by Kat Mizera
“Good because we don’t have much.”
She still looked a little confused, but also like she was warming up to the idea as she watched them. “Then I guess we’re going to do this.”
11
Moving was usually a hassle, but with a team of hockey players and their trucks at her disposal, it barely took any time at all. Four men, one truck, one SUV, and Cassie’s Jeep, and they were done in a single trip. There were more boxes than anything else, and she hadn’t realized how many clothes she had until she’d started packing. For someone on such a strict budget, she had too much junk, and she made a private vow to stop buying clothes for a while.
Deirdre had been able to find a new roommate almost immediately, so Cassie didn’t have to feel guilty about leaving her, and as she hung up her clothes in her new room, a feeling of relief washed over her that she hadn’t been expecting. The guys were still carrying in boxes and a few small pieces of furniture, but she’d wanted to hang a few dresses and skirts to get them out of the way. Out of nowhere, she’d gotten a little lightheaded and she rested her forehead against the wall.
It was like a huge weight was suddenly lifted because now not only did she not have to strip anymore, she had a place to live and didn’t have to worry about how she was going to eat and pay for school. Tears unexpectedly filled her eyes and she squeezed them tightly shut, trying to breathe and get control of her emotions. She’d struggled for so long, and for the first time in a long time, she wasn’t stressed. She didn’t have to rush off to the club, didn’t have to wonder when she would have time to study, didn’t have to think about much of anything. And it was blissfully freeing. Logan and Ryder thought she was doing them a favor, but it was the opposite as far as she was concerned.
At first, she’d started to second-guess herself, but Charli had talked her off the ledge, reminding her that Ryder and Logan were good guys who needed her as much as she needed them. Charli had also pointed out that she wouldn’t have to strip anymore, and it was then that the whole thing started to sink in. This arrangement meant a kind of freedom she’d never imagined she could have at this stage of her life, and if she was both diligent and frugal, she could finish college in two years and start working on her future.
“Cass? You okay?” Logan’s voice behind her was soft and filled with concern.
She swiped at her eyes and quickly looked over at him. “Just got overwhelmed for a minute. But I’m good. Great, in fact.”
“You sure?” Whenever he fixed those cobalt eyes on her, the world momentarily stopped, and she reminded herself he was strictly off-limits, especially now that they were roommates.
“I’m fine, really. It’s just, well, it’s finally sinking in that I don’t have to strip anymore and it feels wonderful. So much so, it’s hard to put into words. You don’t know what a relief it is.”
“I kind of do.” He hooked his thumbs in the belt loops of his jeans and leaned one strong shoulder against the wall. “And I’m glad this worked out. For all of us.”
“Hey, Cass, where do you want this box that’s heavier than my truck?” Ryder called out.
“The one that says ‘kitchen’ in big block letters?” she called back.
“Uh…yes?”
“In the kitchen?”
There was a snort and then footsteps in the hall.
Logan grinned. “Welcome to living with bachelors.”
She laughed.
The guys left on a road trip two days after she moved in, so she barely had any time to adjust to living with them. Coco was a lot of work, but she was also sweet and cuddly. The first night they were alone, Cassie settled on the couch with her psychology textbook and a cup of tea, and Coco jumped up on the couch and nestled right into her side, almost immediately falling asleep. Cassie smiled down at her, thinking she wanted a dog someday, when she had a house of her own and maybe a family. Not that it was happening any time soon, but at least now she allowed herself to dream.
So far, living with Ryder and Logan had been easy. It had only been two days, but as they’d originally pointed out, they were all busy, so they didn’t see each other much and now they were gone for ten days. She had to take Coco to training twice while they were gone, but Ryder had set it up for Monday nights, so she’d be able to go after practice. She hadn’t started her new job yet, but Deirdre had gotten her in at the steakhouse where she worked. It was totally out of character for her, but Cassie had decided to take the two weeks after moving in to do nothing but school and hockey. She had money put away, her bills were minimal, and for the first time as an adult, she could relax and study.
She took a minute to make a budget once she’d done all of her reading for psychology. Between her car insurance, gas, phone, food, toiletries and a little spending money, she could live well for less than seven hundred dollars a month. Deirdre made that much working a four-day week, so Cassie hoped she’d make about the same. That would mean at least fifteen hundred dollars a month to go into savings—a thousand for school and five hundred for inevitable rainy days—and maybe even more. Being able to save made her happy, and kept stress at bay, which was why she’d allowed herself two weeks of not working.
It also gave her time to settle in, bond with Coco, and work on a midterm paper that was due soon. She was playing hockey with Dani, Hailey, and the others on Saturday, and then had an entire Sunday to herself with nothing to do and nowhere to go. She could rest, study, do anything she wanted as long as Coco was taken care of.
When her phone buzzed a little after eight, she was surprised to see her mother’s name on the screen and answered it quickly.
“Hey, Mom.”
“Hi, honey. I know you’re probably working but—”
“Actually, I’m not.”
“You’re not?” Her mother sounded confused.
“I’m between jobs, starting another one soon, but took a few days to relax and catch up on schoolwork.”
“Are you moving over to the Crazy Horse?”
