Page 3 of Puck and Prejudice

Before I can ask, he stands. “Sorry, guys. I’m heading out.”

“Where are you going?” I ask.

His cheeks flush. “Uh… just home. I’m tired.”

Chad, you’re a terrible liar.He’s up to something. I’ve known him my entire life. His parents are friends with my aunt Catherine. When Chad joined the team four years ago, we became even closer. He’s shy and awkward, like most goalies, but he’s a great guy, albeit naive as hell.

“Dude! You can’t go home. We’re supposed to party until sunup,” Alex Kaminski, Logan’s identical twin, pipes up.

“I’m all partied out,” Chad replies. “Later, guys.”

Logan jumps out of his chair and blocks Chad. “No way. You were the motherfucking MVP of the game. You have to stay.”

The other guys join Logan, voicing their opposition to Chad leaving. Chad looks at me, pleading for help with his eyes.

“Let him go,” I butt in. “We’ll party until sunup when we win the Cup.”

“Fine,” Logan grumbles, moving out of Chad’s way.

Chad looks at me and mouths,I owe you.

I nod.That you do, buddy.Tomorrow, I’ll get to the bottom of this.

ChapterTwo

IZZIE

It’s past four in the morning when I finally get home. It’s an hour drive from Triana, but I’m used to the commute. The vet clinic has two locations, one fifteen minutes from my parents’ ranch, and a location in Miami. I don’t work often at the Miami clinic, unless I need to cover someone’s shift.

I walk on soft feet to avoid waking my parents, Jane, and Lydia. I moved back home when I started my residency, to save money and to help Dad on the ranch. I share a room with Jane, my older sister. Unlike me, she didn’t go to a fancy out-of-state college on a scholarship. She attended community college, and now teaches flamenco and performs with her flamenco group.

I expect to find her sound asleep, but her bed is empty and untouched. She had a flamenco performance tonight, but I can’t believe she isn’t home yet. I sit on the edge of my bed and send her a text.

Hey, I’m home. Where are you?

She doesn’t answer right away, which makes my stomach churn with worry. Before I lose my mind staring at the screen, I set the phone down on the nightstand and get ready for bed. We have an ensuite bathroom, which is convenient when we come home late. I’m in the middle of brushing my teeth when I hear the ping of a text message.

Jane.

I finish my task and hurry to read the message.

JANE: I’ll be home in 5.

Thank God. She must have gone out with her flamenco group. It’s not like her to forget to check in, but I’m too tired to give her shit about it.

I’m tucked in bed when she enters the room, holding her high-heeled shoes in one hand. The room isn’t completely dark; there’s a full moon, and I left the blinds open, knowing Jane would be coming in soon. I can tell she’s disheveled—her hair is messy, as if she just got out of bed.

“Hey,” I croak.

She jumps and presses a hand against her chest. “Shoot, you scared me.”

“Sorry.”

She sits down on her bed and sighs happily. I know that look.

“Who’s the guy?” I ask.

She smiles. “I can’t hide anything from you, can I?”

---