Sweaters & Never (The Crestwood Elite Hockey Academy Series Book 4) by Heather C. Myers & Frankie Cardona

Author:Heather C. Myers & Frankie Cardona [Myers, Heather C. & Cardona, Frankie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Grey Star Publishing, LLC
Published: 2024-05-13T00:00:00+00:00

18

Connor

Arriving on campus alone was a relief, a much-needed reprieve from the complex web of emotions that had entangled Brooke and me. I needed the space, a chance to clear my head and focus on something other than the dangerous feelings that were beginning to surface.

Feelings for her.

The realization that I was caring for her in a way that went beyond our arrangement was unnerving. I prided myself on maintaining control, on keeping my emotions in check, but with Brooke, the lines were blurring, and it was disconcerting.

My day was a blur of lectures and office hours, the familiar routine of academia offering a temporary distraction from my personal turmoil. I moved through my classes with a practiced ease, discussing strategies, theories, and game analyses with my students. Despite my efforts to stay focused, my thoughts would occasionally drift back to Brooke, to the previous day's events, and the unsettling warmth that had settled in my chest whenever I thought of her.

After my last class, on a whim that I couldn't fully explain, I drove to Target to buy Christmas decorations. My mother had always loved Christmas; she'd filled our home with lights, garlands, and an air of festivity that made the season magical. But she died years ago, and in the wake of her passing, my father's grief had smothered any semblance of holiday cheer. The traditions we once cherished had fallen by the wayside, a painful reminder of what we had lost.

As I wandered the aisles, selecting lights, ornaments, and a variety of decorations, I couldn't help but question my actions. What was I doing? The idea that I was doing this for Brooke, that I wanted to bring some of that lost magic into her life—and maybe recapture a bit for myself—was both baffling and disarming.

But despite my reservations, I brought the decorations home, anyway. The weight of the bags in my hands was a tangible reminder of the steps I was taking, however uncertain, towards something that felt dangerously like hope. As I unloaded the car, the sense of anticipation I felt was a foreign sensation, a mixture of apprehension and excitement for what decorating the house with Brooke might bring. It was a concession to the growing connection between us, an acknowledgment that, despite my best efforts to remain detached, I was inexorably drawn to her.

Except…when I got home, Brooke wasn’t alone.

Stephen Hanson was there, standing in my living room, looking every bit the part of Prince Charming with his chiseled features and imposing physique. My hands tightened around the bags of Christmas decorations I'd just bought as I dropped them to the floor, my voice cold and hard. "What the hell are you doing in my house?"

Stephen seemed unfazed by my tone. “What the hell's Brooke doing here?” he shot back. “Are you guys sleeping together?" His gaze shifted to Brooke, who was clad in nothing but one of my t-shirts. Despite the casual attire suggesting otherwise, the scent of cleaning supplies clung to her, showing she'd changed into something more practical for the housework I demanded she do.

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