Lucky Score (The Hawkeyes Hockey Series Book 6)
Chapter 22

We ride back to the marina the same way we rode out to the fishing spot, with Seven at the helm inside the cockpit and me sitting out on the bench watching the sunset over the horizon.

The warm orange and pink painting of the sky has me reflecting on the fact that in less than seventy-two hours, I’ll be headed back to Seattle to face my old life.

My old life… What an odd way to think of it, considering it’s the only life I have. It’s the life I’ve wanted for so long. A life with Daniel and a booming author career.

I glance back at the glass window where Seven is standing, only to replace him staring straight ahead at the ocean as he drives us back to shore.

He asked me if I wanted one more time with him before I headed home, and I don’t regret saying yes, but with the expiration date of this working vacation coming too quickly to an end, there’s a part of me that doesn’t want to leave.

I’ll miss all of this.

I’ll miss the warm sunny days that I won’t get in Seattle, the long stretches of beautiful sandy beaches, the new friends I’ve made at Scallywag’s, and even waking to the smell of the fryer permeating through the floorboards of the apartment when Miguel comes in to warm up the kitchen for the day. I don’t get to take any of this home with me when I leave and that’s starting to make me sad.

Cammy and Seven will be back in Seattle within a few days, but something tells me that the connection I have with both of them dies the moment I touch down on Washington soil.

I already know that carrying on a friendship with Seven would be inappropriate when Daniel and I get engaged. Having a relationship with Cammy would be nice but how would Seven feel about that? What if Seven finally starts to date someone? I’m not sure if I could handle Cammy keeping me apprised of Seven’s romantic life.

Seven pulls into the boat slip and rushes out to toss the lines at the back of the boat to the marina attendant to secure them.

Once the boat is secured into place, Seven glances up at me from where he’s standing down on the fishing deck.

‘We’re all set—let’s go. I’ll give you a lift back to Rita’s apartment if you want.’

He turns back and walks to the side of the boat, hoisting himself up over the side and landing on the dock.

‘If it’s not too much trouble…’ I say, taking the steps down to the lower deck.

I walk up to the side of the boat and Seven steps towards me. This is the first time we’ve ever been eye to eye… with our clothes on.

‘You’re never any trouble and anyone who tells you differently doesn’t deserve your time.’

His piercing eyes meet mine, and I can guess who he’s referring to.

‘Tell that to the man who opened the door to the woman who showed up soaking wet on your doorstep.’

His lips purse and the light in his eyes dim. He almost looks regretful. Now I feel bad for how I said it. It’s not his fault I ended up uninvited at his beach house. It was a fraudulent online vacation rental website.

All things being considered, he did more for me than was required of him.

‘I’m sorry for the way I treated you when you showed up. I wasn’t expecting this.’

‘What? You weren’t expecting some romance author to show up during a hurricane and seek refuge in your beach house? How unprepared of you. I suppose you’ll need to add that to your hurricane checklist. Prepare for an unhinged woman to show up at your house and eat all of your groceries and befriend your next-door neighbor and your niece.’

I was trying to make light of the situation, but he doesn’t respond.

He reaches out his arms to help me out of the boat—his hands grip my hips while my palms drape over his shoulders to hold my balance.

He lifts me up with not even so much as a grunt from lifting my weight.

The second my feet touch the dock, he releases me and turns to head up the boat ramp.

I follow him as he leads us towards the parking lot where his jeep is located.

‘We’ll make a quick stop to get your necklace on the way to the apartment.’

‘Thank you for replaceing it. I can’t believe I left it. I almost never take it off. Where did you replace it?’

‘Cammy found it,’ he says. ‘When she was folding the laundry. It was in my sheets.’

‘Oh God,’ I mutter to myself.

Cammy found my necklace in Seven’s bedding.

No wonder she knew that Seven is the one who helped me check off my Mexico fling.

‘Did she ask who it belonged to?’

Seven snickers at the question as if I just told a joke. He reaches out and opens the passenger door of the Jeep for me.

‘You mean the same eighteen-year-old girl who tricked you into a fishing date with me and then sped off, leaving you stranded? No, she didn’t ask who it belonged to. She already knew,’ he says,

Did he just say date?

‘Wait. I’m sorry, did you just call this a date?’ I ask. ‘I didn’t know—’

‘No,’ he says quickly. ‘I didn’t think this was a date. I shouldn’t have said it like that.’

