1. Hayden

CHAPTER 1

HAYDEN

"Stop staring at Darcy," Jordan says as she trades my empty glass for a new beer.

I pull my attention from three tables away, where my friend and roommate is on a date with some guy whose gaze keeps straying to her tits.

"I'm not staring."

My eyes return to Darcy's hair, pale-blond and gleaming in the low dive bar lighting. It's her first date after a broken engagement with my best friend, Kit. Her back is to me, so I can't see her expression.

"What's your read on him?" I ask Jordan. "I don't think she's laughed once."

Darcy's date is doing most of the talking.

Jordan rolls her eyes. "She's fine."

"I know she's fine."

As the late-twenties bartender and owner of the Filthy Flamingo, the dive bar we frequent after Vancouver Storm games, Jordan's had plenty of experience watching train-wreck dates.

On a date, though, Darcy should be more than fine. This guy should be falling at her feet, doing whatever he can for her attention. Darcy Andersen's the full package. Smart, hilarious, and gorgeous, with pretty, pale-blond hair, sea-green eyes, and an adorable nose that turns up at the tip. And she's the biggest fan of the fantasy romance series The Northern Sword , which is how we met eight years ago—when I took the seat beside her in first-year university English, wearing a t-shirt from the book series.

She's going to get snapped up in a heartbeat.

Not that I care. It's nice having her all to myself after she's been living in Calgary with Kit for four years, is all.

Jordan arches a brow. "So why are you sitting here like her overprotective dad?"

Knots tighten in my chest, but I give her a lazy, confident grin. "What, I can't have a drink by myself?"

"You're never by yourself, party animal."

I huff a tight laugh. I knew we should have gone somewhere else.

On the Vancouver Storm hockey team, I'm the life of the party. The fun one who rallies everyone to go to the Filthy Flamingo after games. The crappy little dive bar with band posters, cheap beer, and string lights across the ceiling is where we prefer to hang out. It's rare that we're recognized here, and if the other patrons do recognize us, they'd never dare say anything in front of Jordan.

Darcy wanted to come here, though.

"I told Kit I'd look out for her after they broke up." I rub the back of my neck. After playing hockey together since we were teenagers, the guy's my closest friend, even if we do play for different NHL teams now. "And she was nervous about tonight, so I volunteered to sit a few tables away for support."

"For support."

"Yeah. In case anything happens." I sound defensive, so I throw on another one of those cocky smiles. "I can be very intimidating."

As a defenseman, I'm a big guy. I work with some of the best athletic trainers, dieticians, and coaches in professional sports, and it shows.

"Yeah." She snorts with a flat look. "You're terrifying, alright."

I give her a charming grin, but my gaze swings back to Darcy. "Go see what they're talking about."

"Owens, leave her alone."

I put my hands up in surrender. "I promise not to interfere unless she sends me the signal."

Flick your drink coaster onto the floor , I told Darcy earlier, making her laugh, and I'll call you with a fake emergency .

Jordan shakes her head, but her mouth twists up with wry amusement. "You two are ridiculous."

She heads back to the bar, and my gaze slides over to Darcy again.

She tugs at her sleeve. Shifts in her seat. Glances over her shoulder.

I pause with my beer halfway to my mouth.

He says something that makes her shoulders hitch up with tension. I'm back on high alert, wishing I could read lips, when her paper coaster flies off the table and hits the floor. My mouth slides into a grin, and I press my phone to my ear as it rings.

"Hello?" she answers, sounding worried.

"Something, something excuse."

She gasps, and I grin wider at the back of her head. "Oh my god. What? Are you okay?"

"I have half a percent of battery left and chose to call you instead of 911." My chest expands, sparks cracking and popping behind my sternum. I'm smiling like a fool. "I could climb down the side of the building, but this is the penthouse, and I am naked."

"You got hit by a car?" I can hear her trying not to laugh.

"Yes. Naked. I was flexing and the driver got distracted. I caused a ten-car pileup."

"And you're in the hospital?"

"Yep, and they keep staring at all my muscles." I sigh. "It's making me feel objectified, like a piece of meat. I don't know how I'm going to get through this without you."

From three booths away, I can sense her eye roll. A shy wallflower, I am not. She covers a laugh with a quick cough.

"You poor thing. That sounds scary. I'll be right there. And Hayden?"

"Yeah, Darce?"

"Don't cry. It's going to be okay."

She hangs up, and I chuckle.

See, that 's the kind of stuff we should be doing. Not her on some date with a guy who can't stop drooling over her tits.

"Naked on the patio?" Darcy drops into the booth across from me about thirty seconds after she walked by with the guy. "Really?"

