Chasing the Puck (Sin Bin Stories, #2)

by Lyssa Lemire

I’m looking at the girl across the room. The one with chestnut hair, sparkly green eyes, and a light dusting of pale freckles on the apples of her cheeks. The girl I haven’t been able to stop thinking about since I met her—one hundred and eleven days ago.

She’s over there talking to Summer, her best friend and my teammate Hudson’s girlfriend. Her eyebrows bounce and her face becomes animated as she says something to Summer.

I miss these 2. Is this why I'm reading this?

Olivia’s laughter—her real laughter, not the sarcastic, derisive kind she so often directs at me—is a sound like silver windchimes stirred by a gentle breeze. The kind of sound that grabs your heart.

She’s drop-dead gorgeous for one. Funny. Witty. A good and loyal friend to Summer. And a talented as hell actress. But all those reasons aren’t why I can’t get her out of my mind. There’s just something … else about her.

Suddenly, their conversation is abruptly interrupted when a burly, tattooed goalie appears and dips down to scoop Summer up in his arms.

I missed them! Hello!

That would be my grumpy teammate Hudson, who’s grown a hell of a lot less grumpy than he used to be since he fell for Summer, his bubbly violinist girlfriend. Less grumpy, which isn’t to say not at all. He still wears a scowl half the time and has a penchant for communicating in monosyllabic grunts. But that’s just part of his charm.

It’s not a scowl that Hudson’s wearing right now, but rather a look of hunger. Giggles bubble from Summer as she calls something to Olivia while Hudson marches h...

Olivia blows Summer a kiss, shaking her head with a smile on her face as she watches her best friend and my teammate disappear upstairs. Something tugs in my chest. I can’t deny that I fe...

Olivia is a drama major, and one hell of an actress. Fact is, I couldn’t find fault with any of her performances even if I wanted to. Especially not the one she gave at the play she starred in last week. I was on my feet clapping and whistling like the rest of the crowd when she came out to take her final bow, and the reaction was totally genuine.

“we’re both big movie stars and become a Hollywood power couple. Tuck and Olivia. They’d call us … Tolivia. Or maybe Oluck.” She snorts. “You’ve got no luck if you’re hoping for that to ever happen.”

“Don’t have to. She have chestnut hair? Deep green eyes? Light freckles on her cheeks? Freckles that stand out even more when she blushes when I pay her a compliment, even though she tries not to? If not, then she’s not my type.”

“Has the thought ever crossed your mind that maybe if you just asked me out, maybe if you even did it politely …” she tilts her head, softening her voice to conclude, “I might actually say yes?” Holy shit. I never have flat-out asked her to go on a date with me, have I?

Is it possible that I wasted one hundred and eleven days waiting for this girl to succumb to the cocky playboy charm that’s always worked on everyone else, when really I just needed a different approach?

“Olivia, could I take you on a date sometime?” “No. Bye.” With that, she spins around and walks away. My jaw falls when she turns her back to me.

“I’m spending entirely too much time around the hockey team because of you.” When my best friend Summer doesn’t respond to my complaint, I turn my head to look at her. Her glazed-over eyes make it clear that it went in one ear and out the other.

I guess it’s hard to blame her for being lost in a cloud of puppy love when I follow the direction of her gaze and see her boyfriend, goalie for the Brumehill Black Bears, Hudson Voss, wearing a flannel shirt tucked into a pair of jeans that hug his muscular thighs.

Guess it’s easy to laugh when you’re someone like Tuck. When you’re rich. When you play a sport that your entire college is obsessed with and everyone, faculty included, treats you like a celebrity for it. I know that’s a petty thought to slink into my head just at the sight of someone laughing.

He’s everything I know I need to stay away from. Entitled. Cocky. A guy who grew up rich, privileged, and talented. A guy who internalized the message that everything he could ever want is his for the taking, that all he needs to do is reach out and grab it.

I can read him, because I know the type. I know the type intimately, sad to say. Tuck McCoy is cut from the same cloth as my ex, Ryan. The guy I wasted too many years and way too many tears on.

But just then, Hudson notices her and decides to stride over, framing her chin in his massive hand and pressing a kiss to her lips. I have to admit, the way her eyes flutter closed when his lips capture hers, the way her body leans into him so effortlessly, so naturally, so securely … well, sure, I’m a little envious.

Even though I’m not even close to ready to open my own heart to another person after the disaster of my relationship with Ryan—who also happened to be a hockey player. Has that fact biased me against their kind? Yes, it has. Hudson’s the rare exception, because I’ve seen how good he treats my best friend.

Yes. This. He treats her like a goddess.

When Hudson pulls away from the kiss, he and Summer take several beats to stare lovingly into each other’s eyes. Beats of time during which my stomach growls. I really am starving.

Speaking of hockey players who absolutely are not getting the benefit of recently mentioned doubt … “Don’t those two lovebirds just make your heart sing, Lockley?” There’s no mistaking the easy drawl rumbling next to me. Tuck McCoy’s sauntered right over without me noticing.

“Beach scene?” Summer asks, her voice thick with interest. Her eyes roam up and down Hudson’s body. “Does that mean you’re about to wear … swim trunks?” As Summer and Hudson shamelessly flirt, Tuck coughs, drawing my attention to him.