I nod and then turn from him to climb up in his lifted Jeep, trying not to let him see the disappointment on my face.

I take my seat and reach for the seatbelt.

‘It’s not a problem. I just would have worn something different if I had known it was a date.’

I expect Seven to close the door, but he stalls after my comment and stares back at me.

‘What would you have worn if this had been a date?’ he asks.

I slide my palms over my denim shorts as I contemplate his question. I shouldn’t be thinking about going on a date with Seven, but ‘Go on a first date’ is an item on my list and as far as I can tell, Daniel hasn’t had any problems going on dates, so why should I?

‘If this had been a date, I would have worn one of my summer dresses over my bathing suit. Not exactly an ideal outfit for fishing. Why do you ask?’

‘Because if this had been a real date, we’d still be laying on the cabin bed, fucking until the sun comes up tomorrow. And then I would have spent the entire morning trying to think of a way to convince you to go on a second date with me.’

He shocked me into silence.

I stutter, trying to get a word or thought out in response to his comment, but I’ve gone mute.

‘Watch your legs,’ Seven says once he’s waited long enough for me to respond.

He closes the jeep’s door next to me, then moves around the front of the vehicle and climbs into the driver’s side.

He’s already told me he doesn’t do long-term, and I’ve already spent eight years being strung along in a relationship. I’m ready to be married and start a family. Seven isn’t interested in any of that. Besides, he said one night and I agreed. I’m not going to ask for more even though I now know that Seven is capable of giving me several orgasms in a short amount of time.

‘Did you have fun fishing today even though you didn’t get to keep your catch?’

‘It wasn’t my catch. I’m pretty sure that, in hindsight, that fish caught me.’

He chuckles from the driver-side seat as he drives us towards his house.

‘That fish has good taste in woman.’

I smirk over at him. ‘I’m going to take that as a compliment.’

‘Good, I meant it as one.’

Seven turns up the radio and then I belt out the lyrics to The Beetles song that comes on over the radio.

I glance over to replace a soft smile across his lips as he keeps his eyes facing forward, driving us back to where all of this started.

We pull into the driveway, and the warm amber lighting of a beach firepit in the darkness of light illuminates the beach.

Seven jumps out of the Jeep and heads for the house to grab my necklace. I don’t know how it could have come off during sex, but then again, the clasp has been a little finicky lately. It’s getting old and I meant to buy a new chain for the pendent.

I hear the giggles of women’s voices through the night sky, and before I know it, I see Cammy coming around between the two houses, a glass of wine in her hand.

With eighteen being the legal age here, she is within her right to drink.

‘Hey! You two are back late. You must have gone fishing after I left?’ she asks with a sly smile.

She’s proud of her little trick, and since I caught a fish and got a couple of orgasms out of it, I can’t be too upset with her. But she doesn’t need to know that.

‘That was a ballsy move considering who your uncle is. He wasn’t thrilled with your little stunt. And what about me? What if he was mad enough that he had left me there with no ride home?’

‘Seven? Leave you stranded at the marina with no way home? Not a chance. And besides, the bite marks he left all over your neck suggest the fishing went pretty well. You’re welcome.’

My jaw drops open and I quickly cover both sides of my neck with my hands.

I don’t remember him biting hard enough to leave a mark but then again, I was too preoccupied with his very impressive cock to have been paying too much attention.

Cammy laughs at my reaction.

‘I’m kidding. There aren’t any bite marks on your neck. I just wanted to know if my assumptions about you two are correct. Thanks for the confirmation.’

What a brat. But I have to hand it to her… she’s clever.

‘That’s evil, Cammy,’ I say, though I can’t wipe the blushing smile off my lips.

‘Just fess up to it already. You and my uncle have it bad for each other,’ she says and then takes a drink of her wine.

If she feels comfortable enough with me to be so blunt, then she should be able to take a little of her own medicine.

‘Why do you care so much about your uncle getting laid? It’s a little strange if I’m being honest.’

‘Gross, I don’t care if he gets laid. I just want to see him replace someone to be happy with. He’s lonely.’

‘He’s not lonely, Cammy. He can have any woman in Seattle that he wants. My guess is that once the season is back in full swing, all of his female fans will be waiting in line to get their shot with him.’

And since I know how good he is in bed, I don’t blame them.

‘He’s not the player you think he is.’