My flirtatious grin widens. "There's a reason I keep a key out there."

She rolls her eyes, but she's smiling.

"Guess he's not your Prince Charming if we needed the emergency call."

"Not even close." She leans her forehead on her hands. "That was a disaster."

I shouldn't be so happy to hear this. "I'm sorry."

"He said I'm from a big family, and we have big babies, with big heads ." She catches sight of me doubled over, laughing, and gives me a hard look, although her mouth is twitching. "Stop laughing."

"What? He's warning you ahead of time."

She groans. "He kept talking about his future wedding and how his mom had everything planned." Her pretty face pulls into a cringe. "And then he wanted to kiss me outside."

My smile drops. "Did you?"

She's Kit's ex. She's off-limits, and she's her own person who can make her own decisions, but I think about some guy's hands all over her, and I want to break something.

"Of course not." Her expression turns horrified. "I lied and said I had a cold sore, and that it was a form of herpes, so we shouldn't."

Relieved, I laugh into my drink. "I'll have to remember that one."

"Like you'd ever need it, with the parade of supermodels you date."

I make a face. "Three. Not a parade."

She makes an unhappy noise. Her eyes linger on the floor, mouth turned down at the corners.

"What's wrong?"

She shakes her head, blinking. "Nothing."

"Darce," I drawl.

Her eyes meet mine, and she pulls that plush bottom lip between her teeth. "I thought going on a date would be fun, but it was horrible. He wanted all the things I don't want."

My fucking heart. I can't stand seeing her like this. "What's the rush, you know? It's only been a month."

"The rush is that I wasted—" She cuts herself off, eyes turning wary.

"Wasted what?" Time? Wasted time? They were together for eight years .

"Nothing." She shakes her head. "I'm making a fresh start here in Vancouver. New city, new team at work, new apartment as soon as I find one."

"New apartment?" I send her a what gives? expression. "You're living with me."

"No, I'm crashing with you. I can't stay there."

"Sure, you can."

She gives me a flat look. "Hayden. I can't afford that place."

"We didn't say a word about rent." And I'm not accepting a dime from her. She has a good job, but with how much I have and how fun it is finally living together, I feel like she's doing me the favor.

She drops her head back in exasperation. "Do not start."

"I'm just saying; I make millions of dollars per year." I flash her a cocky grin. "I don't need your sad little actuary money."

She shakes her head, but she's laughing. "God, your ego. Maybe you do need me around to keep it in check."

"I'd love that."

"Anyway." She waves me off. "On top of all that, new relationship status. Single." She falters on the last word, rubbing a hand over her stomach like she's nervous.

Her and Kit's breakup is none of my business, but when she called to tell me the news, she was still so fucking upset, and I just?—

I couldn't do nothing. It's Darcy. She's my friend, too. Cheering her up, distracting her, is my job.

"You don't have to jump back into dating." I grip my glass harder. She should just hang out with me instead. "Just have fun."

"Yes." Her eyes light up, and she gestures at me. "Fun. Exactly. I've sat on the couch moping about the breakup for a month, and"—she swallows—"I was ready to break up with him a long time ago. "

I force myself not to react. "I didn't know that."

I don't even know the full extent of why they broke up. She hasn't wanted to talk about it, so I haven't pushed it. When she's ready, she'll tell me.

I'm curious as hell, though. Did he do something? They always seemed so happy together.

"The guy tonight was ready to introduce me to his extended family," she continues. "He wanted swans at the wedding, Hayden." She stares at me, and I shake with laughter. "Swans and horses. He had everything planned out. He just wanted to slot someone in there." She makes a grossed-out expression. "I just want a fun distraction. Where are those guys?"

I wink at her. "Right here, babe."

She snorts. "My god. You're like their leader. Bring me to them."

I should be used to it, but the label stings, especially coming from her.

I never meant to get this reputation. I've just never met a woman I'm interested in something long term with. If I detect any interest in commitment, I don't ask her out. I don't lead anyone on, and I don't feed them lines, but I always make sure everyone has a good time.

I'm a pretty face, a nice set of abs, and a really, really good fuck, and I don't pretend to be anything more.

"Wait." Her eyes narrow. "You date, but you never get attached."

Over the rim of my glass, I give her a quizzical look. "Okay?"

"You always have fun. You're amazing at the whole dating thing and have had years of practice. You've probably been on hundreds of dates. "

"Where are you going with this?" Wherever it is, I don't like it.

Her lips tip up, and her eyes glow with interest. "I want to be like you."

"Devastatingly handsome?"

She grins wider. "No, a player. Hayden, I want you to teach me to be a player."