Scoring One Night (Blue Ridge Mountain Hockey #4)

Melanie

"M an, I never thought I'd be so deep in the limo business," Sophia said with a wry smile as we settled into our seats at Hard Grind . "I've been practically working non-stop."

The circles under my best friend's bright green eyes told me everything. I could tell she was stretched to her limits. I swallowed, feeling guilty about the reason I came to visit her.

"That's why I suggested a break." I said, leaning forward across the table.

The past few weeks, I had been confiding in our other friends, Lydia and Daisy, since Sophia had been so busy. But I only divulged my escapades with Aspen to Sophia.

Not that I didn’t trust my other friends, but they were close to the team. Daisy's brother was on the team, as was her boyfriend, and Lydia just moved next to Emmanuel, who was another Devil's player.

I couldn't risk anything getting back to the Devils.

"Walking into that garage with you, elbow deep under the hood of one of your dad's limos, I knew I had to intervene. It was a major red flag."

Sophia loved her father and always helped him whenever he needed it, but she was the opposite of a grease monkey.

She let out a bitter laugh, shaking her head. "I know, Mel, but it's just me, myself, and I. Dad's still not fully recovered."

"Ugh, that's rough," I commiserated, taking a sip of my steaming coffee.

"Thanks." She managed a small smile. "I'll admit, there are days when I'm tempted to put a 'Help Wanted' sign outside the garage. But I know it's only temporary, and I have to be strong for Dad."

There was unhappiness in her eyes as she grinned.

"Absolutely." My resolve strengthened as I locked eyes with Sophia. "And remember, I'm here for you, too. Whatever you need, just call me."

"Deal." She reached across the table to squeeze my hand.

"Speaking of deals..." I trailed off, feeling a mischievous grin stretch across my face. "I took your advice about making my life more... messy."

"Really?" Sophia leaned forward, giving me that spill the tea look. "Do tell."

"Okay, so you know how I told you about my one-night stand with Aspen," I paused for dramatic effect, "and I said I'd never do that again."

"Yes." She smirked.

"Well," I sighed, "I did it again."

" Greene!" Sophia's eyes widened in shock, a delighted grin spreading across her face. "You did not!"

"Yep," I confirmed with a nod. "And we worked out an agreement."

"What?"

I nibbled on my lower lip, wondering if it was a mistake telling her. Aspen and I had promised to keep it secret, but Sophia didn’t work for the Devils. She knew to keep her mouth shut about this, so how would anyone on the team find out?

"Yes, like a friends-with-benefits agreement. So there's no tension at work, we work it out, so to speak, outside of work." I raised my eyebrow.

Sophia sat back in her chair and gave me a slow clap. "You always were the smart one of the group. If only I thought of that with like, every guy I have been with. Maybe those relationships wouldn't have ended so badly."

A warmth spread through me as I basked in her support. Though part of me was terrified of what could happen if anyone at work found out. Or worse, my heart decided to tear up the agreement and ask for more.

"Mel, listen," she said, her voice firm but kind. "Life isn't about keeping everything neat and orderly all the time; it's about enjoying the ride. And if Aspen brings you happiness, then embrace it."

"Good advice," I agreed, taking another sip of my coffee. "But speaking of happiness..." I raised an eyebrow at Sophia. "Are you really happy working at your dad's business?"

"Ugh, don't start," she groaned, rolling her eyes. "I know it's not ideal, but it's only temporary. Once he's better, I can go back to baking."

I sighed, shaking my head. "What about hiring someone to help you out? You're practically running the entire business on your own."

Sophia looked away, her hands fidgeting with a loose thread on her leather jacket. "There's not enough money coming in right now to hire anyone," she admitted. "But we've got this upcoming visit from some royalty," she rolled her eyes, "and if that goes well, maybe I can bring in some extra help."

"Royalty?" I raised an eyebrow, intrigued.

"Yep. Some royals from a tiny European country I have never heard of. It's all very hush-hush." Sophia grinned, and I could see the wheels turning in her head as she imagined the potential chaos of chauffeuring a royal around town.

"That could be fun." I laughed, trying to think positively. "Hopefully it'll be a good opportunity for you, Soph."

"Hey," Sophia said, playing with her coffee cup. "Remember when we used to walk home from school together?"