She’s wrong in her assumption. I don’t think he’s a player. I know he has options, so why would he want to settle for the girl who can’t sleep alone in a thunderstorm? And even if he is interested in me, he’s already told me that he hasn’t wanted to be in a serious relationship ever since his breakup with Josslin.

‘Maybe not but at the end of the day, he and I want different things.’

Cammy opens her mouth to respond when a voice calls out in the darkness.

‘Got it!’ I hear Seven coming around the side of the house.

Cammy and I watch as Seven finally emerges around the corner for the house, holding up my necklace.

Seeing the silver-plated necklace dangle in his hand brings me instant relief.

‘Well, look who it is.’ Seven says, with one brow lowered.

‘Hi, Uncle Seven.’

Cammy doesn’t look the least bit concerned with his tone.

‘That was some dirty trick you pulled today.’

‘Huh… funny, because I’d wager to bet that it was the least dirty thing to happen all afternoon.’

I burst out in a giggle and have to cover my mouth with my hand.

Seven shoots a look at me. I know he wants to ask if I told Cammy anything about what happened between us on the boat, but I avoid eye contact. I’m not getting in the middle of this friendly fire. I’m not equipped for battle like these two always seem to be.

These two know exactly how to push each other’s buttons.

The Wrenley family should be studied for scientific proof that personalities are genetic.

He clears his throat and it seems like he’s going to drop it. I guess he knows his niece can pull the information out of him, just as she did me. He’s smart enough not to implicate himself.

‘I saw that you girls are having a bonfire. Is Rita keeping your mom in line?’ he asks.

‘We’re having a girls’ night. We already painted our toes and did papaya face masks. And Rita has mom as straight as an arrow… for the moment, anyway. I was just coming by to see if Brynn wanted to join us for a glass of wine. Rita pulled out the good stuff,’ she says, looking over at me.

‘Thanks, but Seven was just about to take me home. I don’t want to put him out.’

‘One glass of wine, and then Seven will take you home. I’d drive you myself, but we’ve all had too much to drink,’ Cammy says.

‘If you want to stay for a glass, I can wait.’

‘Are you sure?’

Before Seven can respond, Cammy pipes up.

‘He’s sure, come on,’ she says, opening my door. ‘This might be our last chance to get drunk around open flames before you leave us all.’

She has a point.

I leave soon, and I would like to spend a little more time with Rita before I go. Who knows when or if I’ll ever see her again?

I look over at Seven, but he doesn’t say anything. He just stares back at me as if waiting for me to make a final decision.

‘Ok, I’ll stay.’

Cammy grins wide. ‘Good. I knew you would come to your senses.’

She steps back to let me slide out of the Jeep and then I step down carefully.

I follow Cammy through the corridor between the two houses—Seven directly behind me.

I see the bonfire even more clearly than before raging out in front of us with the moon midway up the sky and the sound of the waves thrashing onto the beach way out in front of us.

Two women sit in a couple of the Adirondack chairs where Seven and I sat the night that Rita tricked us into a bonfire with wine, just the one of us last week.

Rita holds up her wine and cheers when she sees us coming.

I watch the moment that Josslin looks over to replace us all headed in their direction. Her eyes dim when she sees me, but then the moment she looks behind me, a smile stretches across her face when she sees Seven.

She pulls some of her blonde hair over her shoulder and plays with it, almost like a nervous tick.

‘Cammy convinced you to stay, I see?’ Rita says to me as Seven and I walk around the chairs and take a seat.

‘She did. She reminded me that I only have a few more days left here and then I’m heading back home. This might be my last ocean-side firepit for the foreseeable future.’

Seven clears his throat and when I look at him to my left, he’s staring into the flames with great focus. I wish I knew what he was thinking about.

I watch Cammy fill up a glass of wine for me.

‘Oh, I certainly hope that isn’t true. You’ll come back again, won’t you? You’re always welcome to stay with me. Or if you’re coming to write, and need the place to yourself, the apartment is yours whenever you want it. In fact, stay as long as you can… you don’t have to leave,’ Rita says.

I see in my peripheral that Seven seems to perk up a little at her offer and the firepit no longer holds his interest.

‘I appreciate the offer but I actually do have to go home. I’m supposed to meet with the publisher in person when I turn in my manuscript in a few days. Otherwise, I would consider your offer. I’ve really enjoyed my time here, and I’ve never written so quickly. I might take you up on your offer when it’s time to write book number two.’

