Hat Trick (D.C. Stars, #4)

by Chelsea Curto

For the ones who fight even when they want to give up. I’m rooting for you.

(And for the readers who love a hockey player that wears slutty glasses… Riley is for you)

I wish I had the balls of a mediocre white man who thinks he’s hot shit. I’d be unstoppable.

Before I can face plant on the hardwood floor stained with god knows what, an arm loops around my waist. A palm settles on my hip. I turn and find Riley Mitchell, our star defenseman, looking down at me.

I’m not supposed to have a favorite player on the team—and I love all the guys I work with—but Riley takes the top spot. He’s nice, courteous, and cute. Quiet in an easygoing way, and unbelievably sweet. He’s bashful, almost, whenever he talks to me. There’s always a hint of shyness in his tone, and no matter how many times I shrug off my friends when they say he has a crush on me, it’s pretty obvious he does.

She’s attractive. Out of this world sexy with her long, toned legs and sly grin. I’m pretty sure I’ve had heart eyes for her since the minute we met, but I’ve never tried to cross that line.

I’m quiet; she’s loud. The life of every party and vivacious as hell with witty comebacks and a laugh that would bring any man to his knees. And if it were me down there, I’d wear a collar and crawl if she asked me to.

He’s replaced by Maverick a few seconds later, who drops into Emmy’s lap and buries his face in her hair. “There you are.” He wraps his arms around her waist and sighs. The dude is an absolute machine on the ice, but whenever he’s around his girl, he’s calm. Finally at peace after years of being unsettled. “I’ve been looking for you everywhere.”

“I’m right here. Exactly where you left me.” Emmy kisses his forehead and brushes a piece of hair out of his eyes. “And almost having an orgy with Riley.” “Yeah?” Maverick turns his chin my way. “Did you tell him about the dream you had? The one with me, him, Hud⁠—” “You’re cut off, Miller.” Emmy puts a hand over his mouth. Her red cheeks match her hair. “One more word and you’re on the couch tonight.”

“It’s not me. It’s”—she gulps down another breath while I’m not sure I’m even breathing—“Riley. I’m at the hospital. They aren’t sure if he’s going to make it, Lex.” The world stops spinning when I burst outside. I tilt sideways, close to falling over, and I brace myself on a light post. Riley. Not going to make it. This can’t be happening. He’s too young. Too talented. Too much of a nice fucking guy. I just saw him. I laughed with him. I made him smile.

Tears blur my vision. I look up at the sky and the millions of stars above me. “Don’t do it,” I whisper to whoever—whatever—might be listening. I’ve never been religious. I’ve never prayed to anyone or anything before tonight, but right now seems like a damn good time to start believing. “He’s not… let him be okay. Please let him be okay. I’ll help him get better. Just… let him be okay.”

“I’m going to get him skating again,” I whisper to Piper and Emmy. “Lex, I don’t⁠—” “Hockey is his whole life.” I stare at the doors leading to the patient rooms. “I’ll work with him. We’ll do it together.” I’ve always been a determined bitch. Once I put my mind to something, I don’t stop until it happens, and I’ll be damned if Riley goes down without a fight.

I’m not asking you to give me a mile, Riley. I’m not even asking for a foot.” “I hope not. I only have one now, and it would be pretty fucking rude of you to take that from me.”

I rub a hand over my chest, thinking about the flowers and balloons that were in my hospital room when I woke up. All the food that’s filled my fridge and the low voices I hear when I’m locked in my bedroom. I thought I was losing my mind at first, but the noises turned out to be my teammates—again, according to my mom. They sit in the living room for five, six hours. Sometimes there are hushed conversations. Sometimes I hear video games being played on my TV. Other times—most times—it’s quiet. They don’t try to get me to come out, but I know they’re there. And it makes me cry into my pillow.

“She wasn’t finished speaking,” Riley says, deathly low. The look in his eye is murderous. A shiver races up my spine when he curls his fingers into a fist. My cheeks turn bright red when he stares at my boss and tilts his head to the side. “And her name is Lexi. L-e-x-i. That’s not difficult, is it? Treat her with respect and get it right, or I’m leaving.”

The romance books I read are right: having a guy turn a little unhinged and defend your honor is sexy as hell.

crutches and stands. He’s unsteady on one leg—he’s not wearing his prosthetic today—but he makes a show of leaning over the table and glancing at Stuart’s lower body. “Funny. I don’t see you walking around with a missing fucking leg. Until you do, I’m the one making decisions about who works with me. The only way I’ll agree to this is if Lexi is the one in charge. It’s her plan. It’s her job, and she outranks everyone on your team. Do I make myself clear?”

