Rival Darling: A Young Adult Hockey Romance (The Darling Devils Series)

NEVER DATE A JOCK. It was the one rule I had when it came to boys, but apparently, I was terrible at following it.

“Jeremy’s going to kill me,” I said as I rushed across the parking lot with my cousin Mia at my side. It was my boyfriend’s first hockey game of the season, and we were running twenty minutes late. I glanced at my watch and cursed under my breath—make that thirty minutes late.

We’d been slammed by customers at the coffee shop all afternoon and struggled to get out on time. It didn’t help that my car took her sweet-ass time to start. Poor Betty hadn’t adjusted well to our recent move to Sunshine Hills, Minnesota. She’d been loudly protesting the sudden change ever since my mom dumped us here at the start of summer break.

Her tantrums only grew worse once winter arrived and the snow set in, but I couldn’t really blame her since I was struggling with the cold too. Neither of us belonged here. We were supposed to be cruising around in the California sun, not stuck in this freezing hellscape for my senior year.

As if to belabor the point, my foot skidded on a patch of ice, nearly sending me sprawling onto my back. I was even more out of my depth here than Betty, and I was really beginning to wonder if my mom hated me. I knew she was off chasing the job of a lifetime in Europe, but ditching me with my uncle in the middle of nowhere, in Minnesota during winter was just cruel.

“He’s not going to kill you,” Mia said. “He’s in the middle of a game, and I’m sure there’s a big crowd. He’ll just assume you’re somewhere among the masses of his adoring fans.”

“Maybe.” Jeremy was laser focused on hockey these days, so I couldn’t imagine him searching the crowd for my face. Not when he had a game to win. “But I’m sure one of the puck bunnies who constantly chase him around school will tell him I was late.”

There were a lot of puck bunnies at the prestigious Sunshine Hills Prep, but only one who particularly concerned me: Heather. Jeremy said they were just friends, but I got the feeling I’d well and truly derailed her plans to tie him down and become his hockey wife when I’d shown up over the summer. I knew she wouldn’t hesitate to inform him that I’d missed the majority of the game.

“I’m sure he won’t mind. Especially not if he wins.” Mia continued her attempts to reassure me as she pushed through the heavy doors of the hockey center. Even after we entered the building, I was disappointed to find a chill still lingered in the air. It was an ice rink, after all, so I shouldn’t have been surprised.

“It’s his first game of the season, and I’ve missed half of it,” I argued. “He’ll be disappointed.” We hurried along the concourse, which was deserted because everyone was already in their seats. It must have been an exciting game because I could hear the crowd going wild. “I’m trying to be a supportive girlfriend.”

“Uh, he’s lucky you’re dating him at all considering you’ve had a strict no-jock rule in place since the moment you realized boys existed.”

“I already told you Jeremy’s an exception to the rule. He’s nothing like my dad…” My voice trailed off because my father was the last thing I wanted to talk about. Not that there was much to say.

My mom got knocked up and then abandoned by a superstar football player in college. She’d thought he was her fairy tale, but instead he’d turned out to be the villain in those cautionary tales parents told their teenage daughters to scare them into wearing protection. I’d grown up being taught never to trust boys with killer smiles and strong right arms and to run in the opposite direction if a guy’s life revolved around a sport. I’d always followed my mom’s advice—until this summer.

Jeremy might have been a hockey star at my new school, but I’d never felt like he was some cardboard cutout jock who couldn’t be trusted. I’d come across plenty of them over the years, and he was different.

We’d met at the library over the break. I’d run in there to shelter from a sudden downpour and found him volunteering in the children’s section, reading books to wide-eyed little kids. I hadn’t realized he was an athlete at the time, or I never would have given him a chance. But we’d been drawn together from the start, and the universe kept throwing us into each other’s paths over the summer. I’d well and truly fallen for him by the time I found out he was the captain of Sunshine Prep’s hockey team, the Saints. Dating him might have broken my rule, but who was I to mess with fate?

“I mean, I seriously hope he’s nothing like your dad.” As always, Mia didn’t sound convinced. She was a hockey nut, so you’d think she’d be Jeremy’s biggest fan. But she’d been warning me to be careful ever since she found out we were dating.

