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

I KNEW Violet had entered my dad’s garage without even looking. The back of my neck prickled to alert me, but by the time I glanced up from the car I was working on, she was already making her way into the office. I’d been anxiously awaiting her arrival. Partly because I was eager to see her again but also because it was almost time for hockey practice, and if I stayed here much longer, I was going to be late. I never came into the garage on a Monday after school. It usually wasn’t worth it because there was so little time before I had to be on the ice. But I’d made an exception today.

I had to fight the urge to follow Violet. It wasn’t as if she’d come here to see me. She just wanted to know what was wrong with her car. Still, I couldn’t seem to help myself, and after only a few minutes, I found myself drifting over to the office.

Through the window, I could see my dad talking to Violet, detailing all the repairs her car needed. Her brow was knitted together, and she was slowly nodding along as she listened. The slightly vacant look in her eyes revealed she didn’t have the slightest clue what my dad was saying, but from the way she gently bit her lower lip, I could tell she was desperately trying to understand.

She was wearing her school uniform today. It consisted of a shapeless knit sweater in a deep shade of green and a pleated tartan skirt that fell to her knees. I’d seen the Sunshine Prep uniform plenty of times before, and she was the first person who managed to look good despite it. But then again, she probably looked good in anything.

I waited outside the office, letting my father and Violet finish their conversation. I made an effort not to watch them too closely and focused on the cars in the garage instead. I would have preferred to watch Violet talk, but I didn’t want to give Parker’s stalker comment from Saturday night any more credence.

“Reed.” Violet startled as she came out of the office and found me leaning against the wall by the door.

“Hey, Sunshine,” I said, giving her a smile as I stood tall. “It’s good to see you again.”

Her cheeks flushed a pretty shade of pink in response, and she quickly averted her eyes. She brushed her fingers through her long, red hair a couple of times as though she was trying to straighten it, and I felt the need to reach out and do the same. I longed to look directly into her bright blue eyes, but she was struggling to meet my gaze as she clutched my dad’s quote to her chest. I got the impression she’d been hoping she wouldn’t bump into me here. I didn’t let that derail me though.

“So, you spoke to my dad about Betty?” I asked.

Her eyes flashed back to meet mine once more. “You remembered her name?”

“I never forget a car.”

The corner of her lips curved. “You really like this stuff then, huh?” She waved a hand at garage surrounding us.

“Is it that obvious?”

“I mean, you’re working in your dad’s garage after school. And I don’t see your brothers around, so I’m guessing that means you’re here because you want to be.”

“You’ve got that right,” I agreed. “I’m exactly where I want to be.” The truth was, right now, I just wanted to be wherever she was.

What she’d said about the garage was true too. My brothers weren’t interested in cars like I was. Grayson occasionally came to give my dad a hand when he needed some extra cash, but Parker would rather take a puck to the balls than stick his head under the hood of a car. All he really cared about was hockey and girls.

“What did my dad say about Betty?” I tried to sound genuine, but I already knew the situation with Violet’s old car. I’d helped my dad check it over, but I didn’t want her to know I was quite so interested.

Violet responded by handing me the quote my dad had given her. There was a lot wrong with Betty, and the long list of repairs was going to be expensive. When my eyes reached the bottom of the paper though, I saw my dad had come up with a very reasonable quote. If anything, he’d been a little too generous. But that was just like my dad; he did so many favors I sometimes wondered how he was still in business. I guessed that was what kept his customers coming back time after time.

“I know there’s a lot of work that needs to be done,” Violet said as my eyes skimmed over the page. “Your dad suggested I leave some of the less serious repairs for now though. If I pick up some extra shifts at work over Christmas, I might be able to come back for the rest in the new year.”

When I looked up from the quote, Violet’s eyes were downcast, and her cheeks flushed again. She seemed ashamed she couldn’t afford to pay for all the repairs at once, and I was surprised to hear she was covering the costs herself. Most kids from Sunshine Hills would probably just hand over their parents’ credit cards if they found themselves in Violet’s position. Then again, most kids from Sunshine Prep weren’t driving old clunkers like Betty.

