Power Play (Nashville Assassins Next Generation 2)

“Talk about tacky,” I say, shaking my head. “If they missed you, they’d call.”

“Exactly. That’s what my mom says. She wants to go kick their asses, so I’m trying to keep her calm.”

“I don’t blame her. That’s just uncalled-for. Like they’re bragging about her new marriage. So shitty.”

“Yeah, I think so,” he agrees, but then he sighs. “But then, who the fuck cares? I’m happier than I’ve ever been in my whole life.”

My face hurts from grinning so hard. “Is it because you finally got the power play under control?”

He chuckles softly. “Yeah, I’ve been really stressed over it.”

“I know, and to think, I doubted you at one point.”

“Right? So rude.”

“But I was wrong, and I realized that very quickly. So then I started believing in you.”

“And look at us now.”

My heart skips a beat. “Things are good.”

“Things are great.”

It feels as if my heart is coming out of my chest. “I miss you, Boon.”

“Right back atcha, lovely.” I hear his heart in his words.

I hang up when his mom calls him to do something, and I turn toward the house, tucking my phone into my pocket. Amelia, Mom, and Shelli all stand on the other side of the glass doors, watching me with these dreamy-eyed grins on their faces.

I tap my hand to my pocket, and by the grace of God, my keys are in there.

So, I leave.

Chapter Twenty-Four

Posey

I did not want to get up this morning.

I feel so run-down, and I’m blaming this on Boon.

I’ve gotten used to sleeping with him, and now that he hasn’t been there the last two nights, I’ve found myself tossing and turning. He’s been so busy with his mom, and while I miss him, I love that he loves his mom. I’m just weirded out by my need for him. I usually love my space, but apparently I love my space with Boon in it. Crazy turn of events, but here we are, and I have to say, I kind of like feeling like this.

When I was in love with Maxim, I never felt good about it. I felt silly because he never made me feel as though he felt the same. But with Boon, it’s way different. I know he’s missing me just as much as I’m missing him. We fell asleep on FaceTime last night, and when my alarm went off, I had a perfect shot of the back of his head. It was sweet, but it also annoyed me since I wished I were able to reach out and touch him.

I could now since he’s only five feet from me, but I know my time is coming. We have dinner with his mom tonight, and I’m nervous. I worry she won’t like me or will think I’m not good enough for her son. With how Julia did them wrong, I doubt she’s gonna have her arms wide open for me. I don’t think my mom would. She’d be wary of anyone after someone treated any of her children like that. I think the only reason she’s okay with me dating someone now is because I was never with Maxim. Yes, he hurt me, but he never promised me anything. Maxim was never mine, but Boon Hoenes—he’s mine.

I watch as he stands by the boards, laughing with Wes and Aiden. Practice has been really successful, which is good since we play the IceCats tomorrow. They’re on one hell of a hot streak, winning seven in a row, but we’re on one too, winning four. We’re just getting started; they’re running out of gas. We have to keep the pressure on the net because the IceCats’ goalie can’t handle people in his way. That’s how we will beat them. Especially on the power play.

I blow my whistle, and my special teams skate toward me, gathering around Jakob and me as I explain how we are going to beat the IceCats’ penalty kill. I have video from the last game they played, and I use it to draw on the screen to show where I want my guys to be. The boys all follow closely and with undivided attention.

“We need to make sure the pressure is there,” Jakob says, pointing at the screen. “Merryweather will play tomorrow, and we all know how it can be to score on him.”

Aiden scoffs. “I can score on him.”

I roll my eyes. “Put your dick back in your girdle, Brooks. This isn’t a cockfight. It’s a game, and we will win.”

Aiden sets me with a look, but I ignore it. The ongoing hate-fest he has with Nico Merryweather is ridiculous. Nico was sleeping with Shelli at one point, but Shelli never cared for him romantically. She only wanted sex, but then Aiden happened. Knowing she was with Nico has always been a thorn in Aiden’s side. It’s actually kind of cute, but because of it, he got into a fight with Nico on the ice last year. Crazy-ass jealous dude. “I can, though.”