“He’s not,” I insisted. “Jeremy’s kind and sweet and thoughtful. You know I wouldn’t be with him if he wasn’t.”

“Kind, sweet, and thoughtful are not the adjectives I’d use to describe Jeremy Hoffman. Are you sure you didn’t break your no-jock rule just to piss off your mom for ditching you here?”

“Yes, I’m sure.”

“Because you know I wouldn’t judge you if that was the reason…”

“That’s not why I’m with him.”

“Are you sure? Because he can be such a jock.”

“He’s not that bad.”

Mia stopped and turned to me.

“Vi, everyone at school thinks he walks on water. Hell, he thinks he walks on water.”

Yeah, my cousin’s opinion of Jeremy really wasn’t good. I could tell she was only trying to look out for me though. She knew why I’d spent so many years avoiding athletes at all costs. “Technically, he does kind of walk on water,” I said. “It’s just a little frozen…”

Mia rolled her eyes but then laughed. “I’m just saying maybe you don’t know him all that well. You only started dating this summer.”

Mia was right, but we’d shared an incredible few months together, and meeting Jeremy had actually made my forced move across the country seem worth it. It’s not like I was completely oblivious to what she was hinting at though. I had certainly seen a different side to him since school started, especially when we were in public. As captain of the hockey team, he had so many people relying on him and looking up to him. I couldn’t imagine what it must be like to live with the weight of a whole town’s expectations on his shoulders. Jeremy was a good guy though. Mia just needed a little longer to see it too.

“Well, we won’t be dating at all if I’m any later to his game. Come on.” I grabbed Mia’s hand and dragged her toward the rink. As we finally caught sight of the ice, a raucous cheer rippled through the crowd. I shuddered, and not just because I was beginning to think it might actually be warmer outside. I was not a fan of hockey.

I’d only been to one game before, years ago, but it hadn’t taken me long to realize the sport wasn’t for me. I couldn’t understand why anyone would volunteer to play in a literal freezer. I could never keep track of the puck as it whipped around the ice, and the game itself was so violent. The players and fans both seemed to get more excited for a brutal collision or a fight than they did for a goal. Also, did I mention the cold?

“I miss the sun.”

Mia laughed and hooked her arm through mine. “We’ll make a hockey fan of you yet.”

“Doubtful,” I grumbled, but Mia probably didn’t hear me over the noise of the crowd. The excitement in the arena was electric, and I was sure Jeremy would be relishing the intense atmosphere.

Mia dragged me up into the stands, grinning broadly at a couple of guys who had torn their shirts off and painted the number twenty-three across their chests. She winked at one of them as she went, and the two guys elbowed each other as they waved back.

“Are you here for the game or the eye candy?” I asked.

“Can’t it be both?” There was a wicked glint in my cousin’s eyes, and she tucked her lone streak of pink hair behind her ear as she glanced back at the topless guys. Mia could be such a flirt and was never the least bit afraid of talking to guys. I wished I had half her confidence. I certainly never would have spoken to Jeremy if he hadn’t approached me first.

“You’re terrible,” I told her.

“I know,” she replied with a laugh. The sound was carefree and contagious, and it surprised me that people often commented that we had similar laughs. It seemed like everything else about us was different. Especially our looks. While I had the same deep red hair and pale skin as my mom, Mia was tanned and blonde like hers. I’d only ever seen my aunt in pictures around my uncle Luke’s house. I’d never had a chance to meet her as she’d passed away when Mia and I were both babies. I guessed that was another thing we had in common—we both grew up with only one parent.

When we finally found some free seats, I turned my attention to the game and searched for Jeremy. The players were whizzing across the ice so fast with their faces mostly covered by helmets it was almost impossible to distinguish between them. Sunshine Prep’s colors were white and gold, so I was confused to find one team was in black while the other was in red. I hadn’t been to a Saints game before though, so I wondered if maybe Jeremy’s team was playing in an alternate uniform.