“No. I’m going to be at Gil’s Steakhouse.”
“Gil’s? I mean, that’s high-end, but you won’t make a thousand dollars a night.”
“No, but I moved in with friends. I’m dog-sitting for them when they work and won’t have to pay rent.”
“What friends? Do I know them?”
Cassie swallowed. This wasn’t going to go over well, but it was her life, and her mom wasn’t the one paying her bills. “No, I don’t think so. They play for the Blizzard, and Ryder has a dog that—”
“The Blizzard?! You mean the hockey team? You’re living with two professional hockey players? Are you out of your mind?”
“Mom, I’ve known Logan for a couple of years, and my friend Tara’s brother Miikka is—”
“Weren’t two divorces enough?” her mother demanded. “I mean, you don’t have the best track record with men, and now you’re going to live with two single guys?”
“I didn’t say they were single,” Cassie muttered. “And besides, they’re good guys. Ryder has a year-old Bernese mountain dog named Coco and he’s had a hard time boarding her when he travels, which is two weeks out of every month for about nine months a year, so I’m going to take care of her in exchange for rent. It’s really an amazing opportunity. If it works out, I’ll be able to finish my bachelor’s degree in two years instead of three.”
“Whoop-de-fucking-do.” Her mother was always sarcastic. “Then you’ll have a degree and three divorces under your belt.”
“Mom. I’m not dating either of them. We’re friends.”
“Uh-huh.”
“Did you call for us to fight or did you need something?” Cassie could only take so much before she lost her temper.
“I wanted to know when your next day off was. I thought maybe we could go shopping or something.” She paused. “You know, it’s been a while. That’s all.”
Cassie hesitated. This was a rare offer, because her mom was usually too broke for shopping or too drunk to drag herself out of bed.
“That’s good. But not too early. I don’t get moving until noon.”
“So lunch first and then shopping.”
“That’s sounds okay.”
“I’ll pick you up around one on Sunday. Is that a good plan?”
“Yeah. I don’t see you much, kid.” There was a tinge of regret in her voice.
“I know. I’m sorry. But we’ll spend Sunday together and we can catch up.”
“All right. Love you.”
“Love you too.”
Cassie hung up with a sigh. Her mom was a pain in the ass, but the only parent she had, so she did her best to ignore the veiled insults and shots about her divorces. She wasn’t involved with Logan or Ryder, so there was no chance of marriage, much less divorce. Thank god.
The guys were gone a lot but only a week on the next trip, so Cassie had a surprise planned for them on Thursday when they got back. She’d wanted to do something nice for them after they’d let her move in, so she planned a gourmet dinner: beef Wellington, herb-roasted potatoes, and asparagus with hollandaise sauce. She hadn’t had much time to cook before, so it was fun to experiment in the beautiful kitchen the guys had. They had double ovens, an amazing island with miles of counter space, and a huge, four-door refrigerator. She’d had so much fun just putting away groceries, and now that she was cooking, it was even better.
Coco was dancing at her feet, anxious for her to drop any pieces of beef, and Cassie good-naturedly shooed her away. Charli had been texting her, giving her updates on when the guys would be home since she’d been hoping to time it right so the food would be hot. The most recent text had been ten minutes ago, saying they’d landed, and it usually took Miikka about twenty minutes to get home.
There was always the chance Ryder and Logan would go out to eat, so she texted Logan.
CASSIE: I made dinner, so no dawdling at the airport. Come get it while it’s hot.
LOGAN: You made dinner? What are we eating? I’m starved!
CASSIE: It’s a surprise. Now get your asses home!
LOGAN: We’re on our way.
Cassie hummed to herself, dancing around the kitchen as she finished setting the mostly unused dining table, since they usually just ate at the island. She’d done her best to make everything look nice, including pulling out her own crystal wine glasses, one of the only things she’d taken after leaving her second husband. There had been a set of six wine glasses, six matching water glasses, and six champagne flutes. She had no idea when she’d ever use the champagne flutes, but she’d taken them because the glasses were some of the only things he hadn’t cared about. Those, some linens, and her three favorite frying pans were all she’d taken beyond her clothes, toiletries, and some personal items.
She’d never put herself in that position again, even if she did find a great guy she was willing to marry. No matter what, she would protect herself. She didn’t have much, but she wasn’t giving up another damn thing for a man. No way.
She heard the garage door go up, and Coco lost her mind, jumping and barking as though Freddie Krueger was about to walk through the door.
“Easy, girl.” Cassie grabbed her by the collar. “Daddy’s home, but you need to relax. Sit, Coco.” She used a stern voice, like the training specialist had told her, and Coco hesitated but then dropped down to her haunches, panting excitedly.
“Hey.” Ryder came through the door first and Cassie motioned for him to wait, even as Coco strained against her.
“Coco, sit.”
Coco sat but looked from Cassie to Ryder in confusion.
“Now, go see Daddy.” Cassie released her and Coco practically sailed over to Ryder, who laughed and hugged her.
“That’s a good girl! Look at you, listening like that! Good girl. Yes, you are.” He continued talking to and petting her as Logan came in with both of their bags.
“How come she’s never excited to see me?” he pretended to complain.
