Page 174 of The Overtime Kiss

But responsibilities get in the way.

Like games and such.

Still, when I arrive in the locker room, I set the gift for Sabrina carefully in my stall, making sure it’s safe and sound. I’m the first one here, and since I’m early, I spin around and track down Everly in her office.

Her eyes widen with surprise when she sees me, but then the polished publicist with the sleek blonde ponytail quickly says, “What can I do for you, Tyler?”

“Some of the players are doing photo opps with the VIPs, right?”

“Yes. And a quick tour. Just of the entrance to the tunnel, the locker room, the corridor. It’ll be about five minutes. And we have them staggered right before warmups. I had you onthe list to do one,” she says, then clicks on her tablet, calling it up. “Since you got tickets for…” She scans it, then meets my eyes like she’s impressed. “You got a lot of tickets. Isla Marlowe, Trevyn Storm, Skylar Haven. Jasmine Morales and her parents. Tiffany Kovalenko and Anaka Kovalenko. As well as Nia Brown. Tonya Jackson. And, let’s see, a…Rhonda McConky.”

I grin, not too wide, not too proud. I invited Tonya earlier this week—she’s the repair woman who adores Sabrina. And right after lunch I made some last-minute calls to Sabrina’s students, tracking down their names through Leighton, who’s photographed some of Sabrina’s practices with them. I called Sabrina’s good friends. I wanted them all here tonight for her big performance and to be treated like the stars they are to her. And I tracked down both the woman who runs the animal rescue, and the Lyft driver who helped Sabrina escape from her wedding day. I want Sabrina to see everyone who loves her.

Including…me.

I asked Elle to come too, snagging her center-ice seats with the kids. She’s always loved hockey so she said it’s no hardship. I also told her something else…about how I’ve caught feelings for the nanny. Elle laughed and told me she already knew.

Now, I need to let Everly in on a few more details. “But I kind of want it to be a surprise for Sabrina,” I say, a little sheepish as I sort of reveal my hand to Everly. But she’s a pro, so she just listens as I add, “Maybe you could wait to post the photo of that group with their tour guide till after Sabrina goes on.”

She laughs softly but smiles. “Sure, Tyler. I’ll make sure Leighton knows. She’s here tonight.”

I give a virtual high-five. “Perfect.”

“And you’ll be ready in your uniform since your tour starts at five-thirty?”

“Absolutely,” I say then, and this is the hard part. This is the part I can’t entirely control. But as I make small talk with Everly about the game, I give it my best shot. I’ve got laser vision. Twenty-twenty, thank you very much. And her tablet is resting on her lap at just the right angle for some upside-down reading. There are four VIP groups coming tonight, and I do my best to scan the names for one in particular. Or really, two.

Finding them, I finish the chat, then thank her, and head down the management corridor and back to the authorized personnel area, where Rowan’s dropping his dog at the doggie daycare the arena opened recently. When he’s done, I catch up to him, clapping him on the shoulder.

“Favor, man,” I say.

“Name it.”

“I need you to switch VIP groups with me for the tour. Can you do yours at five-thirty? And I’ll take your five-forty group.”

He gives awhy notshrug. It’s that easy. “Done.”

Friends. They’ve got your back. Then I beeline for my brother in the locker room and pull him aside. “Need something from you.”

“Another ass-kicking?”

I roll my eyes. “Along those lines.” Lowering my voice, I add, “Think you can make sure Leighton keeps Sabrina out of the corridor before the five-thirty tour, then brings hertothe corridor by the tunnel around, say, five-forty-four?”

My brother studies me for a beat, maybe making sure I’m not pulling a fast one. “You’ve got this mapped out down to the minute?”

“Pretty much.”

At 5:39 on the dot, I’m suited up in pads, my jersey, skates and all. Ready and waiting at the authorized personnel entrance. Rowan already finished the VIP group I invited, and Leighton must have kept Sabrina occupied. Now all I have to do is handle the douche tour.

A minute later, Everly swings open the door, and a kernel of guilt wedges into my chest. I hope she doesn’t hate me for what’s about to go down. But a man’s gotta do what a man’s gotta do. Besides, these fuckers don’t deserve to pay their way into our arena, no matter what the cost is.

For the first time I come face-to-face with the man Sabrina was going to marry. With slicked back blond hair and a smarmy smile, he’s precisely what I pictured. He’s wearing stone-washed jeans and a jersey for another team. The Las Vegas Sabers. And yeah, I don’t feel an ounce of guilt.

He sticks out a hand. “Dude, I wish I could say I’m rooting for you tonight, but you gotta be loyal to the home team, right?”

I shake, crunching on his bones so hard he gulps. “You know it,” I say, letting go before I break something.

I swing my gaze to her father, like I’m assessing an opponent on the ice. He wears pressed khakis and a button-down. His dark hair is peppered with gray and his shave is smooth. I loathe him with every fiber of my being, and I don’t bother doing a thing but staring at him with knives in my eyes.

---