I was shaken from my thoughts as two players collided with a loud thud, sending the crowd wild. One of the players went flying, but the other stayed on his feet. He was wearing the number twenty-three, and I glanced back at the shirtless fans who were delirious with excitement. Clearly this was their favorite player, and it didn’t take long for me to realize why. With his opponent sprawled at his feet, the number twenty-three took off. He glided effortlessly across the ice, weaving between rival players like they weren’t there at all. I knew he was skating at a breathtaking pace, but it almost felt like everything was happening in slow motion and the roar of the crowd seemed to dull around me. As someone who hated hockey, even I had to admit this guy was impressive.

As if to confirm my appraisal, the number twenty-three dodged past one final defenseman and flicked the puck past the goalie. The siren behind the net blared, and the fans around us screamed. They couldn’t get enough of this guy. Even I couldn’t seem to take my eyes off him.

“Uh, Violet?”

“Yeah?” Mia’s tone was urgent enough that I managed to pull my eyes away from the game and focus on her.

“What time did you say Jeremy’s game started?”

“At three. Why?”

“That can’t be right.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Well, I hate to tell you this, but we’re not at the Saints game. This is a Devils game.”

“What?” I quickly glanced at the scoreboard, and my heart sank when I read the two team names displayed there. Mia was right. We weren’t at a Sunshine Prep game. Instead, we’d accidentally turned up to watch their biggest rivals, the Ransom Devils.

“This can’t be right,” I murmured. I’d only been living in Sunshine Hills a few months, but I’d heard all about Ransom, the town across the river. While Sunshine Hills was full of large imposing mansions, golf courses, and country clubs, Ransom was more industrial and working class. Ransom High and Sunshine Hills Prep were just as contrasting. The rivalry between them was entrenched and bitter, and while it impacted pretty much anything the two schools took part in, it started and ended with hockey.

“You’re certain the game started at three?” Mia said.

“Uh, I think so.”

“Are we at the wrong place then?”

I pulled out my phone to double-check the message Jeremy had sent me last night with the details. I’d been half asleep when I first read it, but I was certain I hadn’t got the time or place wrong.

But the moment I opened the message, I swore. “His game was at one, Mia. I missed it…” And Jeremy hadn’t texted me since, which was definitely a bad sign.

“It was an honest mistake, Vi. He’ll understand.”

Another crashing sound pulled our attention back to the ice as number twenty-three slammed a player into the boards surrounding the rink and then stood over his unfortunate opponent for a few seconds, glaring down at him. This guy seemed to enjoy hitting other players more than actually playing the game.

He didn’t have much time to revel in his aggressive display though because he instantly found himself engulfed by an angry mob of opposing players. In turn, his teammates quickly rushed to his aid, and the umpires started frantically blowing their whistles and waving their arms trying to stop the ensuing scuffle.

Mia started fanning her face. “That’s hot.”

I shoved my shoulder into hers. “You’ve clearly lived in the cold for too long,” I said. “You’re losing it.”

“What?” she protested. “’I like it a little rough.”

“Uh, Mia, are we still talking about hockey?”

“Of course!” She pressed her hand to her chest in a show of feigned shock and then waved her hand at the crowd around us, who were only cheering louder as the umpires struggled to end the commotion on the ice. “And I’m not the only one who likes it.”

All I could do was sigh in response. I really was out of my depth here.

“My poor, hockey-deprived Violet,” Mia continued. “How much you still have to learn about living in Sunshine Hills. It’s okay, we’ll get you there eventually.” She slung an arm over my shoulder and returned her attention to the game. The brawl had finally ended, and number twenty-three was making his way off the ice.

“Speaking of hot and rough,” Mia said. “That’s one of the Darling Devils. He’s going to the penalty box for the hit that started that fight.”

“The who?”

“The Darling Devils. You know, the Darling brothers.” She spoke like she was stating something painfully obvious.

“And who exactly are they?”

“You’ve really never heard of them?”

“I wouldn’t be asking if I had.”

“Well…” Mia drew the word out, and I could see she was only too happy to explain. “The Darling brothers are three of the best players in the state. They play for the Ransom Devils, and they’re lethal.” Her voice lowered slightly as she continued, but her eyes were still sparkling with excitement. “I’m not just talking about hockey either. They have a pretty bad reputation off the ice too. People around here have a lot to say about those boys.”

I frowned down at the Devils player who had just entered the penalty box. I could just make out the name “Darling” printed across the back of his jersey.