"Of course!" I chuckled. "And how we'd always stop at the bakery to buy those massive chocolate chip cookies."

"Ah, the good old days." She sighed wistfully. "Too bad they closed down. I swear, I still dream about those cookies sometimes. The pastries here at Hard Grind are good, but they aren't anything close like that bakery."

I looked down at my éclair and agreed. "Maybe you should open your own bakery," I teased, knowing it was a dream she'd often mentioned.

"Maybe..." Sophia smirked. "And perhaps you should open your own physical therapy clinic."

I blinked. That was a dream I had when I first started studying to be a physical therapist. But as I got to know Daisy and her brother, Jackson, he talked about the physical sports therapy with the Devils, and I thought it would be interesting to work for a sports team. Plus, it would be good, steady pay. That's the one thing my parents drilled into me: solid employment. Living in a rural community, lots of people didn’t have that.

"Maybe I will. One day. After I get some experience with the Devils."

The sunlight reflected off the café's glass window, casting a radiant glow over our corner table. I glanced down at my half-eaten pastry that I thought was a good idea when we came in and sighed, feeling a sudden weight on my chest.

"Hey," I said quietly, catching Sophia's attention as she was about to take a bite of her éclair. "So, I told you about Aspen, but I'm still a little worried about work finding out about us."

"Mel, right now you're the coolest person here," Sophia replied, her voice soothing yet firm. "Remember, what matters is that you're happy."

Wringing my hands under the table, I said, "We have to keep it under wraps. I don't want to be responsible for any negative consequences."

Sophia leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms and studying me with a thoughtful expression. "You know, there's a saying: 'Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass, but learning to dance in the rain.' Have you ever tried dancing in the rain?"

"Is this one of those metaphorical rainstorms about taking risks?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. "Because if so, I think I've been doing a lot of dancing lately."

"Exactly!" Sophia exclaimed, grinning triumphantly. "So why stop now? You've taken a chance with Aspen, and you're clearly enjoying yourself. Don't let fear hold you back from embracing your happiness."

"Maybe you're right," I admitted hesitantly, nibbling on the edge of my pastry.

"Of course," Sophia agreed, nodding solemnly. "But remember, there's a difference between being cautious and being paralyzed by fear. You've always played it safe, Mel. And look where not playing it safe got you—tangled up in the sheets with a steamy hockey player."

"Okay, okay," I conceded, chuckling despite my lingering anxiety. "I'll try to find a balance between caution and enjoyment."

"Good," Sophia said with a satisfied smile, taking another bite of her éclair. "Because you're my friend and I love you, so I want you to have fun!"

A sudden flash of concern darkened my joyous expression as I looked at Sophia. "You know, you're always lifting me up and giving me advice, but what about you? It's clear that working at your father's business is taking a toll on you." My voice was filled with worry for my friend.

Sophia sighed, her gaze drifting to the rain-soaked window. "It hasn't been easy, . But I've been managing."

"Your hands are tied, Soph. You deserve so much more than this," I said, reaching across the table to give her hand a reassuring squeeze.

"I know," she admitted, a weary smile crossing her lips. "And I have a plan. After the royalty visit, I'm going to sell the business. With the publicity of the royals using my dad's limos, we could get a good price. Dad has agreed that I should sell if he's not better by then. He told me about someone interested in buying it."

"Really?" I asked, surprised but intrigued. "Who?"

"Promise you won't laugh?" Sophia glanced around the café, ensuring no one was eavesdropping before leaning in closer. "It's Mr. Fitzpatrick—you know, the guy who owns the pet store down the road?"

"Mr. Fitzpatrick?" I couldn't help but chuckle at the thought of the eccentric pet store owner running a limo business. "Well, as long as he can keep the limos free of parrots and hamsters, I guess that could work out."

"Right?" Sophia laughed, her eyes brightening at the prospect of selling the business. "I think he's wanting to get out of the pet business. But once it's sold, I can finally focus on opening my own bakery."

It was nice to see Sophia smile again, the kind of grin that radiated out of her.

"I just know your future bakery will be a hit," I assured her, excited for her newfound freedom and happiness.

"Thanks, Mel. And who knows? Maybe one day you'll be treating Aspen to some of my famous éclairs after a big hockey game." She gave me a knowing wink.

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves," I said through my smile. But deep down, I worried. By that time would Aspen want anything to do with me?