‘I hope you do. I’ll have the guest room ready for you,’ Rita says.

‘When are you going to start book two?’ Seven asks.

‘I’m not sure yet. Maybe around Christmas. It might be a nice time to go somewhere warmer.’

And Daniel usually has some time off during the Christmas break but I’m not going to tell Seven that part.

Cammy walks over and hands me my glass and I take a sip.

This is delicious, just like everything else I’ve tasted while at Rita’s house. The woman has impeccable taste.

I change position in my chair for a moment and wince when I hit my hip against the wood chair. My bruise from smacking against the side of the boat when the marlin tried to pull me overboard must be starting to set in.

‘Are you ok?’ Cammy asks.

‘Yeah, I just could use a long hot shower and then an ice pack. I’m a little bruised from that big fish I hooked today.’

‘You should have seen it. Brynn caught a marlin,’ Seven tells Cammy and Rita.

He doesn’t spare even the slightest glance for Josslin.

Cammy chuckles.

‘Is that right? You got all those bruises from the fish?’ Cammy asks. ‘Any chance this fish was six foot five, two hundred and fifty pounds plus, and plays professional hockey?’

‘Cammy Wrenley! That was inappropriate. Maybe you’ve had too much to drink,’ Josslin says.

‘Not even close,’ Cammy says and then walks back over to the table with all the alcohol and snacks that they brought out here.

I walk as she grabs a handful of shot glasses and a bottle of something clear in her hand.

This can’t be good.

Cammy places a shot glass in front of Rita and then one in front of Josslin and fills them up. Then she heads in our direction and fills a shot glass up for both of us.

‘I don’t need one. I have to drive Brynn back soon,’ Seven tells her, but she doesn’t listen.

She walks back to the table and fills the last shot glass up for herself.

How did she know we would show up here and have the correct number of shot glasses?

‘I want to make a toast,’ she says, lifting her shot glass. ‘To booking vacations on scam websites and making new friends along the way.’

Rita and I both laugh and then take our shots, along with Cammy. I forgot how bad these shots burn going down. Josslin hesitates for a second but then takes the shot.

‘Uncle Seven, you better take your shot or else I’m going to,’ Cammy says and then marches towards him.

‘Like you need any more tonight. Besides, mixing isn’t a great idea. You’re going to regret that later,’ he tells her.

Cammy starts heading straight for him so Seven takes the shot quickly before she can reach for it.

‘There, are you happy?’

‘Yes… very. Though I don’t think it’s safe for you to drive now.’

‘It’s not a big deal,’ I say, looking over at Seven and then Cammy. ‘I’ll just call a rideshare. I’m so tired after today, I think I’ll call now.’

‘That’s a good idea. Sometimes it can take a while for them to get all the way out here. We wouldn’t want you waiting all night here for you,’ Josslin pipes up after being so quiet.

‘Why even go home? Stay here. The three of us are having a girl’s night, and I’m staying in one of Rita’s guest bedrooms for a sleepover. There’s plenty of room at Seven’s. You can stay in my room,’ Cammy says.

Now I know what the shot was for. To ensure that Seven would agree not to drive after that shot.

‘Or she can have my guest room at Rita’s and I can stay at Seven’s,’ Josslin says.

‘You’re not setting foot in my house,’ Seven snarls.

Everyone around the firepit goes quiet at Seven’s outburst towards her. It’s not as if Josslin doesn’t deserve it but it’s obvious that his patience with her is wearing thin.

‘I could just sleep on the couch in Rita’s living room. It’s not a big deal,’ I suggest.

‘You stayed in my house for a week already. We made it work. We’ll be fine for one more night, but these two are getting out of control,’ he says, shooting looks at Rita and Cammy. ‘Are you ready to go?’ He asks me.

I take the last sip of my wine and then nod. ‘All set,’ I say.

‘Just place the wine glass on the armrest; we’ll take it in,’ Rita offers.

I do as she instructs, and then Seven walks over and offers his hand to help me out of the chair.

We haven’t held hands since that night at the restaurant when he pulled me out because of the drunk bachelor party.

He doesn’t need to help me up, I can get out of the chair just fine on my own but I won’t turn him down because I like this attentive version of him.

I slide my hand into his, and he helps lift me to my feet. I wait for the moment when he drops my hand, but he doesn’t, instead he fans out his fingers and slides them in-between mine.

