Page 39 of Never In My Wildest Dreams

“Okay,” she said. “Rapid fire questions: favorite TV show. Go.”

“I don’t watch TV.”

“That’s not how you play this game.” She rolled her eyes. “And, seriously, in your entire lifetime, you’ve never watched television?”

“Honestly, no. I’ve either been hanging out with my friends, playing hockey, studying, or building my career. But you can tell me yours.”

“The first two seasons ofTed Lasso, but it doesn’t matter if you don’t watch TV. Okay, favorite pet?”

“I never had one.”

“What? With your idyllic childhood? I pictured a dog, a cat, a picket fence, and family dinner at six o’clock.”

“You’re close. I had the picket fence, and wherever I was, no matter what I was doing, I had to come home for dinner. Then I could go out again.”

“That’s sweet. Why no pets?”

“Because of hockey. I could only get one if I took care of it, and I played hockey, so it wasn’t possible.”

“But you wanted one?”

“Sure, I did. In fact, I had this idea in my head of my buddies and I living on the same street. We’d have babies at the same time, so they could grow up together and be as close as we were. We’d have barbecues and picket fences and dogs. I pictured us standing together at the rink watching our kids skate.”

“You’re trying to break my heart, aren’t you? Whathappened? How did friends so close wind up so far apart?”

“It’s a long story.”

“Huh.” She looked out the window. “If only we had the time.”

“I told you. I got injured, and I never heard from them again.”

“If only there was a way to tell the story with more words…”

“Yeah, yeah.” He’d told her about his dad. Might as well tell her about his friends. “It was the summer after we graduated from high school, the night before I was supposed to leave for training camp. One of my friends got some bad news. He was supposed to play hockey in Canada, but his parents told him they had to sell the ranch that had been in the family for generations. So, he texted, asking us all to come over. He wanted one last night together before we all went in separate directions.” The memory of his accident rustled up the familiar panic, and he swiped it away.

I’m good. I’m safe.

It was tucked far away in the past.

Except it wasn’t. Not really. Because every time he opened the door, the memories came spilling out, as containable as water.

Cole pulling out the keys to his dad’s Piper Cub. The excited look in Jaime’s eyes—it’s on.

The dread churning in his gut as they flew to the top of the cliff, armed with a case of cold beer.

Sitting around the bonfire, watching Jaime get that wild-eyed look before shouting that he was going to BASE jump. Cole joining him.

“You don’t have to do it,” Declan said quietly.

Three of them putting on their gear. Jaime tossing a parachute into his lap.

Three of them standing on the ledge. Him screaming internally.Don’t do it. Stop.

Jaime turning back around.“Suit up, man. Come on. One last time.”

That helpless feeling as he got ready. He couldn’t stop them, and he sure as hell didn’t want to join them.

As it all unfolded in his mind’s eye, his gut twisted and squeezed.

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