Riley looks my way again. It’s less intense than before, a gentleness in his gaze. A reminder he’s still in there. “You’re the best of the best, Lexi. You kept our team injury-free for eighty-two games and then some. When Hudson hurt his shoulder, you had him back on the ice in four days, and he hasn’t had any pain since. When Grant took a puck to the neck last year, he played again that night because of your treatment. You’re qualified, and you know your stuff. I’m not interested in working with someone who isn’t familiar with my body.”

I whip around and find Maverick standing in the entrance to the locker room wearing his full gear. His helmet falls from his gloved hand when his eyes meet mine. He gapes at me, blinks twice, then pops his mouth open. “Holy shit,” he whispers. “Hey,” I say. “What’s up?” “What’s up? What’s up?” Maverick charges toward me. I’m afraid he’s going to yell at me for ignoring everyone and leaving the group chat. For disappearing for months and falling off the face of the earth. When he drops his gloves like he’s ready for a fight on the ice, I brace myself for a swing. No punch comes. Instead, he’s wrapping his arms around me. He’s hugging me so tight, my feet come off the ground.

“Don’t do that.” He levels me with a serious look and a frown. “Don’t go dark. You can do that shit with the media and people who don’t know you, but don’t do it around us, okay?” “I’m not⁠—” “You are. Which is fine, Riley, but we’re your brothers. We want to see the messy and fucked-up parts of your life, okay? After my mom passed, I was broken. The guys on the team were the only thing that saved me. And I’m not saying you need to be saved. Just… let us be waiting with a life jacket if it starts to feel like you’re drowning, okay?”

“Let me, ah, put on some different clothes.” “Really? But the view is so good,” I tease, and his blush deepens. “You’re a goddamn flirt, Armstrong,” he calls out over his shoulder as he makes his way down the hall. “You like it,” I call back, and I swear I hear him say yeah, I do before he disappears, and a strange sensation flutters in my chest.

I shiver and pull my hand away so I can wrap my arms around my body. “Hell. I didn’t know the nice afternoon was going to turn into a frigid night. The temperature must’ve dropped, like, twenty degrees.” “Hang on.” Riley takes off his glasses and tugs his sweatshirt over his head. His shirt gets stuck in the unclothing process, the thin cotton material crawling up his stomach and showing off bare skin. “I’m not cold.” “Oh, that’s okay. I don’t want to⁠—” “I wasn’t asking, Lexi. Arms up, please,” he says, and the hint of authority behind his voice has me nodding. It has my slowly lifting my arms above my head and exhaling in relief as he guides the fleece over my shoulders and down my torso. His fingers graze across my stomach when he fixes the pocket in the front, and I’m instantly warmer. I don’t know if it’s from the added layer or his touch. “There we go.”

“What the hell is that?” “What’s what?” Riley glances down. He snorts and reaches into his left pocket. “A lime.” “Do you regularly carry fruit around with you?” “No.” He tosses it in the air, catches it, and switches it to his other hand. “I wasn’t sure Maverick had any. I stopped at the store on the way over.” “You—” I blink. It feels like I’m missing the punchline of a joke. “I’m confused.” “You mentioned you liked limes in your drink. Didn’t know if that only applied to cocktails or all forms of fluid.” “When did I mention that?” “June,” he says simply, and he leaves it at that.

I stare at him. For a second, it feels like the world tilts on its axis, because what the fuck do you mean he brought me a lime because he remembered an offhanded comment I made months ago? And—god. Come to think of it, it was the night we were all out celebrating The Cup. The night he lost his leg. The night his entire life changed. What is he doing remembering my drink preferences?

“You told me you were hard to impress. How am I doing?” he asks, and a laugh rattles out of me. “I’m on my way to being impressed.” “Good.” He looks up at the moon. His dimple pops, and gosh is he pretty. “Patience is a virtue. I’ll get there one day.” “I can’t wait to see you try,” I say, and I sure as hell mean it.