“Well, I know what Hudson said to you a couple nights ago, when he clearly didn’t know I was walking past your door to the bathroom.” My smirk grows into a grin when Summer’s cheeks flush red. I’m happy for Summer that she has an incredible sex life, and I’m also happy that, since we live together, it gives me plenty of ammunition to make her blush like this.

Is it possible that … that I’ve held this grudge against hockey players for too long? After all, Hudson is a hockey player and he’s a total sweetheart to Summer. I couldn’t ask for a better boyfriend for my best friend.

The guy who was my whole world from junior year of high school until winter break during my freshman year of college. The guy who was screwing around with other girls the entire time.

“Be careful about insulting those artsy movies, Tuck,” Hudson says, before adding with a wink, “those are the kind of movies your crush likes, too.”

“Sorry,” he says. “I’m meeting up with Summer.” If five months ago you told me this grumpy bastard would get a lovey-dovey, faraway look in his eyes whenever he talks about his girlfriend, I wouldn’t have believed you. But my eyes aren’t lying; that’s exactly what’s going on right now.

It’d be nice to have a girl waiting for me back home. Even if it’s just a date or a casual hookup. But I’m in a total and utter rut, all because I only have eyes for the one single girl in Cedar Shade who doesn’t want anything to do with me.

I definitely want to live out my dream. I want to make acting my full-time career, and I’m willing to put in the work to make that happen. But I’m not under any illusions. I could work hard, sacrifice, do my best, hone my talent, improve my craft—and still not make it. I don’t want to end up in that position without something more practical to fall back on.

I know I have the talent it takes to make it on stage—I also know that talent isn’t enough. Luck counts for a lot.

“Nothing hotter than a woman who knows how to turn a wrench.” My back stiffens at the sound of that familiar, casual drawl. Surely, at this time of all times, the universe wouldn’t be so cruel as to … When I turn my head to the side, I find that the universe is indeed that cruel.

“It’s not every day I know something you don’t, Lockley. Let me savor the moment.” He dips his head back and closes his eyes, taking in a deep breath like he’s inhaling the freshest scent of flowers on a gorgeous spring day. Then he lets it out in a long, loud exhale that ends with a satisfied sigh.

Lol

Maybe a bug flew in my mouth or something. Surely it’s not the sight of Tuck with his sleeves rolled up, reaching deep into the gears of a car with rugged masculine confidence that’s affecting my swallowing ability …

After enduring Tuck singing along to two Taylor Swift songs in a row—very loudly, might I add—I’m surprised my ears aren’t bleeding.

“Fine?” Tuck exclaims like he can’t believe his ears. “What do you mean fine? She’s a genius!” I’m taken aback by Tuck’s enthusiasm. “Geez, I never would have taken you for such an ardent Taylor Swift supporter.” “We call ourselves Swifties, thank you very much.”

“I’m an 80’s action movie and 2000’s romcom guy. Maybe not the most sophisticated choices, but after giving sophisticated movies a try, I’m comfortable sticking to what I like.”

I'd avoid this dude IRL

I’ve been so sure Tuck is cut from the same cloth as my ex, but that mindset is a million miles away from how Ryan looked at things. He cared a lot about what other people thought about him, and especially cared about no one thinking he’d be into something girly

“Wow, Tuck. That’s a great way to approach life,” I feel compelled to admit. “I’m winning you over, aren’t I?” “Let’s not get crazy,” I reply without missing a beat, drawing another laugh from him.

I don’t know shit about acting and even I can see it when I’ve gone to your plays. You owe it to yourself to see how far you can go with it, and you need to take every opportunity available to you to make it happen.” Yeah, I’ve seen what happened to my parents who followed Tuck’s advice.

Of course I had a bad experience with Tuck. Don’t I always? He and I are utterly incompatible, even as acquaintances. But … before we had that spat, I was kind of, actually, sort of … heaven help me for admitting this … enjoying our conversation. For a brief moment.

For the first time since I laid eyes on her, Olivia and I were actually having a conversation. A real conversation, beyond me trying to pick her up and her telling me to get lost. We were joking around, getting to know each other. Fuck, it felt good.

Somehow it managed to turn into a stupid argument. Somehow, I managed to turn it into a stupid argument. I’ve played the conversation back in my head enough times to realize I probably came off as insensitive.

I don’t like having accomplishments I’ve worked hard for dismissed. Who would?

A taste of what it would be like to just drive around with her in my passenger seat, talking about anything and everything and nothing. It tasted sweet. And that’s sure as hell not all that I want to taste when it comes to Olivia Lockley.

Stupid brain, dredging up the most enticing images of Tuck at the exact moment I want to just be angry at him.

“In my opinion, attempted cheating should be punishable under the academic integrity code, just like attempted murder is a crime itself even if it doesn’t succeed.” “Is it just me, Lockley, or did I notice a glimmer in your eyes when you said the word murder while looking at me?”

Tuck lets out a low whistle. “Getting with a girl who likes it rough is hot as it is. But getting with a girl who literally wants to murder you? Shit, that must be …”

“Sorry, by the way.” “Hm?” I ask. “About that argument we had. When I was driving you home last week.” His features twist, like the memory is actually weighing on him. “I was insensitive. And a jerk. I don’t have any right to judge your decisions like I did.”