Page 39 of What Are the Chances
It was strange knowing Will and Tanner had played against each other and Will had no clue who Tanner was. Tanner did though, and he hated Will for obvious reasons.
“Yeah. I don’t know what the plan is yet. You’re welcome to tag along with whatever we decide on.”
“I’ll probably crash at Kayla’s. There’s some party she wants to hit up.” Parker reached into the cupboard for a glass. “Before the game I need you to give me a hockey-101 lesson so I can impress Ryan with hockey talk.”
I closed my laptop, giving Parker my full attention. “You’re really into him, huh?”
Pulling her lip between her teeth, Parker nodded. “I mean, have you seen him?”
I had. Ryan was classically good looking, but he wasn’t my flavour. He was almosttoobeautiful, if that was a thing. Not to mention his combination of hockey and social media popularity was way too much for me.
I’d stumbled across a TikTok of his once, which had ended up with me watching every video after realising Will featured in some. I had no clue how Ryan coerced Will, Levi and Tripp into doing the things they’d done. The views on the videos all four starred in were insane. It would make me uneasy knowing that many people had watched me. Though I guess with Levi and Will joining the league next year, they were going to have to get used to it.
I’d made a point to hide Ryan’s videos after my one intense stalking session. It was a rabbit hole I couldn’t afford to fall down too often.
“What’s happened between you two?” I asked.
“Not a whole lot. I’ve been taking things slow.”
That was new ammo for Parker. She was usually one to jump into the deep end, to sleep with a guy first then work backwards and get to know him.
“Well a word of warning, you’re going to get a surprise tonight. Puck bunnies in action is a whole other realm.”
Parker scrunched up her face. “Is that who Will cheated on you with, a random hockey fan?”
A sinking feeling appeared in my stomach, the same one that reared its head whenever I recalled that night.
“I honestly don’t know,” I admitted. “I never asked. It didn’t matter to me who it was.”
“You’re way too mature, Riley. I would’ve clawed that girl’s hair out and then ripped Will’s dick off.” Parker’s brow furrowed. “Don’t you ever worry that you’re, like, in a class with the girl?”
I grimaced. “I hadn’t until now. Thanks.”
But again, it didn’t really matter. If she got to point me out to her friends and gloat about hooking up with my boyfriend, props to her. The reality was Will and I would’ve broken up whether she’d existed or not.
“Would you ever consider giving him another chance?” Parker asked.
My automatic answer should’ve beenno, but instead, nothing came out. Was letting him slip his hands beneath my shorts a second chance? Or was that simply a momentary lapse in judgement?
I shrugged. “He never asked for one.”
“Probably for the best. I don’t think I’d be capable of saying no to him.” Parker pushed off the counter, edging towards the doorway. “I’m going for my weekly hot girl shower.”
That included the full works. Washing your hair. Leaving a treatment in for a while. Shaving everything. Exfoliating. Moisturising. I’d taken the exact same shower this morning. She’d be a good forty-five-minutes. Luckily my dad paid our water bill.
Just as the shower started, the doorbell sounded. Parker was a parcel queen. There was literally something arriving for her every day. Though as much as I teased her for it, I enjoyed watching her try-on hauls. Not to mention whatever she bought I got to borrow.
Dressed in daggy sweats, I swung open the door expecting a delivery driver – not a six-foot-four hockey player. My breath hitched. Will looked equally surprised to see me, as though I was knocking on his door instead.
“Caufield? What are you doing here?”
“I would’ve called, but you changed your number.”
Changing your number was step one of a breakup. Step two was bangs. Thankfully I hadn’t fallen into that trap.
“And you blocked me on social media.”
Had I? Those weeks after our breakup were a blur. For more than one reason.
