Page 10 of The Final Faceoff
“A deeply neurotic goalie.”
“You’re the one who willingly associates with me.”
“I’m charitable like that.”
I let out a slow breath.
“What if I hate it?” I ask, voice lower now. “The contract. The move. The change. The everything.”
She doesn’t answer right away, and the silence is heavier this time. Not uncomfortable, just full of all the things I can’t say.
“First of all, you won’t hate it. Also, this is what you and your career need. The change . . . you’ll figure it out. You always do, Leif. That’s your real superpower—you adapt, even when you hate it,” she says finally, and somehow it lands deeper than anything Jacob could say, any reassurance my brothers could offer. “You know how to control things, your surroundings. You always do. This time won’t be any different.”
She says it like it’s fact. Like it’s already written somewhere in stone that I’ll get through it because I always do.
“Besides,” she adds, voice lighter, “I’m in New York more often.”
I groan, dragging a hand down my face. “Yeah, you’re not making this more appealing,” I joke, but honestly, that little piece of information is more valuable than the money I’m being offered.
She gasps, overdramatic and fake-offended. “Wow. Hurtful.”
“Brutal honesty is part of my charm.”
“I don’t think charm is the word you’re looking for.”
A corner of my mouth lifts despite myself. “So, if I move there, are you coming to the home opener?”
It’s not a question.
Hailey snorts. “Obviously. Gotta be there for your first meltdown when the ice feels wrong and you threaten to retire mid-game.”
I groan, letting my head thunk lightly against the glass. “God, you’re the worst.”
“I’m the best and you know it,” she says smugly. “You also know that I’m here for you, right? If you retire today, I’ll drag you with me around the world until you feel like you can take on something else.”
And she would. I close my eyes, my fingers tightening around my phone. Yeah. I called her. Because when everything feels wrong, she’s the one thing that still makes sense.
ChapterFive
Hailey
When You Try to Cross-Check Fate
The sun in Santorini is aggressively bright for a morning that already feels like a bad decision. I should just go back to bed.
Not a life-altering, ruin-everything mistake—let’s not be dramatic—but more of anugh, did I really need that fifth glass of wine?kind of mistake. And, yes, the tequila shots were overkill.
I push my sunglasses higher on my nose, squinting at my phone with one eye open because committing to two feels like asking too much of myself right now.
A text from Leif sits at the top of my notifications.Time check: Have you embarrassed yourself yet today?
I snort and type back,The day is young, my friend. I have so much potential.
A waiter passes, trailing the scent of fresh coffee and regret. I groan, sinking further into my chair. “God, I need caffeine and a do-over on last night.”
Across from me, Aspen—who is either one of my closest friends or the reason I make questionable life choices, depending on the day—raises a brow over the rim of her espresso. “That bad?”
I peel my sunglasses off, wincing as the sunlight spears through my already-fragile existence. “Let’s just say I’ve confirmed, yet again, that dating is not my sport.”
