The guy’s phone beside me phone pings and my gaze is drawn to his screen. My stomach sinks. Holy crap.
“Poppy?” The guy sitting beside me the one that smiled at me, the one who I thought must be in his forties turns to me and is talking to me. I have clearly texted him but that can’t be right because Cage is supposed to be a sophomore at Westfall.
“Um,” I mutter. “Cage?”
“Yes,” he says excitedly.
“That can’t be. There’s no way you’re a sophomore,” I argue checking him out. His expanded waistline and grey hair on the sides of his head say otherwise.
“That pic was of me as a sophomore at Westfall,” he grins and chuckles.
I pick up my purse. “I’m leaving.” I thought that app was exclusive to Westfall students.
Cage takes my arm. “Hold up now sweetheart. It’s still me the same guy in that pic. I’ve just aged some.”
“I’m leaving,” I announce. “I don’t appreciate getting catfished.”
“Oh come on now,” he says and he doesn’t release my arm.
“Let go of my arm now or I swear I’ll scream,” I say. The bar is loud with chatter and rock music but I’m pretty sure I can use my vocal cords to their full potential. Just as I open my mouth to wail the dude beside us. The one that was staring at his beer bottle like it had all the answers to life turns around.
“If I were you I’d release that lady right now,” he says but he’s slurring. Geez. This night just keeps getting better and better.
“Mind your damn business,” Cage barks at the guy. Then he turns back to me. “Babe give me a chance.”
“I’m not giving you a chance,” I say my tone filled with disgust. “You deceived me above all else. Deception doesn’t deserve second chances.”
The drunk guy chooses then to stand up. He’s swaying a little but I take him in. He’s well over six feet tall with a built of a hockey player. The only reason I say that is because my brother plays for the Westfall hockey team. The guy has dark hair that peeks out of his cap and his eyes are the most intoxicating color of grey I’ve ever seen like storm clouds. He uses his hand and leans on the bar and straightens himself out. “Look buddy. I don’t know what your deal is but this girl wants nothing to do with you. Just accept it and move on because even though I’m pretty sloshed right now I can still take you,” he says and holy shit. When did my life become so dramatic?
The tall handsome savior looks down at catfish man because he must be at least five inches taller than him. Catfish man releases my arm and says, “okay. Fine. Shit.” He shakes his head like he feels he’s been wronged. “Bitch,” he says to me and then he stalks off.
“Do you want me to punch him out?” Drunk guy asks me. “I can still do it drunk trust me I’m a hockey player. We fight all the time. No man should talk to a lady that way.”
“That’s okay,” I say to drunk hockey guy. “He just left the bar anyway.” I slink into the bar stool feeling drained. So much for my first real date and getting kissed.
The bar tender walks over to me and asks what I’d like to drink. I order a club soda. I’m only eighteen and a half and I don’t have fake ID. The bar tender nods and grabs a glass and pours me the soda.
“I’ll take another one of these,” drunk guy says to the bar tender from beside me.
“You’ve had enough McAvoy. How about we switch it up to water,” the bartender says and places a cup in front of drunk guy and fills it with water.
My phone beeps and I check to see that Bonnie sent me a text to see how the intro with Cage went. I’m feeling disappointed and completely drained. So I answer one word. Awful. I put my phone in my purse, or Bonnie’s purse and I take a deep breath.
“How did you get mixed up with that grandpa?” Drunk Guy asks from beside me.
“I’m seriously asking myself the same question,” I huff but I don’t answer drunk guy because saying I found grandpa on College pro will sound pathetic.
“He totally catfished you didn’t he?” Drunk Guy asks.
Shit. Talk about embarrassing.
“Yeah.” I nod feeling mortified because Drunk Guy is seriously good looking.
“Which app was it?” he asks.
“College pro,” I say wincing.
“Never used that one myself. Actually I’ve never used any app. I play for the Westfall Dragons. I don’t need that,” he pauses. He shakes his head and then he starts nodding his head. “I need a filter right now.”
I laugh. He’s funny. He plays on the same hockey team as my brother Ryse. I know they are all good guys and Ryse is really close with them. He’s clearly not a lunatic because he just saved me from Cage the old dude. I wonder why he’s sitting in a bar drinking by himself though. I know Ryse doesn’t drink much once the season starts.
“I’m not trying to be funny,” Drunk Guy says and then he extends his hand to me. “Declan McAvoy.”
I shake his hand. “Poppy.” I don’t give him my last name. I don’t want him knowing that I am Ryse’s little sister. I hate being the little sister because since high school Ryse has threatened every boy on the block warning them to keep a distance from me and to my dismay they all listened.
“Poppy,” Declan repeats. “Nice name.”
“It’s alright,” I say and I take a sip of my soda. “Thanks for saving me from that loser.”
“I think you had things under control,” Declan says.
“He was gripping my arm pretty hard,” I admit.
“Douchebag,” Declan mutters. “If I wouldn’t have stepped in Hunter here would’ve,” he says tilting his chin to the bar tender.
