Pucking Only (Night Hawks Hockey #2)

Chapter Twenty-Six It All Falls Apart

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX: IT ALL FALLS APART

SKYLER

The weekend finally arrives, and with it, my trip to Wisconsin. I fly in the same day as the party because that's all I can get off of work after being in Denver for so long, so I don’t have time to see anyone before the party. I head straight to my hotel. I chose not to stay at Grace's parents because I'm afraid of running into Carson, and get ready before heading to the golf course country club where the party is being held. When I get there, I shoot Grace a text before heading in.

Skyler: At the party! You inside already?

Her response comes moments later.

Grace: Yay! Not yet. Jensen and I are at the hotel and will be there in 20. We were helping set everything up all day and are running a little behind getting ready.

I grin, chuckling to myself as I reply.

Skyler: Okay! See you soon!

Putting my phone in my clutch, I take a deep breath before climbing out of my rental car and making my way to the club’s entrance. The moment I step through the grand double-doors of the country club, I'm greeted by the soft hum of conversation and the tinkling of crystal glasses. The air is filled with the faint scent of roses and polished wood, mingling with the aroma of hors d'oeuvres being passed around on silver trays. The lighting is warm, casting a golden glow over the room, highlighting the elegance of the space — the polished marble floors, the high ceilings adorned with chandeliers, and the long tables draped in white linen. I pause, taking it all in.

I’m admittedly super nervous, but it helps that I know I look fabulous. The dress I’m wearing is a deep shade of emerald green, something Grace picked out during our shopping trip. It hugs my curves in all the right places, and for once, I feel beautiful. Powerful, even. My hair is styled perfectly, cascading down my back in soft golden waves, and the simple gold necklace at my throat catches the light with every step I take. I've also opted to wear contacts instead of my glasses, which is something I rarely do, but tonight I'm going all in.

I scan the room, searching for familiar faces. When I spot my dad, my heart flips in my chest and excitement bubbles up within me. He looks up. When he sees me, his face lights up with that big, warm smile of his. I feel a surge of affection and relief as I push my way through the crowd and make my way over to him.

“Skyler!” he exclaims, pulling me into a bear hug as soon as I reach him. “You look absolutely stunning.”

I laugh softly, trying to blink back the tears that threaten to well up. God, I’ve missed him so much.

“Thanks, Dad. You’re not looking so bad yourself.”

He chuckles, patting my back before letting me go. “I’m so glad you’re here, sweetheart. It wouldn’t be the same without you.”

“I wouldn’t miss it,” I say, meaning every word. Being here, surrounded by family and old friends, feels like a lifeline after the chaos of the last few weeks. Even as I stand here, wrapped in the comfort of my dad’s presence, my thoughts keep drifting to one person.

Carson.

I haven’t seen him yet. I can feel the nervous energy building inside me, the anticipation making my heart race. I’m not sure how I’m going to do this, but I know I have to talk to him and finally figure out where we stand.

“Have you seen Carson?” I ask my dad, trying to sound casual.

“Yeah, he’s around here somewhere,” he replies, glancing around the room. “Probably talking with someone or grabbing another drink.”

I nod, trying to suppress the anxiety bubbling up in my chest. “I’ll go find him. I’ll catch up with you later.”

“Take your time, sweetheart,” he says, giving me one last reassuring smile.

As I weave through the crowd, my eyes dart from face to face, searching for Carson. The music, the laughter, the vibrant energy of the party — all of it feels muted, like background noise to the pounding of my heart.

“Skyler! There you are, sweetheart!”

I stop in my tracks and turn to smile at Mrs. Monroe, who's making a beeline through the crowd to get to me. Mr. Monroe isn't far behind her.

“Congratulations on 30 years of bliss!” I exclaim, opening my arms so Mrs. Monroe can wrap me in a big hug.

“Thank you, hon,” she says, looking me up and down once she steps out of our hug. “My goodness, look at you! You're stunning!”

I blush and reply, “Thank you. You two are looking pretty sharp yourselves.”

Mrs. Monroe is dressed in an elegant emerald dress that falls to her knees and Mr. Monroe is wearing a tan suit with an emerald tie. He raises his chin, looking proud and dapper.

“We have Grace to thank for looking so snazzy,” he explains. “She insisted on dressing us.”

“Well, I'll have to tell her she did an excellent job,” I say.

“Have you found her yet, sweetheart?” Mrs. Monroe asks, looking around. “She and Jensen were just here… ”

“I'm actually looking for Carson,” I quickly say.

Mrs. Monroe blinks in obvious surprise, but Mr. Monroe appears unfazed and replies, “He was by the bar, last I knew.”

I give him a smile and a nod. “Thanks, I'm going to go see if he’s still there. I'll catch you two later, okay?”

Before either of them can say a word in response, I turn and continue toward the bar, weaving my way through the crowd of partygoers. When the bar comes into view, I see him leaning against the end of it, looking drop dead gorgeous in a slate gray suit.

When I notice he’s not alone, I stop dead in my tracks.

