okay, no. Seriously. I get it.” He nodded his head, taking back the offer of the chocolate he was going to give me, and moved toward Mick’s door. His head was slightly bowed as he walked, slower than normal.

I crossed my arms more firmly, biting my lip and keeping the words in my mouth. I furrowed my brows.

I couldn’t work with Lincoln Ellis, the devil brother of Micayla Ellis, even though she was my absolute best friend in the entire world and I would do anything for her.

Except put up with her brother.

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