“That’s Reed Darling,” Mia said, nodding in his direction. “He’s the Ransom Devils’ captain. He’s destined for the NHL, but people say he’s an even bigger player off the ice.”

“Sounds like a great guy.” My voice was thick with sarcasm.

“Sure, if bad boy is your type,” Mia continued. “I heard he had to miss school last year because he got sent to juvie.”

“Lovely,” I replied. “I’m sure his mother is very proud.”

Mia smirked. “Well, his mother did something right; he is one fine specimen.” There was a slight smile on her lips, and she was gently tilting her head as she looked down at Reed. Despite the fact Mia clearly believed this guy was trouble, she still couldn’t help but check him out.

“Just because a guy fills out a hockey jersey well doesn’t make him hot,” I added.

Mia uttered a shocked laugh. “You’re only saying that because you haven’t seen his face. And he has this scar on his neck that he got from a bar brawl, which only adds to his rugged, rebellious appeal.”

I honestly didn’t think seeing Reed Darling’s face would make me feel any different. This was a guy who played hockey and got into bar fights? I was never going to find a boy like that attractive.

“His brothers are just as bad,” Mia added. “Someone told me they beat up a kid at a party last year just because he looked at Reed the wrong way.”

“Seriously?”

“You’re talking about the Darling brothers, right?”

We turned to look at the girl seated on the other side of Mia as she leaned toward us. Clearly, she’d been listening to our conversation and was eager to chime in. “That’s only the start of what happened at that party. Apparently, after they beat the guy up, one of the Devils made out with his girlfriend.”

Mia’s eyes widened before she turned back to me, a smug grin plastered across her face. “See. Everyone knows about the Darling Devils.”

I didn’t really feel comfortable gossiping about someone I didn’t know, but it certainly sounded like the Darling boys had more than earned their bad reputation, so I just nodded at my cousin. Besides, I didn’t have time to worry about how some degenerate hockey players got their kicks. I had bigger problems right now. “I should call Jeremy and check how his game went.”

“But I haven’t finished telling you all about the Darling Devils. In freshman year, Reed⁠—”

I waved her off. “You can fill me in later.”

“Aw, come on, Violet.” Mia pouted. “Can’t we stay and finish watching the game?”

I released a sigh. “You stay here. I’m going to find somewhere a little quieter to give him a call. I’ll come find you after.”

“I think it would be way more fun if you stayed and let me further your education on hot hockey players,” she said as I stood up.

“Except it feels like you’re only teaching me about the crazy ones.”

“Crazy hot,” she corrected me before she turned and launched back into conversation with the girl beside her. It seemed they had plenty more gossip to share about the so-called Darling Devils.

I made my way down the bleachers and walked away from the ice rink to the concession stand in the front foyer. There were only a couple of people milling around with everyone else engrossed by the game. I pulled my phone out of my pocket and called Jeremy. It rang twice but then went straight to voicemail.

“That can’t be good,” I muttered as I lowered my phone and started to text him. I went to sit on one of the benches nearby as I tried to figure out what to say. It didn’t matter how I put it; he was going to be disappointed I missed his game. I kept writing and then rewriting my text, but I couldn’t find a good way to say “I’m sorry, I’m a terrible girlfriend.”

Eventually, I gave up and decided to head back to Mia. Maybe it would be easier if I spoke to Jeremy in person.

As I reentered the arena, a siren blared, and a thunderous cheer shook the building. I glanced up at the scoreboard to see the game had ended, and the Devils had annihilated the other team.

The crowd rose from their seats and started to leave, flooding down the bleachers and swarming toward the exit. I stood to one side and waited for Mia to pass, but I didn’t catch sight of her. It was only as the flow of people started to ebb that I was able to get to the seats. Mia was sitting right where I’d left her, ogling the hockey players who were still making their way off the ice.

“Having fun?” I asked.

She smiled brightly as she jumped up from her seat. “Just trying to get my hot guy hockey fix in while I can.”

I laughed. “You never gawk over the hockey players at our school like this.”

“Yeah, because I’ve spent the last few years in classes with those guys, and I know for a fact they’re pigs.”

“Gee, thanks.”

“You know I don’t mean Jeremy,” she said with a look that made it hard to believe her. “Did you talk to him?”