‘Good night,’ he says, giving a quick wave to the three-woman sitting around the fire, offering me no explanation for why we’re still holding hands.

Rita and Cammy echo the sentiment, but Josslin remains quiet, her eyes locked on our joined hands.

I give a quick wave two and then Seven leads us away from the group and up towards his house.

‘You might want to check your birth control and make sure no one tampered with it,’ he tells me, looking back over his shoulder with a smirk.

‘A baby is a serious commitment. They wouldn’t go that far. That would be insane.’

‘Exactly. It would be insane or desperate, two things I wouldn’t put past them.’

He inputs the code to the front door lock. As soon as it unlocks he opens the door wide for me to walk in behind him.

The moment I pass through the door, Seven releases my hand to close the door and turn the deadbolt.

Of course, he wouldn’t hold my hand all the way down the hall. That would be strange, especially for him.

‘Thanks for letting me stay,’ I say.

‘Like I said, it’s no trouble. And now I’ll have someone to cook breakfast for tomorrow. Cammy doesn’t like eggs.’

I chuckle at the thought of Seven sulking in the mornings because Cammy won’t eat his monster-sized portions of food.

‘I will happily accept your egg breakfast in the morning.’

‘Good,’ he says simply.

I turn down towards the hall, and Seven follows behind me.

I reach for the guest bedroom door and twist the handle to open it.

‘Hey, hold on. You might want this back.’

I turn to replace him pulling my necklace out of his boardshorts.

Oh right! I almost forgot about it because of the unexpected invite to the bonfire.

‘Can you put it on me?’ I ask.

‘Yeah, turn around.’

I pull my hair out of the way and give him my back. He takes a step closer, unclasping the necklace and lifting his hands over my head. I feel the coolness of the small pendant the moment it touches my collarbone.

He clasps the necklace together and gently lays the chain down against my neck. His fingers brush against my skin, and goosebumps rise along my arms and shoulders at his simple touch.

I reach for the pendant immediately, rubbing the tiny Seattle Space Needle between my thumb and pointer finger.

‘Thank you again for replaceing it for me,’ I say.’

‘I’m not the one who found it, remember?’

How could I forget?

‘Yeah, right…’

I still feel Seven at my back. He hasn’t moved away yet, and the heat of his body is still radiating near me.

‘Can I ask you a question?’

His voice is low and raspy.

‘What is it?’

‘Does Daniel give you goosebumps like this when he touches you?’

I cross my arms over my chest to pull them from his view, but it’s too late, he’s already seen them.

And asking a question like that isn’t fair. It’s normal for those butterflies and goosebumps to disappear after eight years, right? You can’t expect those for a lifetime.

Seven takes a step even closer, his chest brushing against my back.

‘Do you get as wet for him as you do for me?’

I shake my head. ‘No,’ I whisper.

His hands slide over my hips as the bulge in his boardshorts presses up against my ass when he steps closer.

I can’t remember ever being as turned on as I am whenever I’m with Seven. He’s unlike anyone I’ve ever been with before, and he and Daniel couldn’t be any more different.

‘I already know he doesn’t make you come. But I do… don’t I, Brynn?’ He asks against the shell of my ear and then lays a kiss against my neck.

My head falls back against his shoulder as he continues a line of soft kisses down my throat, each one better than the last.

‘Why are you saying all of this?’ I ask.

‘Because I changed my mind.’

‘About what?’

‘When Rita locked us out of her house the first time and we sat around the firepit alone, you told me that your agent sent you here to finish your book and to replace someone to have a fling with. I told you I wasn’t interested in being that man.’

‘And now?’

‘Now, I want your last days here. Do you want that, too?’

I spin around in his arms to face him.

‘Yes, I do!’ I say quickly.

I didn’t intend to seem too eager, but it can’t be helped. I’m not ready for whatever this is between us to be over. Soon enough I’ll have to face reality and head back to Seattle. I can only hope that by the time I board the aircraft in a few days, I’ll feel more ready for it.

Right now, I just want to live in this alternative universe, with all these incredible people in this gorgeous place, and forget I have a life waiting for me back in Seattle.

Seven dips down and scoops his arms under my ass, lifting me up and then turning with me in his arms, heading down the hall.

‘Oh my God, Seven,’ I gasped, unprepared for him to pick me up and take off with me. ‘Where are we going?’

‘I’m taking you to my room to see if we can break our personal best record. What was it again? Five?’