*** This one is dedicated to a reader who made the loveliest recommendation for TEMPTING EVE, and totally made my year. Thank you!!! Shannnxoxo

**********

The ride home with Ethan had been tense to say the least. I wasn't about to apologize for my friendship with Mason, but every time I tried to discuss it with him, he'd just smile and tell me it was none of his business - we were just friends after all...

Of course, he'd put that psychology degree to good use. If he'd just told me how he really felt, I could have moved beyond it, but now I was stuck annualizing his words over and over again in my mind.

Sarah waved her hand in my face. "Earth to Eve, did you hear me?"

Sarah and I took turns pulling apart nachos in the kitchen while Amy sat on the counter sucking down one of her obnoxious green smoothies. Her long skirts swishing as she swung her legs.

Like everything else in our life, the bright galley kitchen was sparkling clean thanks to her - our little purpled haired, non-stop energy, ray of sunshine. If she didn't love my cousin - straight or not - I'd try to marry her.

"I was listening," I lied. Having completely stopped hearing Sarah's story minutes ago.

She laughed. "Sure you were... So, how long do you think you can keep up this little trio you have going on?"

"What?"

Amy spoke around her straw. "Your love triangle."

"There is no love triangle. I have two friends, who happen to be guys, that's all." I said, adding some more salsa to our plate, avoiding their eyes.

They gave each other one of their looks. "Well," sighed Sarah. "I can't say I'm not excited about the benefits. It's been forever since I've been to a college game... just keep in mind that your first experience into the world of dating happens to be with two very experienced guys."

I perked up. "Mason? Really? He seems so sweet. I honestly can't picture him sleeping around."

"I'm not saying he's a total slut or anything, but he definitely doesn't have to go out of his way to find a date... well, except for you, your definitely making him work for it," she laughed around a mouthful of cheese.

"Haha, very funny. And what have you heard about Ethan York?"

Amy cut in. "I don't think either of us know him personally, but rumor has it he's some kind of genius who started at the University of New York when he was like fifteen or sixteen. I can't say much about his reputation with girls, but god, just look at him."

I couldn't disagree, and I guess that's what he meant when he said he had a couple extra years to work on it. "I hate to break it to you guys, but there's absolutely no reason why you two should have anything to be concerned about. I get that I started something physical with Ethan the night of my birthday and it got a little... out of control for a minute, but now that he's had time to think about it, he made it clear he's not interested in me like that. And Mason -"

"Jesus, you're naive sometimes," Sarah huffed. "I know this isn't apparent to you for some reason, but you are absolutely stunning Eve. You have one of the kindest, most giving hearts I've ever seen, you're incredibly smart and you literally have this mischievous sparkle in your eye that draws people to you."

My mouth fell open. "Aww, Sar. Are you sure you should be a sports columnist? I think you missed your true calling as a romance writer."

She ignored me. "And you know, neither of those guys just want you as a friend. Stop lying to yourself because you're having a hard time believing it."

I looked at the girls. At my only real family and rolled my eyes. "Ok moms."

***

I'd never been to a large sporting event in my life, so I was surprised by the amount of people and activity flooding the doors of the arena as a sea of black and gold shifted in front of us. I had been skeptical at first, but was glad I'd taken Sarah's suggestion and wore one of her Golden Knights sweatshirt.

"Is it always like this?"

Sarah was totally in her element. Eyes glowing. "Yes," she yelled. "Isn't it amazing?"

Amy and I laughed, but followed her through the doors, handing the tickets we'd picked up from will call to someone in uniform who scanned them, then through a metal detector and into the arena.

I wasn't sure where the ice was, but a long line of tiny stores and eateries snaked around the building in front of us. Sarah nudged my arm and pointed up. I looked past the escalators, into the criss-crossing beams of the rafters, and sucked in a breath. Banners, probably five feet tall each, hung from invisible wires, each one displaying the smiling faces of the players.

One photo in particular stood out. The cut of the jaw, the straight nose and laughing eyes. And that mop of golden hair, damp and pushed out of his face. It looked like my friend, but not - something about it made him all the more attractive...

I nodded to her and we continued, around the eateries and into a long concrete tunnel marked with the letter B.

We emerged into a brightly lit stadium. The seats rising around us, into dramatically high platforms that must be accessible from the escalators in the main lobby.

In the center of the blaring music and pulsing lights was the ice. It appeared to be shattering as projectors performed an amazing light show that painted the schools seal in a variety of colors.

"Down here!" Sarah tugged on me and we followed her all the way down the narrow cement steps to a group of seats right along the glass.

We removed our jackets and stood with everyone as the building began to chant, Gol-den Knights, Gol-den Knights, Gol-den Knights...

They emerged onto the ice and, when they say 'the crowd went wild,' they mean it. The players came out, skating around the ice with power and speed. Someone in the bench beside us poured a bucket of pucks on the ice and the guys started shooting them at the net from wherever they were standing.

Something pounded on the glass and I jumped.

Mason smiled at me from the other side - a black mouth guard blocking his teeth. He winked, causing some of the fans around us to scream, then quickly skated away to join his teammates.

I looked around in amazement as Sarah leaned her head close to mine. "What a good friend you have."

My heart kicked up. I was really starting to hate the F word.

**********

If your wondering if this hockey team is real... it's actually completely made up. To my utter surprise, I couldn't find any big college hockey teams in New York! 🌃

Are you all still team Ethan? Or do you guys have a thing for handsome, rugged athletes and creaming, I mean screaming fans?! Lol 😉😆

As always, THANK YOU TIMES A MILLION for still reading. You guys are freaking awesome! ❤️

With love always,

xxxBre

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