“No. I just got his voicemail.”

“Bummer,” she replied. “Well, he’ll be at the party tonight. You’re coming, right?”

“Uh…”

“Violet. Please don’t tell me you’re planning to stay home on a Saturday night.”

‘I wasn’t going to,” I said. “But my mom said she might be able to video call me tonight.”

“Violet Sinclair.” Mia’s voice had turned serious. “Don’t you dare stay home tonight to call your mom.” She scrunched up her nose as though it were an offense to even consider it. Her voice softened as she continued. “You need to live your life, not wait by the phone for a call you know isn’t going to come.”

It had been a while since I’d spoken to my mom. Because of the time difference, my best chance of catching her was late in the evening, but she always seemed to get stuck working.

“Maybe it will this time…”

Mia gave me a sad smile. “Maybe.” She was nodding, but I knew she was convinced I was going to be disappointed when another night went by with no call from my mom. “Just think about coming. I’m sure your mom won’t mind if you reschedule for tomorrow.”

I let out a sigh. “Okay, I’ll think about it.”

“Good.” She glanced down at her phone as it lit up with a notification. “That’s Grant. He’s waiting out front for me…”

I gave her a knowing smile.

“Don’t look at me like that,” she said. “You know we’re just friends.”

“Just friends who like to give each other rides to parties?”

“What?” she said with a shrug. “It’s not like we’re giving each other rides at parties. And since we’re just friends, I’m more than happy to ditch him if there’s any chance it will help convince you to come tonight…”

“I told you I’d think about it.” I groaned.

“And I know that probably means you’re not coming. I’ll have no fun without you.” Her eyes widened, and she slowly batted her eyelashes. She looked like a puppy sitting at the foot of a table, begging its owner for scraps. “There will be dancing…” She almost sang the words, doing her best to tempt me. I didn’t really enjoy parties, but she knew I was a sucker for a good dance floor.

“Please…” Mia wasn’t giving up.

“Ugh, okay, fine. I’ll meet you there.”

“Perfect.” She gave me an innocent smile, like she hadn’t just gotten her way by unfairly dangling a dancing carrot in front of me.

We started down the bleachers together. The arena had almost cleared out, but as we headed down the corridor that led to the lobby, I noticed some commotion up ahead. It was one of the Ransom players. He was still in his hockey gear and surrounded by a group of girls. He had his back to me, and I could see his surname and number written across his jersey. It was number twenty-three. Reed Darling.

He was tall, at least six feet. And even though he was wearing hockey pads, it was obvious he was packed with muscle. Without his helmet on, I could see he had messy, dark hair. His face was turned away from me though, and a part of me was curious to find out if he was as gorgeous as Mia said. She was clearly right about his reputation when it came to girls. He’d barely left the ice, and already they were swarming him. The way they were giggling with each other as he spoke to one of them made me feel a little sick. He was exactly the kind of guy my mom had warned me about. The reason my no-jock rule existed.

“Those girls don’t seem too concerned with his bad reputation,” I said to Mia.

She snorted in reply. “I’m not sure why you’re surprised, Vi. He’s a bad-boy hockey god. He might strike fear into the hearts of most guys, but most girls are handing him their hearts on a silver platter.”

“Well, from where I’m standing, it looks like the hockey players in Ransom are pigs too.”

I thought I’d kept my voice quiet, but Reed Darling turned to face me, and his deep blue-gray eyes flicked up to meet mine. I was somewhat disappointed to realize Mia was right again. He was gorgeous with striking features and the kind of piercing gaze that delved right into the depths of your soul, leaving you a little breathless. No one should look as perfect as this boy, and reputation aside, I could easily see why people loved to talk about him.

There was judgment in the look he gave me though, and his expression was stern, matching the hard planes of his face. The intensity of his glare sent a shiver up my spine, and I quickly glanced away before dragging Mia to the front entrance as fast as I could.

She giggled the moment we were out the door. “I think he heard you.”

I shrugged, trying to look unbothered by the prospect. What did it matter if some guy heard me call him a pig? He was acting like one, flirting with all of those girls. They were clearly too distracted by his good looks to be concerned with the fact he was bad news. I just had to forget that, for a moment, I had been a little distracted by him too.