I haven’t seen Riley yet, and when I can’t find him, I frown. “Where’s Mitchy?” “Did you miss me, Armstrong?” his deep voice says, and I jerk my chin to look up at him. “Eavesdropping, Mitchell?” I toss back, and he grins. “Hard not to when you’re practically shouting my name to the whole airplane.” Oh, I like this version of him. It’s the cocky, sarcastic side he doesn’t show too often, but when he does, it’s a sight. Fun, and definitely flirty. Light and carefree. I’m seeing more and more glimpses of this Riley, the guy he was before that night in June, shining through his personality recently, and it makes me match his grin. “You’d know if I was shouting your name, Riley,” I say, and I’m glad when he drops his head back and laughs.

“I’m bidding on Grant,” Emmy says with a wicked grin. “Maverick is always more fun when he gets jealous.” “Funny. I was going to bid on Ethan.” Piper giggles. “Liam will absolutely storm out.” “I can’t bring myself to bid on anyone but Hudson,” Madeline admits. “Because he’s too sweet and no one wants to see him sad.”

I scan the room and my eyes immediately fall on Lexi. She’s like a goddamn magnet for my attention. She’s standing in the middle of the dance floor, arms above her head while she moves to the rhythm of an upbeat song playing from the DJ’s speakers. “I might go grab a drink. You want anything?” “I’m good.” Hudson’s eyes follow mine, and he hums. “Maybe you’ll find your way to the dance floor. Rumor has it the DJ is easily persuaded to put on a slow song if you slip him some money. At least, that’s what Liam and Maverick told me.” “Why would I want to do that?” “I don’t know, Mitchy. Why would you?” I watch Lexi spin, that goddamn dress a flurry of tempting gold and sparkles and weakening self-restraint, and I leap out of my chair as fast as my leg will let me. “I’ll be back,” I say. “No, you won’t,” he answers with a smirk. “Have fun.”

“I thought about not coming tonight. Lots of people, lots of physical activity. But I’m glad I did.” “Why’s that?” she asks. “Because I got to see you,” I say, and her eyes meet mine. “I’m always glad when I get to see you.”

Funny how all my good days include her.

“Business Building 101: How to go from Nothing to Something.” “You, um, mentioned you thought about starting your own Pilates studio one day. I don’t know the first thing about creating a business, but according to the internet this book does. I know it’s stupid, but I⁠—” “How do you remember all the things I say?” Lexi’s gaze meets mine. “The limes. My dreams for a studio. That I played basketball when I was younger?” “I listen,” I say.

“It’s your Life List from our meal at the diner. I saved the napkin and framed it so you could have something to look at when you get out of bed in the morning. Good days and lots of memories to be had.” She shrugs, color creeping up her neck, and her dark hair curtains her face. “I figured when you accomplished something on the list, you could take it out, cross it off, and add something new.”

“Skates?” I shoved all of mine in the hall closet after I got home from the hospital. I haven’t looked at them since, too afraid the ghosts from my professional athlete past might come out and haunt me if I stare at them for too long. “I’ve been working with their skate rep,” she starts, and I hear the tint of nerves in her voice. “I mentioned who the skates were for and how you need two different sizes now, and after talking with your prosthetist about your foot measurements, I ordered a pair. They’re, um, custom. The left is the size you used to wear, and the right is slightly smaller to fit your prosthetic foot. I lied the night of the gala. I know your feet aren’t the same size anymore, but I didn’t want to let on about your gift.” Her smile turns sheepish, shy. “I also like to hear you talk.”

“Years ago, I mentioned to Maverick I liked them in my drink, and he started carrying around a jar so I can have them whenever I want,” she explains. “It’s probably the reason why I fell in love with him.” “Maverick did that for you?” I frown and glance toward the kitchen where a bowl of limes sits on the counter. I added two to my last drink, smiling at the citrus flavor when I took a sip. “I didn’t know that.” “Oh, yeah. Before I even gave him the time of day, he was handing over olives he’d ordered from Greece.” She rolls her eyes, but I see the smile she’s fighting to hide. “He’s so extra, but knowing he remembered that… it made me feel good. Important, you know?” There’s been a collection of limes at every event Riley’s attended this season, and that can’t be a coincidence. I knew he had a crush on me, but that… that seems special. Important, like Emmy said, and when my eyes meet Riley’s from across the room, I turn my attention back to the girls, afraid to look at him for too long.

UGH GET YOUR MAN GIRL

“Women.” Grant sighs. “So complex. So brilliant. We’re so undeserving.”

