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“Only when my damsel-in-distress radar goes off.” “Oh, and I suppose that makes you Prince Charming?” “Sorry, princess, but I’m definitely no prince.”
“You know, if I was your boyfriend, I’d answer your calls and I’d drive you to parties.”
“But you have a good night, Sunshine. I hope I proved to you not all hockey players are pigs.”
Maybe she thought I hadn’t heard her at the ice rink. Or that I didn’t recognize her. Impossible. Violet wasn’t the kind of girl you forgot.
remember how I told you a guy from Ransom helped me with my car . . .” “Reed Darling helped you?” “Yeah, and . . .”
Jeremy: Sorry I missed your calls earlier. Forgot my phone at home so had to swing past to grab it. Just got to the party. Where are you? I’d barely finished reading the message before I threw my phone across the room. My eyes stung with moisture once again, and I clenched them shut, trying to stop the tears from falling. I wasn’t just hurt by Jeremy’s actions. I was angry. And the worst part? He still had no idea I was aware of what he’d done. Was he really going to pretend he hadn’t cheated on me?
There were a few things I was certain of though. I was right; hockey players were pigs. My mom was right; jocks couldn’t be trusted. And Reed was right; I deserved better.
“I hope so,” I replied. “Because I am done with dating, and I will be one hundred percent sticking to my no-jock rule from now on. No exceptions.” The two girls shared a concerned look. “You can’t just give up on dating,” Mia said. “Not because of Jeremy.”
I let out a humorless laugh. “So, I’m the bad guy?” “Well, obviously, you’re not . . .” But apparently the rest of the school didn’t see it that way. I should have expected this. People were always going to take Jeremy’s side. He was the boy they idolized, and I was just the new girl.
I guessed I had my answer. Yes, I really was that nervous to see Reed again. The more concerning question though was why.
I knew Violet had entered my dad’s garage without even looking. The back of my neck prickled to alert me, but by the time I glanced up from the car I was working on, she was already making her way into the office. I’d been anxiously awaiting her arrival. Partly because I was eager to see her again but also because it was almost time for hockey practice, and if I stayed here much longer, I was going to be late. I never came into the garage on a Monday after school.
I would have preferred to watch Violet talk, but I didn’t want to give Parker’s stalker comment from Saturday night any more credence. “Reed.” Violet startled as she came out of the office and found me leaning against the wall by the door. “Hey, Sunshine,” I said, giving her a smile as I stood tall. “It’s good to see you again.”
“So, you spoke to my dad about Betty?” I asked. Her eyes flashed back to meet mine once more. “You remembered her name?” “I never forget a car.” The corner of her lips curved. “You really like this stuff then, huh?” She waved a hand at the garage surrounding us. “Is it that obvious?”
When I looked up from the quote, Violet’s eyes were downcast, and her cheeks flushed again. She seemed ashamed she couldn’t afford to pay for all the repairs at once, and I was surprised to hear she was covering the costs herself. Most kids from Sunshine Hills would probably just hand over their parents’ credit cards if they
found themselves in Violet’s position. Then again, most kids from Sunshine Prep weren’t driving old clunkers like Betty.
“Hoffman is an idiot,” I replied. “My offer to give his car a makeover with my hockey stick is always open. I’m sure my brothers would be happy to lend us a hand . . .” “Thanks.” She cocked her head to the side as she studied me. “Given your love for cars, I would have expected you to suggest another makeover to his face instead.”
“So, I guess all this stuff with Jeremy means you’re still boycotting hockey players for the rest of your life then?” The question had been on my mind ever since Saturday night when Violet had suggested she’d never make the mistake of dating another hockey player again. I was really hoping she just meant Sunshine Prep hockey players. She didn’t hesitate to answer. “Most definitely. Lifelong boycott.” It was hard not to flinch, and I seriously began to wonder whether my dreams of playing in the NHL were worth it. She was completely oblivious to my inner turmoil
Heat surged where my fingers lightly pressed against her arm, and I quickly dropped my hand like I’d been burned. “Uh . . .” I didn’t know what to say. I hadn’t been thinking when I’d moved to stop her. All I knew was I hadn’t been ready to say goodbye. Not when I couldn’t be sure when I would get to see her again. She pressed her hand against her forehead. “Sorry, you’re probably wondering about your jacket.” I wasn’t. In fact, I quite liked the idea of her keeping it. “I forgot to bring it today,” she continued. “But I’ll make sure to remember when I come back for my car.”