Carson is standing near the bar, his arms wrapped around Elizabeth Norris. Elizabeth-fucking-Norris! She’s pressed against him, her head resting on his shoulder. He’s hugging her like they’re the only two people in the room. The sight of them together — so close, so familiar — makes my stomach twist painfully.

For a moment, I can’t move. I can’t breathe. All the confidence, all the determination I had built up tonight shatters in an instant. All I can see is Carson with his high school sweetheart .

The girl he’d told me he would rather date than me. The girl who was pretty and his type.

All of a sudden, I’m a teenager again, standing in his backyard as he tells me I’m not what he wants. That gut-wrenching rejection makes me want to throw-up and I turn away, needing to get out of here at this exact moment. I can’t stay. I know I’ve come all this way and that there are more people here I want to see, but… but I know I can’t hang around here and pretend that I’m not falling apart from the inside out.

Suddenly, Elizabeth looks up and spots me. She smiles and waves.

“Skyler!” she calls out. “Over here!”

I see Carson stiffen and then he whips his head around and meets my gaze, dropping his arm from around Elizabeth. His eyes are wide and his face pales, as if realizing he's been caught doing something he shouldn’t be.

No…no, no, no, no. I can’t do this.

Maybe it makes me a coward, but I pick up my dress skirt, turn, and rush toward the door, just managing not to run. Once I’m out in the country club’s lobby, I stop and take a moment to catch my breath. Tears well in my eyes and I fight to hold them back. No, no, not here… not now. I can’t have a full-on melt down now…

I manage to get outside and to my rental car. Pulling out my phone, I shoot my dad a quick text.

Skyler: A work emergency came up and I had to leave early. I love you and will call you tomorrow!

Tucking my phone away again, I start my car and drive away, back to my hotel. I don’t care that I just arrived. I’m going to get a ticket on the earliest flight I can tomorrow and get the hell out of here.

Grace: Sky, why are you ignoring my texts? What happened tonight? Please answer me!

Guilt twists my stomach, but I don’t respond to Grace’s latest text. For the last two hours, she’s been bombarding me with texts and has tried to call a few times, but after a quick message telling her that something came up, I haven’t had it in me to reply to anything else she’s sent. What would I even say to her? I bolted from her parents’ party because her brother was with his high school girlfriend? How humiliating is that?

When I’m home and have calmed down, I’ll call her. For now, I’m just going to finish packing, get a couple hours of sleep, and then make my 5:00AM flight back to California.

As I’m stuffing the few clothes I brought for this trip into my carry-on, there’s a sharp knock on my door that makes me jump. Who the hell…?

I cross to the door and peer out the peephole. Grace is standing in the hotel’s hallway, dressed in a flowy pink dress, her hair arranged in an elegant bun. I freeze and don’t know what to do. I watch her release a long breath before knocking again.

“Skyler? I know you’re in there! You gave me your room number, remember? I’m not leaving, so you might as well open up!”

Knowing how stubborn she is, I reluctantly unlock the door and open it.

“Hey,” I murmur. “Sorry, I was just…”

“Don’t try to bullshit me,” she declares, slipping past me to get into the room. “Something’s going on and you’re going to tell me right now.”

I shut the door and face her, and I don’t know if it’s the look of concern on her face or the fact that she’s here at all, but I suddenly can’t hold my tears back anymore. Bursting out into sobs, I drop my face into my hands to try and muffle the worst of it.

“Sky! Please, tell me what’s going on,” Grace insists, hurrying to wrap her arms around me and pull me into a tight hug. “Why did you leave the party so suddenly? And don’t try to tell me it’s because of work, because I know that’s not true.”

I sag into her embrace and bury my face into her shoulder. The need to confess to her is overwhelming, and I can’t fight it anymore.

“It…it’s Carson,” I whimper, pushing out of her hug so I can look at her. I feel like I need to look her in the eyes when I tell her this.. “He and I were hooking up while I was in Denver. I’m sorry, I know I should have told you, but…”

“Oh, I know,” Grace says with a shrug.

I blink up at her, stunned. “What? You know?”

“Yeah.” She appears completely unfazed by the knowledge that I’ve been fucking her brother. “I was sneaking around with Jensen for a while, remember? I know the signs. Plus, you guys haven’t been total assholes to each other lately, so I figured you’ve been putting that angsty energy to use in other ways.”

“Oh,” I murmur. “Well, I’m still sorry I didn’t tell you.”

“It’s fine,” she assures me. “I just want you to be happy, Sky. Is that what tonight was about? You guys hooking up or something?”

I shake my head. “No…not really. I saw him with Elizabeth Norris and I just…I couldn’t stay…”

Grace furrows her brow in confusion .

“Elizabeth Norris?” she murmurs. “I don’t think Carson cares about her at all, Sky. You should just talk to him.”

I shake my head and sniffle, “No, he does. I never told you what he said to me when we were fifteen.”

Grace gazes at me for several moments before she takes my hand and leads me to the bed. We sit on the edge together and she turns to me with a small, gentle smile.

“So tell me now.”