The Game That Breaks Us (40 page)

Paulson stands beside me and nudges my shoulder with his and our pads clink together. “Let’s show them what we’re made of.”

Even the frigid air from the ice isn’t enough to cool me down. I’m on fire and my body drips with sweat by the second period. My parents, sister, Michael, and Coach Harrison sit front and center in the stands cheering me on. It feels good to know I have a solid support system. But there is one important person missing.

Grace
.

I’ve picked up my phone a hundred times to call her—not to mention all the times I’ve gotten behind the wheel of my car to go see her—but I don’t know what to say. Things ended so suddenly and awkwardly between us. 

All the practices with Coach Thompson haven’t helped matters, either. He’s been working us hard, wanting to get us into better shape and get used to his coaching style. Suffice it to say, I’ve been exhausted every evening when I’ve gotten home. It’s all been worth it, though, and I know that tomorrow I’ll finally figure out what to say to her. I have the whole day off so going to campus shouldn’t be a big deal. I just want her back. I want her to forgive me. I understand that she might not. Even though the rape allegations were nothing but a lie, it still hurt her and she might have decided I’m not worth that kind of pain.

Paulson slings the puck into the goal and the buzzer sounds. Another point for us. The period ends and we start down the tunnel. 

I’m sweaty, and tired, but riding the biggest adrenaline high of my life. We’re playing like champions tonight and I think, if we keep this up, that we might make it to the finals. Maybe it’s a long shot, but I’m allowed to hope.

Our break ends and we’re back out on the ice.

I get in my position and focus on the opposing player I want to take out and that’s when a fucking Sour Patch Kid lands in front of my skate.

I stare at it, wondering how the fuck it got there, when another one drops a few feet away.

“What the hell?” another player mutters.

My gaze is drawn to the stadium stairs to my right and that’s when I see her.

“Grace,” I breathe, and her name comes out sounding muffled around my mouth guard.

 I don’t give a fuck that we’re in the middle of a game, I skate over to the bench and climb over the wall. I spit out my mouth-guard and drop my helmet on the floor along with my hockey stick before climbing to the other side to the hall. Grace saw where I was going and stands above me, the black rails keep her away from me.

“What are you doing here?” I ask.

The whole arena is silent, watching us with surprise and maybe a little fascination.

She shrugs with a wry smile. “Getting my man back.”

I throw my head back and laugh. “Is that what I am?
Your man?
”

She rests her arms on the rail and leans over. Her hair tumbles over her shoulder and fuck she’s the most gorgeous woman I’ve ever seen. 

“I mean, only if you want to be. Before you say no, though, I have a list of reasons why you should say yes.”

I cross my arms over my chest and fight a grin. “Is that so, Princess? What are they?”

“Number one, I’ll always bring you Sour Patch Kids even if I think they’re the grossest thing ever.” I laugh at this. “Two,” she ticks it off on her finger, “I’ll learn to ice skate and maybe even learn to play hockey.” I press my lips together, staving off my smile. “Three, I’ll always tell you when you’re wrong—which you are, a lot.” I shake my head. “Four, when you start to get to cocky, I’ll bring you back down to Earth.” She winks, and fuck it if my stomach doesn’t do a little flip because dammit that’s the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen. “And five, I love you and that’s reason enough.”

“Fuck yes it is.”

She bends down as far as she can and I kiss her. I kiss her with everything I have in me. All the love, and hurt, and anguish I’ve felt is poured into that kiss as everyone in the stadium cheers.

Grace smiles down at me and I think to myself;
Fuck, this is
my
girl
.

I finally got the girl.

I finally got it
all
.

I slide the zipper closed on my last bag.

I made it through a whole year of college and I didn’t die, so yay for small miracles.

“I’m going to miss you so much.” Elle tackle hugs me.

I laugh and balance myself so we don’t fall. “I’m sure I’ll see you before next year.”

“But not every day.” She pulls away and frowns. “I was so wrong about you when I first met you and I’m sorry for that. You’ve taught me not to judge a book by its cover.”

“Stop saying nice things,” I scold her. “You’re going to make me cry and this mascara is too expensive to ruin.”

She busts out laughing. 

A knock raps against our open door and I look behind me to see Bennett standing there with coffees and cupcakes.

“I figured since it’s your last day, you both deserved a treat.”