“Or you could bring it this Saturday night,” I said. “There’s a bonfire party at a place on the outskirts of town. They only happen a few nights a year, but everyone from both our schools will be there. It’s kind of like a rite of passage if you live in Sunshine Hills or Ransom. Nobody misses a bonfire night.”
guessed this was what happened when you liked a girl you had no chance with.
“Okay,” she finally agreed. “But I’m not making any promises, so please wear another jacket just in case. I don’t want to spend the night worrying about you jacketless and freezing in some field.” “You’d worry about me? That’s so sweet.” “I . . .” She laughed and shook her head. “I’m going to go now.”
“Have a good night, Sunshine.” She playfully rolled her eyes at the nickname and responded with a quick wave. Then, she was gone from the garage before I could think of a legitimate reason to keep her talking any longer. “You really like her, huh?” I jumped and turned to find my dad standing in the doorway of his office. “She’s just a friend.” My dad smirked. “Uh-huh.”
He yelled at me for wasting everyone’s time, and he was only too happy to remind me how important our upcoming games were. The season was just kicking off, but in a few weeks, we would play our biggest game of the year against the Sunshine Prep Saints.
We had almost reached the front doors to the center when they swung inward, and a handful of Saints players strolled through the entrance. No one was happy about the fact we were sharing a rink this season.
I’d played a few games there in previous seasons, and I had no idea why they thought it needed improving. It was already incredible. Knowing the pretentious pricks that went to that school, they were probably importing ice direct from Switzerland. “I still can’t believe we’re stuck training in this dump,” one of the Sunshine Prep players said as the doors swung shut behind them. Before he could say anything else, his teammate spotted us and elbowed him in the ribs. They all froze, and I saw a flash of fear in the eyes of the guy who had spoken. They were probably freshman. All the kids on the
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“If you don’t like it, you’re welcome to leave at any time,” I said. “We’re not going anywhere.” Jeremy Hoffman appeared from the back of the group, puffing his chest out like the little superhero he believed he was. He was wearing that ever-present superior smirk of his, and a low growl rumbled from deep in my chest. I had plenty of good reasons for despising the captain of the Saints, but knowing what he did to Violet made the hatred flooding my veins burn even hotter.
but as he passed by me, he slammed his shoulder into mine. “Watch it, Hoffman,” I hissed at him. “Or what, Darling?” he barked back, spinning round to face me. My jaw tightened, and my hands clenched. I was desperate to wipe the smirk off his stupid face, and I might have done just that, but Grayson grabbed me by the elbow and dragged me outside before I got the chance.
Once they were sure I’d finally regained my cool, my brothers ditched their gear in Grayson’s car, and I slowly made my way toward my truck. I might not have made Hoffman regret cheating on Violet tonight, but I was certainly going to make him pay for it at our game. I just wished I didn’t have to wait so long to teach him a lesson.
was amazing how quickly you could become repulsed by someone you once thought might be the love of your life. One moment, all you can think about is his warm brown eyes and soft dark hair. The next, you realize his hair is actually a little greasy, and his eyes are closer to the color of mud than honey. Even his voice, which was once soft and melodic suddenly sounds more like the whining purr of a drone.
My newfound feelings of disgust for Jeremy were only exacerbated in the week following our breakup as he seemed to embrace the egotistical jock stereotype I’d always tried to avoid. Gone was the sweet boy I’d fallen for over the summer, and out of the shadows emerged a new beast—Jerkemy.
“If hockey doesn’t work out for him, Jeremy should go into politics,” Nicole said as the two of us watched his latest performance at lunch. “That guy knows how to spin a story in his favor.”
“Surely she’s not falling for that act,” I said. “You fell for that act,” Nicole replied.