I didn’t like the idea of Violet delaying some of the repairs and taking the risk of breaking down again. Especially seeing as it was the middle of winter. Before I could tell her that, I stopped myself. She’d probably think I was trying to convince her to spend more money at my family’s business. Maybe I could ask Dad if there was something I could do to help.

“Sounds like you guys have come up with a sensible plan,” I said, despite my reservations, and handed the quote back to her. “She’s in good hands here.”

“I think so too.” Violet smiled at me, but the expression seemed slightly strained. It was clear there was more than just car troubles weighing on her. I didn’t blame her after everything that happened Saturday night.

“Are you doing okay after the weekend?” I asked.

“I haven’t assaulted any more cars if that’s what you’re wondering.”

“It’s not, but that’s good to know.” I smirked. “So…”

She crossed her arms over her chest, a fleeting look of vulnerability flashing in her eyes. “I ended things with Jeremy today.”

She said it confidently, but I could tell it still hurt her to admit. And while I didn’t want Violet to be in pain, I could have cheered in response.

“Hoffman is an idiot,” I replied. “My offer to give his car a makeover with my hockey stick is always open. I’m sure my brothers would be happy to lend us a hand…”

“Thanks.” She cocked her head to the side as she studied me. “Given your love for cars, I would have expected you to suggest another makeover to his face instead.”

“That’s always an option, I guess.” I laughed awkwardly and did my best to shrug off her comment about my infamous run-in with Jeremy’s nose. Violet was the last person I wanted to talk about that with. I didn’t want her to think I was some violent thug who solved all his problems with his fists. It never really bothered me that everyone else seemed to think it, but Violet made me care.

What happened with Jeremy had always been blown out of proportion anyway. Talk to a kid from Sunshine Prep and they’d tell you I brutally blindsided Jeremy with a cheap shot from behind. But that was far from the truth. I had to admit I’d let him get under my skin, but all I’d done was give him a hard check against the boards. Perhaps I’d used a little too much force. But how was I to know his helmet would come flying off and he’d end up with a broken nose? The suspension I got almost put me out for the season, so I’d say I came out of it even worse than he did.

“But perhaps an even better revenge would be for you to move on with someone else…”

“Perhaps.” Her eyes seemed to glitter in response, and for a second, I wondered if I should volunteer as tribute. But then she slowly started moving toward the exit. I wasn’t ready to let her go just yet, so I fell into step beside her.

“So, I guess all this stuff with Jeremy means you’re still boycotting hockey players for the rest of your life then?” The question had been on my mind ever since Saturday night when Violet had suggested she’d never make the mistake of dating another hockey player again. I was really hoping she just meant Sunshine Prep hockey players.

She didn’t hesitate to answer. “Most definitely. Lifelong boycott.”

It was hard not to flinch, and I seriously began to wonder whether my dreams of playing in the NHL were worth it. She was completely oblivious to my inner turmoil though.

“I should probably go,” she said. “Mia’s waiting for me, and if I’m not back soon, she’ll send out a search party. I’ll see you around, Reed.”

She gave me a small smile in farewell, but I found myself reaching out to her. She stopped in her tracks and turned to me, a curious look in her eyes. Heat surged where my fingers lightly pressed against her arm, and I quickly dropped my hand like I’d been burned.

“Uh…” I didn’t know what to say. I hadn’t been thinking when I’d moved to stop her. All I knew was I hadn’t been ready to say goodbye. Not when I couldn’t be sure when I would get to see her again.

She pressed her hand against her forehead. “Sorry, you’re probably wondering about your jacket.”

I wasn’t. In fact, I quite liked the idea of her keeping it.

“I forgot to bring it today,” she continued. “But I’ll make sure to remember when I come back for my car.”

She’d be coming back. The words chimed like a sweet song in my ears. But the sound quickly dimmed when I realized there was no guarantee I’d be here to see her, and it could be at least a week before her car repairs were done. I wasn’t sure I could wait that long.