The last few months have been beyond amazing with Bennett. We’ve spent as much time together as we could, but it’s been hard with school and his schedule. We’ve made it work, though, and we’re happy, so that’s what matters. Even though what happened to us sucked, I think it ultimately made us stronger. I hate that I ever doubted him for one second. I know it wasn’t my fault—I mean, with the evidence presented in front of me, there was only one way for me to think—but I
know
Bennett. I know his heart and soul and those things count more than anything else.

“Thank you.” I smile at him.

“Thanks, Bennett.” Elle takes a coffee. “Well—” she turns to me “—I have to get to the airport before I miss my flight.”

Emotion tugs at my heart. “I’m going to miss you.” I hug her again. “Call, text, send a carrier pigeon—just don’t lose touch.”

“I won’t,” she promises and picks up her bag. “Ryland’s outside waiting.”

“Tell him goodbye from me, please?” I ask her.

She nods. “I will.”

As soon as she’s gone, Bennett picks me up and tosses me on the bed before jumping on beside me. My laughter fills the air as we bounce up and down.

He props his head on his hand and gazes down at me, tracing his fingers lazily over my bare stomach where my shirt has ridden up. 

 “Are you
sure
you want to live with me?”

When he asked me to move in with him for the summer, I was ecstatic. The thought of going home and being away from him for all that time
sucked
. My parents weren’t thrilled with the idea, but they didn’t hate Bennett—they were just struggling with letting go. 

I bite my lip but my laughter still escapes. “Yes.”

“Even if I snore?”

“If you snore, I’ll just smother you with a pillow.” I shrug.

His laughter booms and I grin. 

This is
us
.

We smile.

We laugh.

We fight.

We make up.

But most importantly we always love.

Because love … it’s everything.

I can’t believe we’re here again. The end of another book. Thank you so much to everyone who made this happen. 

Regina Wamba, you have once again rocked another cover. I can’t handle the cuteness.

Mackenzy and Jeff, thank you so much for bringing Bennett and Grace alive. 

Thank you to my beta readers, Haley, Raquel, Genesis, Stefanie, and Becca for helping shape The Game That Breaks Us into the book that is. I value all of your opinions so much.

Wendi, you rock my socks off. 

To the girls and guys in my Micalea’s Minions group, I love you all so much. You have no idea. Whenever I go into my group I feel like I’m heading into my safe place where I get to hang out with my best friends. 

Regina Bartley, you are such a huge part of every book I write. I don’t know what I’d do without you. Probably die of boredom. 

To my family, I don’t say it enough, but thank you. Thank you for believing in my dreams when at times I didn’t. Because you I am where I’m at and I’ll always be thankful for that. 

And to my readers, without you I couldn’t do this. Whether you’ve been here from my very first book or you’re just discovering me with this one, I love you very much.  

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Excerpt from Regina Bartley

Chapter One

I hate hospitals. I hate how the room is always cold, how the pungent smell of cleaner gags me, and how the nurses are all waiting for the next shift change so they can get the hell out of there. I wished she’d take me with her. That young nurse who looked like she was leaving for the weekend, the one with the long painted fingernails, and bright pink lip-gloss. She seemed carefree as if she were about to leave work for a party or a girl’s night out. I’d kill for a girl’s night out. Hell, I’d kill for any kind of night out. Two nights lying in a hospital bed, was far too many.

“The doctor will be in soon, he’s making his rounds,” the young nurse spoke to me as she tightened the blood pressure cuff around my arm.

They’d been saying that for the last three hours, but I hadn’t seen the doctor yet.

“Are you sure there isn’t anyone you want us to call for you?” She asked. Once again she was barging into the territory that she didn’t belong. It couldn’t be that rare that people came into the hospital with no family or friends.

I glared up at her with an aggravated look on my face. I wanted to tell her to stop asking. She was a pushover.

Instead I replied through gritted teeth, “Positive.”

She shrugged it off like my attitude was no big deal, and I hated her even more for it.

Sure I wished that I had someone who would be there with me in my time of need, but there was no one. My mother had passed away nearly six months earlier, and my grandma was in a nursing home without any recollection of who I was or who she was for that matter. I couldn’t visit her much because her immune system was so low, and lately I’d been very sick. Just weeks ago I’d been to the doctor, but he’d brushed off my sickness as something viral and said that it would run its course. Unfortunately, it had run me into the ground instead.