A Spark Like This (Mature Jocks Series #3)

Chapter Seven ☽︎ Puck Me

"When life becomes too complicated and we feel overwhelmed, it's often useful just to stand back and remind ourselves of our overall purpose, our overall goal. When faced with a feeling of stagnation and confusion, it may be helpful to take an hour, an afternoon, or even several days to simply reflect on what it is that will truly bring us happiness, and then reset our priorities on the basis of that. This can put our life back in proper context, allow a fresh perspective, and enable us to see which direction to take."
-- Unknown

H U D S O N

I don't know what I'm still doing here.

And for some fucked up reason, I'm sitting on the small couch right next to her bed; because I know she's not fully asleep, because I know if Claire Summers should find her daughter trashed, she'd rain hell on this planet. As if on autopilot, Kimmie rises from the bed and heads to a door I assume is the bathroom, because I hear her throwing up as I follow behind her. Unable to resist the urge, I scoop her long hair in my hand as she offloads her belly, her chest heaving and her face sweaty. When she's done, I scoop her in my arms and I lay her on her bed. Her eyes are half open when she smiles lightly at me.

"You sure you don't want to come to bed? I promise I won't bite," she purrs and I chuckle to myself, internally resisting the sweet sound of her voice.

"You're so drunk," I mutter, more to myself as I cover her body with the comforter.

"Hmm hmm," she murmurs, raising an arm to touch my face, but then her eyes shut slowly.

She's passed out.

My phone buzzes in my pocket and I get it out to see a call from Aaron. I answer it, and I hear Liz's voice in the background.

"Have you gotten her to her room?" He asks.

"Yeah, she's passed out," I answer, my heart hoping he didn't pick up on one little detail at the bar. Lee. "Underwear guy still there?"

"No, he's on his way to her room," Aaron says and her fists tighten. "With a black eye," He says after a beat.

"I'm guessing Alex did that," I sigh.

"Yeah, so just get out of there before he sees you and thinks you're, you know," Aaron sighs.

"Thinks I'm what?"

"You really want to make me say it?" He groans, "Just get your ass outta there would you?" He groans loudly at the same time someone slides the key card and opens the door.

Hawkins.

"Look, bro--" I start but I don't finish because he shoves me to the wall, his hands fisting my hoodie in anger.

"That's over fifteen grand, bro, knock it out," I say calmly but he sneers.

"You're Lee aren't you?" He says and my fists tighten. How the fuck did he know that? "You're the ex she can't fucking stop thinking about, dreaming about," An evil smirk graces his lips. "You're the ex I have to compete with, huh?"

"I don't know what you're talking about, bro, get the fuck off me," I move against him and he backs off my clothes, and then I tower over him. I'm taller than this motherfucker. I move towards the door without so much as a look at him, but then I stop.

"Yo, buddy," I grin at him. "She likes honey tea after a hangover, so be sure to give her that,"

And with an unsettling feeling in my heart and a final look at Kim, I leave the room.

☽︎ ☽︎ ☽︎ ☽︎ ☽︎ ☽︎ ☽︎ ☽︎ ☽︎ ☽︎ ☽︎ ☽︎

"He's got some nerve, you know?" T says as I walk into our room. "Trying to beat up five hockey players, that's literally equivalent to getting on the Titanic," I chuckle at his words.