“Or you could bring it this Saturday night,” I said. “There’s a bonfire party at a place on the outskirts of town. They only happen a few nights a year, but everyone from both our schools will be there. It’s kind of like a rite of passage if you live in Sunshine Hills or Ransom. Nobody misses a bonfire night.” I was rambling, and I hoped my sales pitch didn’t sound too desperate. I guessed this was what happened when you liked a girl you had no chance with.

“A bonfire night?” she slowly repeated. “I’m not sure…”

“Well, it’s going to be a very cold night for me if you don’t turn up with my jacket.”

“But I thought you were part snowman.”

I released a breathy laugh. “Just think about the bonfire,” I said. “You won’t regret it.”

“Okay,” she finally agreed. “But I’m not making any promises, so please wear another jacket just in case. I don’t want to spend the night worrying about you jacketless and freezing in some field.”

“You’d worry about me? That’s so sweet.”

“I…” She laughed and shook her head. “I’m going to go now.”

I still didn’t want to say goodbye to Violet, but at least I knew there was a chance I’d see her again soon. “Have a good night, Sunshine.”

She playfully rolled her eyes at the nickname and responded with a quick wave. Then, she was gone from the garage before I could think of a legitimate reason to keep her talking any longer.

“You really like her, huh?”

I jumped and turned to find my dad standing in the doorway of his office.

“She’s just a friend.”

My dad smirked. “Uh-huh.”

I narrowed my eyes on him, but he turned his gaze to the clock on the wall. “Are you going to practice today? Or are you planning on hanging around here until she comes back?”

“Shit.” I’d totally lost track of time. I was definitely going to be late, and Coach would be pissed. He wouldn’t be the only one. As captain of the team, I was supposed to be setting the standard for the team and yelling at them when they were late. Not the other way around.

Just this once though, it had been worth it.

As expected, Coach was out for blood when I arrived on the ice fifteen minutes after practice had started. I was already on his bad side after I spent time in the penalty box during the game on Saturday, so he didn’t take my tardiness lightly. He yelled at me for wasting everyone’s time, and he was only too happy to remind me how important our upcoming games were. The season was just kicking off, but in a few weeks, we would play our biggest game of the year against the Sunshine Prep Saints. They were the one team who had any chance of beating us to the championship this year, and Coach Ray made it sound like my lack of punctuality was going to cost us the whole season.

I was used to Coach yelling, but it was rare that he directed his anger squarely at me. It was harder to take than I expected. This was my senior year, my final year playing high-school hockey, and as captain, I didn’t want to let anyone down. The one upshot of his rant was that I doubted anyone else on the team would be stupid enough to turn up late to training again.

“Hope she was worth it,” Grayson muttered to me when Coach finally ran out of steam.

I gave him a smile. “Totally worth it.”

Grayson grunted before skating off. It was hard to tell if he was signaling his approval or disappointment.

Coach Ray rode us harder than ever that practice, and I knew it was because I’d put him in a bad mood. Once it was all over and we filed into the locker room, I apologized to my teammates. But none of them would hear it.

“It’s not your fault,” Owen said. “Coach has been itching to put us through our paces for weeks.” It was Owen’s first year on the team, so I knew he was probably just trying to make me feel better. His brother, Matt, my best friend, was standing right beside him, smirking as if he found the punishing practice hilarious.

“It was bound to happen eventually, Reed,” Matt added with a grin. “You haven’t been late for something since we were in kindergarten. I swear, you’ll turn up early to your own funeral.”

“What are you talking about? I was never late for kindergarten.”

“Of course not.” Matt laughed. He was probably the one person on the team I’d accept any crap from. But that was only because he had gathered far too much dirt on me over the years.

“Why were you late?” Parker asked from the other side of the locker room. His eyes danced wickedly as though he already knew the answer. I hadn’t told him I was heading to the garage to see Violet before practice, and I had no intention of letting him in on the truth now.

“Car troubles,” I replied, shrugging my shoulders. It was somewhat true. There were car troubles. Just not mine.

“Funny, you only serviced your car last week.” Parker clearly didn’t believe me, but thankfully he didn’t press for answers. He seemed content with letting me know he was suspicious of my story.

I changed quickly and left the locker room with my brothers. We had almost reached the front doors to the center when they swung inward, and a handful of Saints players strolled through the entrance.

