Mind Pucked (Chicago Blue Jays #1)

2. Gray

2

GRAY

S.O.S. I need all three of you guys to be my dates to my evil stepsister’s wedding in six weeks. I know we haven’t seen each other in years, but I need you guys. I understand you’re busy, but if you could even just spare the day, I’d be grateful. Just let me know when you get the chance.

I ’ve read her message more times than I’d like to admit. We’ve kept in touch over the years, calling here and there and texting every so often, but she’s right. My brothers and I have been busy.

That won’t stop me from doing whatever it is she needs of me, though. I’ll always be there for Oakley.

I walk around Oakley’s apartment, waiting for her to get back, grateful that the spare key she gave me years ago still works. Her home is the definition of simple, exactly like I remember it. It’s just two bedrooms and one bathroom, and she keeps it exceptionally clean. The furniture is nice but low quality, so she got it from some cheap furniture store. It’s decorated nicely and feels homely though. It reminds me a lot of the house I grew up in.

Maybe that’s what she was going for.

My gaze falls upon the fireplace and the picture frame that sits atop it. I can’t resist the urge to pick it up and study the photograph carefully. We were all so happy then—Oakley, Iris, Theo, Reid, and myself. The five of us, inseparable and full of joy, had no idea how much our lives would change after Oakley’s mother passed away.

“God, we were just kids,” I mutter to myself, smiling at the memory.

Everything was so different then. Sometimes I miss just how simple life used to be.

The door to Oakley’s apartment swings open and she steps inside, her eyes widening in shock as she spots me. She clutches her chest, catching her breath before scowling at me.

“Gray?! What the hell? You scared me half to death!”

“Sorry, Oak,” I chuckle, unable to resist pulling her into a tight hug as I breathe in her familiar scent. I’d missed her more than I realized until I had her in my arms again. “It’s good to see you.”

“Don’t I know it?” she huffs, but I can feel her relax in my arms, her tension dissipating as we stand close together, wrapped up in each other.

Pulling away, I move to her kitchen and start to fill a glass with water. “You know, for someone who loves food as much as you do, you sure don’t have much of it here,” I tease her with a grin, hinting that I looked through her cupboards.

“Ugh, I know,” she groans playfully, wrinkling her nose. “I’ve been so busy lately that I haven’t had time to go grocery shopping. But enough about my empty fridge—why are you here?” She narrows her eyes suspiciously, an amused glint in her gaze.

“Ah, well,” I say, reaching for my phone and holding it up to show her the text message she sent me. “You needed me, Oakley. And when my best friend needs me, I’m there. No questions asked.”

“Gray,” she murmurs, overwhelmed by emotion. “You dropped everything to come here?”

“Always, Oak,” I assure her. “Now tell me what’s so important about this wedding with your ‘wicked stepsister.’”

Oakley’s eyes darken as she recalls the events that led to her desperate text message. “Dan,” she says, contempt seeping through her words. “He cheated on me with Georgia.”

The words hit me like a slap to the face, and I clench my fists at my sides. The thought of any man hurting Oakley is unbearable, but the fact that it was with her stepsister makes my blood boil. “How could he do something like that to you?” I growl. “I could punch him in the jaw.”

“Trust me, I already did when I found them together,” Oakley says, a mix of pride and anger in her voice. “I punched him right in the face, so don’t bother going after him. He’s not worth your time.”

I can’t help the smirk that comes to my lips at the fact that she hit him. She’s always been sassy, but never violent. Who is this girl? She’s not the Oakley I remember, and I like that.

I move closer to her, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. “You deserve so much better than Dan, Oakley. You always have. You have other options, better options.”

Oakley bites her bottom lip. “Like you?”

I don’t hesitate. “Oakley, you know I’ve always wanted to be something more with you,” I confess, trying to keep my tone light and playful to mask the intensity of my emotions.

She rolls her eyes, clearly uncomfortable with the direction our conversation is taking. “Gray, you’re my best friend, but my answer is still the same. I can’t date you, because I can’t risk anything going wrong—can’t risk losing you or your brothers. You’re too important to me.”

Nothing would go wrong. I wouldn’t let it, but I don’t bother to say the words out loud.

The sting of her words is sharp, but I swallow down my disappointment, recognizing that now isn’t the time to push her on this topic. Instead, I shift gears and offer an alternative. “How about coming back home with me for a while? We could all use some time together, and it might help take your mind off things.”

“Home with you?” she echoes, confusion furrowing her brow. “To New York? Why?”

“Because it would be fun to have the gang back together, especially with the Stanley Cup approaching,” I explain, a smile tugging at my lips. “Theo and Reid haven’t seen you in ages, and they miss you. Besides, the big city might help you take your mind off everything going on with your family.”

I watch as she chews her bottom lip, clearly torn between wanting a distraction from her troubles and the uncertainty of leaving her familiar surroundings. “I don’t know, Gray. It sounds nice, but?—”

“Trust me, Oakley. You need this,” I insist gently, placing a hand on her arm.

She hesitates for another moment. “I appreciate the offer, but I have work?—”

“And I know you have weeks of vacation time stored up, that you never use,” I interrupt, unable to let her slip away so easily. “I booked your ticket last night. You deserve a break, Oakley.”

Her eyes widen in disbelief, clearly caught off guard by my bold move. “You did what?” Her voice is a mix of shock and amusement.

“Yep. We fly back tonight—we need to leave for the airport in about an hour.” I flash a cheeky grin, hoping my determination will sway her. “So, you don’t really have a choice, because it’s too late to get a refund, and you wouldn’t want me wasting money, right?”

Oakley bursts into laughter, shaking her head at my persistence. “You’re unbelievable, Gray,” she says, her green eyes sparkling with mirth. “And apparently rich, if you can afford to buy tickets on a whim.”

“Hey, it’s all part of being an NHL player,” I reply, shrugging modestly. Then, my voice takes on a more earnest tone. “But seriously, Oakley, we need you there. You’ve always been our lucky charm, and we have some important games coming up. The championship game is actually the day before the wedding. So, if you want us as your dates, well…it’s only fair that you do something for us too, right?”

She bites her lip, considering my words. I hold my breath, praying that my charisma will win her over. After a moment, she sighs and rolls her eyes playfully. “Alright, fine. I can’t believe I’m agreeing to this, but you’ve always been impossible to say no to.”

“Thank goodness for that,” I chuckle, relieved that she’s finally given in.

She rushes to her laptop to quickly ask for the time off, grinning at her own spontaneity as she emails her work and fills out a PTO form. But my smile falters as Oakley begins to gather a few of her things. I watch her move around the apartment, grabbing clothes and toiletries with an air of determination. A flicker of doubt tugs at my heart, reminding me that she’s always rejected me where it matters most.

But things are different now.