It’s only now I see his talent for what it really is: manipulation.”
“They only had salad left. A salad! Do I look like a rabbit?” She practically yelled the words as she stabbed a piece of lettuce and lifted it in the air. “This is what happens when you have a debating meeting at lunch.”
went our separate ways. I hurried to my locker to pick up the books I needed, but I froze when I rounded the corner and it came into view down the corridor. Jeremy was leaning against my locker, waiting for me.
as she talked with another girl, and when my eyes settled on her, my heart rate skyrocketed, and my hands went clammy like I was standing too close to the flames. She looked beautiful tonight, especially with the soft glow of the firelight dancing across her features.
Parker had been right when he’d taunted me in the car earlier. I was nervous about seeing Violet again. But the anxiety was mixed with excitement. She might have sworn off hockey players, but that didn’t seem to matter to me as I watched her through the fire. I only needed her to like one hockey player: me.
“Maybe he’s not as bad as you think,” I suggested. “Don’t let that gorgeous face and beautiful body blind you from the fact that boy is one hundred percent trouble,” she replied. “He doesn’t play by the same rules as the rest of us.”
If this was what it felt like to kiss a devil, then send me straight to hell.
I slowly looked up at Reed, and as he caught my gaze, his hard expression softened. “Violet’s my girlfriend.” My body relaxed into his grasp, and I was so overcome with gratitude I felt like I could kiss him. Again.
“You’re not seriously dating this jerk, are you, Vi?” “Yes, I am.” I moved out from behind Reed, and his arm instinctively found my waist once again as I stood next to him.
“Don’t come crying to me when this Devil breaks your heart.” He shot me one last scathing look before abruptly turning to leave. His fury filled the air, sizzling with such intensity that even the nearby bonfire seemed dim in comparison, as he stormed away. What the hell had I just done?
What the hell just happened? One moment Violet was telling me I had absolutely no hope with her, the next she was kissing me and pretending to be my girlfriend. My arms were still wrapped snugly around her body as the two of us watched Hoffman march away. I felt a familiar urge to punch the guy in the face. But there was a time and a place, and with Violet between us, it was definitely not the time.
eyes, I would have done just about anything to help her. Pissing off Hoffman was just a bonus.
god,” she muttered to herself. “This is such a mess.” “It’s going to be okay, Sunshine.” “Okay?” She spun to face me. “No, it’s not going to be okay. Everyone thinks we’re dating.” I scratched the back of my neck. “Yeah, well, I’m sure there are worse things in life, right?” She clearly didn’t agree because her head dropped into her hands. “This is a total disaster.” “I’m trying really hard not to take that personally.” I laughed but only to hide the fact that her reaction to the concept of dating me had genuinely hurt.
She kept pacing like she hadn’t heard me but then suddenly stopped and looked my way. “Why did you help me out back there?” “That’s what you’re worried about right now?” “It’s one of many things,” she replied. “Why did you do it?” “Why don’t we talk about this in the truck where it’s a little warmer.”
“You should know my coffee order, babe.” He gave me a wink before walking over to one of the booths. I glared at the back of his neck as he moved away from the counter. How was I supposed to know how a Darling Devil liked his coffee? Probably tall, dark, and strong. That was no fun though, and I grinned as an image of the perfect drink for Reed formed in my mind. As his fake girlfriend, I knew just what he needed.
“It’s your favorite,” I said as sweetly as I could. “A strawberry Frappuccino with whipped cream, marshmallows, and sprinkles on top.” “You know I have a reputation to uphold . . .” he murmured, keeping his voice low. “I thought it couldn’t get any worse.” “I guess that’s true.” He laughed before lifting the tall glass and putting the rainbow-colored straw to his lips. He looked pleasantly surprised as he took a sip.
“Well, it might look like a unicorn threw up in my glass, but it tastes pretty good,” he said as he went back for more. “I do love strawberries, and you can’t go wrong with sprinkles.”
“Well, you don’t scare me, Reed Darling.” “Good,” he said. “You’re the last person I’d ever want to scare.”
