Page 52 of The Huckleberry Bookshop

Mullens walked down the long cinderblock hallway, joking with Leo Pattra as they made their way to the locker room to gear up for practice.

“You should move to Sweetheart Creek,” his teammate said, immediately sending Mullens’ cheery mood plummeting.

“Why?”

“You spend enough time there.”

Not any longer. Athena had made it clear after that kiss where she’d branded his soul that she was not interested in damaged, baggage-ladened men. The club in which he was the original card-carrying member.

“Says who?” he asked.

“I’ve seen you there.”

“Yeah? Well, why don’t you move there?”

“I will if you will?” Leo said with a grin.

“I have a feeling you’re going to be getting married and settling down there,” Mullens stated meaningfully. “Long before I could even convince any of the town’s residents to give me a shot.”

“Yeah, Violet and I had some bumps. Now it’s just the good kind.” He gave another goofy grin and Mullens playfully shoved him into the wall.

Leo laughed. “We need to find you someone. Maybe there’s a geriatric dating service. Tinder for the infirm.”

“Save the old-people jokes for Maverick and Dylan.”

“Did I hear my name?” Dylan O’Neill asked, jogging up behind them.

“I’m setting you two up on Elderly Tinder.”

Dylan snorted. “I have a girlfriend.”

“Who? Jenny?” Leo nearly doubled over with laughter. “Keep dreaming, pal.”

“From Sweetheart Creek? That Jenny?” Mullens asked. It felt as if his teammates were easily sliding into a domestic life, falling in love and making Sweetheart Creek their home without effort. Some people were like that—at home no matter where they went. Seeing it happen to his teammates left Mullens feeling hollow and lacking.

“Yeah. Owns Blue Tumbleweed. Friends with your arch enemy Gavras,” Leo said, stopping outside the locker room door.

Athena. How did it all go so badly again?

“But Jenny hates Dylan,” Leo continued. “They fight like cats and dogs.”

Dylan was shaking his head, looking skyward. “We’re not enemies. She thinks I’m great.”

“She thinks you’re great as roadkill, you mean?” Leo snickered, and Dylan shoved the door open, almost hitting Louis Bellmore, who was coming out.

The coach stepped back, out of the way, then lifted his chin as Mullens passed. “Meet me in my office?”

“Now?”

Coach nodded. He recrossed the locker room to his adjoining office, meaning he’d been looking for him. Not good.

Mullens followed, stopping by his locker to drop his bag. Leo and Dylan bickered all the way to their own lockers, making him chuckle. But as he passed Landon’s locker on his way to the office, where the coach was waiting in the doorway, the goalie lifted his eyebrows and smirked. “You slept with the wrong woman this time, Mullens!”

Once the others realized Mullens had been summoned, hoots and laughter filled the room.

“Better eat some vegetables, Mullens, ’cause you’re about to get canned like peas!”

“Your jokes suck, Dylan!” Mullens retorted, turning to point at him before Louis closed his office door behind them, dulling the din.

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