“Because you’re not Daddy,” Cassie said. “Duh.”
“Wow, something smells amazing,” Logan said. “What is it?”
“Go wash up and I’ll get everything ready.”
Logan grinned. “If it tastes half as good as it smells, this is going to be epic!”
12
Dinner was amazing. Logan hadn’t known if she even knew how to cook, much less something as good as beef Wellington. He and Ryder each had two helpings, sipping wine and chatting with her as if they’d lived together for months instead of days.
“This was completely unnecessary, but very much appreciated,” Ryder said as they ate. “Any time you want to cook like this, I’m totally down to buy the groceries.”
“Ditto.” Logan refilled his wine glass. “This was really great, Cass.”
“You guys have made my life so much easier,” she replied. “It seemed like a small way of saying thank you. And I’m happy to cook whenever I have time. We’ll look at a calendar and compare schedules, and if we’re off on days when I can do it, I will.”
“If you learn to make pasta carbonara,” Ryder said. “I’ll consider marrying you.”
Cassie made a face of disgust, though she was laughing. “I’ll pass, thanks. I’m good with friendship and being roommates. I’m really bad at marriage.”
“How come?” Logan asked curiously, meeting her gaze.
“I’m not sure, to be honest. My first husband was my high school boyfriend and a drug dealer. He swore he’d quit when we got married, but he started using again, and one night I followed him and caught him dealing on our street corner. So that wasn’t my fault, but I also didn’t even try to fix things. I just walked away. My mom’s an alcoholic, and I couldn’t imagine dealing with a drug addict for the rest of my life.”
“That doesn’t sound like you failed at marriage,” Ryder said. “More like you picked the wrong husband. Which I’m pretty sure we’ve all done.”
“You’ve had a husband?” Logan quipped, arching his brows.
Ryder flipped him off. “Fuck off. You know what I mean.”
“Not me.” Logan was sipping his wine. “I’ve never picked the wrong husband because I keep it simple—no relationships. Just sex and friends. But not both. Either friendship or sex. That keeps me from picking the wrong ones.”
Ryder chuckled. “Glad to know you’ve never picked the wrong husband to have sex with.”
Logan tossed his napkin at him before turning back to Cassie. “What was wrong with husband number two?”
“He was…older. I was twenty-one and he was forty. I was looking for someone to take care of me and basically all he wanted was a slave. A maid, a cook, and someone to keep his bed warm. He didn’t want me to play hockey, have friends, or even go to school. And again, I walked away because I didn’t have it in me to put up with someone like that. Don’t get me wrong, he wasn’t a bad guy, we just weren’t right for each other at all. So maybe I didn’t fail at being a wife so much as I failed at knowing what was good for me.”
“You were young,” Ryder said. “We all make mistakes, even if they’re not necessarily the husband kind.”
She smiled. “Well, I’m not about to do that again any time soon. My focus right now is school and getting a good job.”
“What do you want to be when you grow up?” Logan asked, his voice tinged with humor despite the seriousness of the question.
“I’m not sure,” she admitted. “I’d like to do something in the corporate world, like project management or something, but I haven’t narrowed down the field yet. Once I start at the university, the classes within my major should help me figure it out. I’m getting a bachelor of business administration.”
“My dad works in project management for a software company,” Ryder said.
“I think software and sales is the direction I’m leaning,” Cassie sai
d. “I’m pretty techy, so running projects for sales and integration teams sounds right up my alley. Hopefully I’ll get to intern somewhere my senior year. Just haven’t thought that far ahead yet.”
“He’ll be here for the dads’ trip in a few weeks,” Ryder said. “And he’ll probably stay here one night, so maybe you guys can talk and you can pick his brain.”
“That’s so thoughtful,” Cassie said. “Thank you. You guys are really the best roommates ever.”
Logan snorted out a laugh. “Well, let’s not push it. We haven’t come home shit-faced drunk yet, puking in the bathroom while Coco tries to help, gets covered in vomit, and then streaks through the house.”
There was a moment of silence.
“You’re, um, yanking my chain, right?” Cassie asked after a moment.
“I can neither confirm nor deny.” Ryder took a sip of wine, widening his eyes innocently.
Cassie cleared her throat. “On that note, you two are cleaning up tonight.”
Logan and Ryder were happy to clean up after Cassie had prepared such a wonderful meal for them. Though he’d never say it out loud, it was nice having someone besides Coco to come home to. A nice meal, a bottle of wine, and good conversation were rarities for him, especially at home. On the road, there were team dinners with a lot of those elements, but it was a different vibe than when you did it in the comfort of your own home. The married guys probably already knew this, but as a bachelor, this was completely novel for him.
He’d also enjoyed getting to know Cassie better. She had a good head on her shoulders but was funny and easygoing. She seemed to have bonded with Coco, too, which made their lives so much easier. Hell, the last thing he’d been expecting was someone who would cook, but the fact that she did was a serious bonus. He didn’t consider himself a misogynist by any means, but a woman who cooked was a huge turn-on to him. He had no idea if any of the women he hooked up with could cook since he didn’t get that close, but it was high on his bucket list of things he wanted in a woman.
