Page 54 of Match Penalty

She takes the bag from my hands with a knowing look. "Or maybe you couldn’t stop thinking about your Ground Zeroafterparty?"

I follow her into Penelope's stunning kitchen, where the other girls are already gathering. The sprawling open-concept space, with its professional-grade appliances and massive island—perfect for entertaining an NHL team—is filled with the smell of pizza and the sound of laughter. Aria's meticulously arranging a veggie platter while Kendall and Juliet disagree about pizza toppings—specifically the use of pineapple. Isla's perched on one of the leather bar stools, typing rapidly on her phone.

"Look who finally showed up," Penelope calls out from where she's restocking bottled hard ciders in the fridge for tonight. "Just in time for pre-game analysis."

"Please tell me we're not dissecting Ground Zero again," I say, accepting one of the hard ciders that Penelope hands me.

"Oh, we're definitely going there," Aria says, abandoning her perfectly arranged vegetables. "You left with our goalie and didn't come back."

I take a generous sip of cider, needing liquid courage for this conversation. "I was sick, remember? I went to lie down.”

"You went to lie down… Is that what we’re calling it now?” Brynn teases. “Is that why I had to bring you your purse in the morning and you were sneaking out, dressed head to toe in JP’s clothing while he was still asleep? You didn't even wake him up before you left.”

“Oh, that’s cold… even for me,” Kendall says but then reaches over to high five me.

The room erupts in squeals and questions that echo off the high ceilings.

"Ladies," I hold up my hands, fighting to keep my expression neutral, "can we focus on the game? It's their first away game of the season, and I don't want to miss any of it."

"The game doesn't start for twenty minutes," Aria points out, her eyes sparkling with mischief. It's good to see her smile after everything with Everett. "Plenty of time for details."

If I'm being honest, Aria’s situation makes me even more nervous about the bet between my dad and JP. I still don't know Everett that well. Would he fire me if he found out that I knew that my dad challenged Everett's new goalie by walking away from the Hawkeyes, and I did nothing to stop it?

I mean, technically I did try to get them to listen to me, but neither of them would. Will he still see this as my fault? Will Penelope? And if Kendall doesn't clear Olsen in time, the Hawkeyes could be without a goalie after the charity auction if my dad wins.

"There are no details," I insist, though the memory of waking up in his bed, his scent surrounding me, threatens to weaken my resolve. "He was just being a good teammate, making sure I got home safe."

"That's all?" Kendall presses, twirling a baby carrot between her fingers. "Because Aleksi said—"

"Since when are you talking to Aleksi?" I counter, grateful for the deflection. My phone buzzes in my pocket, and I resist the urge to check it immediately.

Kendall's cheeks flush pink. "We're not…he just comes by my office a lot, that’s all. I don't date professional athletes anymore, remember?”

"What does Aleksi come by so often for then?" Isla asks, finally glancing up from her phone, probably texting Kaenan about the upcoming game.

"Usually something ridiculous," Kendall admits, her smile fond despite her eye roll. "Last week he came in claiming his funny bone wasn't funny anymore."

We all laugh, and I silently thank Aleksi's terrible flirting for the subject change. My phone buzzes again, and this time I can't help but check it.

JP:About to hit the ice for warmups.

My heart stutters, but I slip the phone back into my pocket without responding. He’ll be on the ice soon, and he’ll be in the zone. I probably won't hear from him the rest of the night, but I have a feeling I’ll be checking my phone all night anyway.

"Speaking of details," Penelope says, "we need to go dress shopping for the auction. I've got a reservation at that french boutique outside of town that we usually go to. They're holding a private showing for us with a brand new collection."

"I don't know if I should go," Aria says quietly, her earlier smile fading. "I'm not really part of the organization anymore."

The room falls silent, the weight of Everett's decision hanging heavy in the air.

"Don't be ridiculous," Penelope says firmly, her GM voice making an appearance. "You're still a part of the Hawkeyes family, even if you’re not on the payroll. Besides, it's a charity event. Anyone can attend who has an invitation and luckily, I have an extra one."

"Pen's right," I add, wrapping an arm around Aria's shoulders. "We need you there. Who else is going to obsessively analyze the silent auction table to make sure everything lines up perfectly?"

That gets a laugh from everyone, breaking the tension.

We settle into Penelope's massive sectional, plates balanced on laps as the pre-game show begins. The cameras pan across LA's arena, finally settling on the ice where both teams are warming up.

My breath catches when they zoom in on JP. He's tracking shots with laser focus, his movements fluid and controlled. Even through the TV, his presence commands attention. There's no sign of the knee issues that sidelined him last season as he moves post to post, shutting down shot after shot.

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