“You’re precious cargo, Mitchy. I need to make sure you’re taken care of.” Maverick leads the line with Hudson, Liam, and Grant behind him. They all do a lap, crouching low to the ice until they stop in front of us. “Heard we’re doing some skating lessons today,” Maverick says, and Riley sucks in a sharp breath. “You all want to be here for this?” he asks. “There’s nowhere we’d rather be,” Hudson says.

Liam opens the gate on the end of the bench and lifts his chin in Riley’s direction. “C’mon Mitchy,” he says, and my heart almost cracks in two when he holds out his hand. Riley eyes his offered palm for a beat before his fingers curl around the goalie’s. Moving carefully on his blades for the first time since last June, he steps onto the ice, legs shaking under his weight. “I’ve got left,” Maverick says, looping an arm around his waist. “Right,” Hudson adds, his arm resting on top of Maverick’s. “I’ve always been a fan of behind,” Liam grumbles, and Riley’s laugh is rough as the trio arranges themselves. “Do I get to be in front?” Grant asks, practically jumping up and down. He takes both of Riley’s hands in his, holding his arms out straight. “This is the best day of my life.” “Snail speed,” I yell, and all the boys nod solemnly. I’ve never seen them look so serious, so focused, and the second Riley pushes off the ice, I’m close to bursting into tears. “Nothing faster.”

“Look at him go,” Coach says from my left, surprising me. The rest of the team cheers as the group of five makes their way down the first straightaway, and Ethan starts chanting Riley’s name. “Never in a million years did I think he’d get here.” “I did,” I say. “I knew it all along.”

“You can have me however you want,” I whisper back to her. Take my whole fucking heart while you’re at it.

“This sleeping we’re about to do is an addendum to our agreement.” She yawns and lies next to me. I’m quick to mirror her pose and wrap her in my arms. “A one-time thing.” “I’ve heard that before.” “I’m serious. It’s a nap. That’s it.” “Mhm. Just leave a fucking toothbrush at my place next time, Lex.” “We’ll see,” she says, and knowing it’s not a flat-out no makes it impossible for me to fall asleep.

Riley Are you doing anything tonight? Me Hoping you’ll come over and rail me. Riley You’re so charming. Me That’s why you keep coming back for more. Riley I guess it is.

“Lexi.” He rubs his thumb along the curve of my jaw. I sigh and turn my head so I can kiss the center of his palm. “Today was a very, very good day.” “Yeah?” I smile, heart leaping up to my throat when he rests his forehead against mine. “It was pretty great, wasn’t it?” “One for the books,” he murmurs, nose bumping against mine. He bends his neck and kisses me soft and slow, out in the open where anyone could see, and I let him. “You’re my favorite person in the entire world.”

“Go.” She swats at my arm, and I can’t help but laugh. “You’re distracting me from my reading.” “I’m going to get dressed extra slow just so you can finish that chapter.” “A man after my own heart.” She winks, and I rub a hand over my chest. It feels more and more like my heart isn’t even my own anymore. It’s hers, and I think it’s always going to be hers.

“Should we order some fries then? So I can steal some of yours?” “I’ll give you the whole damn plate, Lex, if it’ll make you happy.”

I don’t add in the other part: how every date I went on, I’d sit there and wonder what it would be like to be having dinner with her instead. It’s not like she led me on and gave me some false hope of something we could be down the road. It’s more pathetic than that. I took one look at her, and I was done for.

I haven’t been able to get her out of my damn head, and I learned a long time ago that as long as we were on the same team, as long as we were in the same zip code and orbiting around each other, I had a shot. And I wasn’t going to blow that shot by going on shitty date after shitty date with someone who wasn’t her.

Lexi laughs. “You all have fun. I’ll talk to you later!” Everyone except Liam yells out a goodbye, and when I hang up the call, Hudson is grinning at me. “I don’t want to hear it,” I say. “You’re so down bad.” Hudson smirks.

This woman is a goddamn queen, and she can be with anyone she wants. The fact that she’s picking me blows my mind, and I’m going to do everything in my power to prove I’m worthy of her time.

The door unlocks and flies open. I blink and Lexi is there in a pink sweater and jeans with her long dark hair framing her face, and yeah. I’m so fucking weak. I almost whimper when I see her because she’s so beautiful.

“You look perfect.” I stand and walk toward her so I can drop a kiss on her forehead. She wraps her arms around my waist and rests her head on my chest, and this, this is perfection to me: her in my hold, touching her anywhere I can reach. Listening to her let out a content sigh that tells me she likes it too. “You don’t need to change a thing.”