No one was happy about the fact we were sharing a rink this season. But, seeing as Sunshine Prep was renovating the already monstrous arena on their campus, we couldn’t be sure how long the arrangement would last. I’d played a few games there in previous seasons, and I had no idea why they thought it needed improving. It was already incredible. Knowing the pretentious pricks that went to that school, they were probably importing ice direct from Switzerland.

“I still can’t believe we’re stuck training in this dump,” one of the Sunshine Prep players said as the doors swung shut behind them. Before he could say anything else, his teammate spotted us and elbowed him in the ribs. They all froze, and I saw a flash of fear in the eyes of the guy who had spoken. They were probably freshman. All the kids on the Saints were scared of us, but at least the older guys managed to hide it a little better.

I stared back at them, keeping my expression cold and hard. I knew my brothers’ faces mirrored my own. I’d never been all that fond of the reputation we’d developed over the years, but in moments like these, it felt worth it.

“If you don’t like it, you’re welcome to leave at any time,” I said.

“We’re not going anywhere.” Jeremy Hoffman appeared from the back of the group, puffing his chest out like the little superhero he believed he was. He was wearing that ever-present superior smirk of his, and a low growl rumbled from deep in my chest. I had plenty of good reasons for despising the captain of the Saints, but knowing what he did to Violet made the hatred flooding my veins burn even hotter.

He signaled for his teammates to keep moving into the arena, but as he passed by me, he slammed his shoulder into mine.

“Watch it, Hoffman,” I hissed at him.

“Or what, Darling?” he barked back, spinning round to face me.

My jaw tightened, and my hands clenched. I was desperate to wipe the smirk off his stupid face, and I might have done just that, but Grayson grabbed me by the elbow and dragged me outside before I got the chance. Parker followed right behind him, my brothers making certain I didn’t do anything I’d regret. They knew how important this season was to me, and I couldn’t let anything derail it. If I took my anger out on Hoffman, like I so badly wanted to, I could face serious consequences.

“What are you thinking?” Grayson hissed, finally letting go of me as we reached my car.

“That someone needs to shut Hoffman up.”

“Yeah, that’s true,” Parker replied, folding his arms over his chest. “But you know what happened last time you took on Hoffman. And Coach has already told us that anyone who starts shit with the Saints while we’re sharing the rink gets benched. You don’t want to get on his bad side.” There was a serious look in his eyes, which showed my brother knew just how close I’d been to messing up. Parker was the last person I’d expect to come down so hard on me, but if I couldn’t play, then the whole team would be screwed. And hockey was the one thing in life Parker took seriously.

“I wasn’t going to do anything.”

Parkers eyebrows shot up with disbelief. “Dude, you growled at him like a mountain lion about to launch into battle.”

I rolled my eyes. “I’m allowed to growl.”

“Pretty sure the only time growling is allowed is in one of those dirty books Mom likes to read,” he replied. “Back me up here, Gray.”

“I don’t know how you know what’s in Mom’s books,” Grayson said to Parker before turning to me. “But he’s right about starting shit. If you get benched this season, or worse, suspended like freshman year, you can kiss your spot on the Raiders next year goodbye. Hoffman’s not worth it. Don’t ruin your future because of him. Or because of a girl you just met.”

“I told you I wasn’t going to do anything.” I threw my hands up in the air, trying to prove my innocence. I wondered what Grayson would think if he knew I’d been questioning all my career goals to get around Violet’s no-hockey-players rule.

“Only because we intervened,” Grayson replied. I went to argue again, but my brother continued. “Save the dramatics for the ice. If you want to make Hoffman pay for what he did to Violet, and everything else, do it at our game against them in a few weeks.”

I exhaled loudly, the tension in my shoulders releasing with the breath. “Okay, you’re right.”

“I usually am,” Grayson replied.

Once they were sure I’d finally regained my cool, my brothers ditched their gear in Grayson’s car, and I slowly made my way toward my truck. I might not have made Hoffman regret cheating on Violet tonight, but I was certainly going to make him pay for it at our game. I just wished I didn’t have to wait so long to teach him a lesson.