Hunter nods. “You’re not the first girl that guys tricked.”
“Damn,” I slink over the bar. “This night is an epic fail.”
“Don’t say that,” Declan mutters. He takes a drink of his water. “I wasn’t really ready to sober up yet.”
“No? Why’s that?” I ask him.
“Do you have secrets Poppy? I mean the kind that keep you up at night and eat away at you?” he asks and yes, he’s definitely still drunk but he’s sad too and my heart goes out to him.
“Not really. I’m pretty much an open book. Got into Westfall on scholarship. My parents are dirt poor. I want to become a journalist and Westfall is my best chance at landing a job for CNN. I like to read books and write. I guess that’s it. There isn’t an interesting bone in my body. Secrets are interesting so hence why I don’t have any,” I say. Gosh why am I talking so much?
“You’re beautiful,” Declan says to me. “And smart too. You don’t need to be wasting your time on an app to find a guy.” He takes a large gulp of his water. He’s still swaying though and he uses the bar for support so he’s still pretty drunk.
OMG he called me beautiful. This guy is gorgeous. He’s a Dragon. He can have any girl on campus and he called me beautiful. Holyfuckingolly.
I smooth down my dress feeling a blush crawl up my cheeks.
“Can I tell you a secret?” I ask Declan. I don’t know why I want to confess to him but he’s drunk and I’m feeling low and. . .
Declan nods. “You’re secrets are safe with me.”
I inhale. “I’ve never kissed a guy and I thought I could find a guy on College Pro and just kiss him because I’m a freshman and it’s pretty pathetic that I’ve never been kissed.”
Declan’s lower lip juts out. “So not what I thought you were going to say. I would offer to kiss you but why the hell would a smart woman like you want a drunk guys tongue down down her throat?” he asks but its obviously rhetorical. “Anyways. The right guy will come along eventually. You just need to be patient.”
Those aren’t the words I’m expecting from a hockey player. I know from Ryse that puck bunnies are lined up to get with these guys and that statement was sweet and thoughtful.
“Can I tell you my secret Poppy?” he asks leaning in to me.
I nod and swallow hard. What I really would like to be doing is kissing him. I
wish I had the guts to say that I actually would like his drunk tongue down my throat because he’s hot as hell and even drunk he’s a gentleman and sweet too. But something is bothering him enough to be sitting here on a Sunday night drinking himself under the table so to speak. What he needs is an ear to listen not another girl wanting a piece of him.
“What’s your secret Declan?” I ask.
“I like the way you say my name,” he answers. Then he leans in and whispers his secret in my ear. I listen and it takes longer than I expect it too. His secret is heartbreaking and I want to wrap him up in a hug and hold him.
“I’m sorry,” I say.
“Promise not to tell anyone,” he pulls back and looks into my eyes.
“You have my word,” I assure him looking into his grey eyes.
“If word got out it would mean a lot of trouble for me,” he explains.
“You can trust me,” I say. “I would never do that to you.”
“I believe you, Poppy,” he says.
“Thanks, Declan,” I answer looking into his stormy eyes that feel like they could suck me under.
The bar tender what was his name?. . . Hunter. Walks by and I ask for my bill but Declan throws a twenty on the bar and tells him to keep the change.
He stands up and nearly falls over. Poor guy. “Let me help you,” I say to him. I place my body under his armpit and hoist him up. He’s a big guy though and he nearly topples us both over.
“Sorry,” he apologizes.
“Shit,” Hunter curses and he leaves the bar area and walks over to help me. “Let me help you get him in the Uber.”
“Thanks,” I say.
Hunter tells Declan to call the Uber on his phone. Then Declan looks at me. “You need a ride back to Westfall?”
“I do,” I say feeling slightly adventurous. This night hasn’t gone as planned but it hasn’t been a complete bust either.
I get into the Uber with Declan. We both sit in the back seat. And he chooses to sit all the way on the other side of the seat next to the window. The driver heads back to Westfall and Declan remains staring out the window. “Life isn’t fair,” he mutters.
“Sometimes it isn’t but other times it totally is,” I answer.
“Yeah,” he agrees blowing out a breath.
We must arrive to his destination because the Uber stops at a house off campus. It’s then I realize I’ve been here before. At the beginning of summer Ryse brought me to a party here at this very house.
“This is me,” Declan says to the driver. Then he says. “Take her where she needs to go and he passes him a bill.”
Declan steps out of the car and I think he’s going to fall over but he somehow braces himself. “Have a good night Poppy,” he grins and my heart bursts just a little more.
“You too,” I wave.
Declan weaves his way up his front lawn to the door and I give the driver the address for my dorm. Wow. What a crazy night. If Ryse knew I was hanging out with one of his teammates he would flip the fuck out. And if Ryse knew I wanted to kiss the hell out of his teammate he would probably find a way of locking me up in my dorm room. It’s like he hasn’t gotten the memo that I am all grown up now.
I head back to my dorm and when Bonnie grills me about my night I tell her the part about Cage catfishing me but I leave the part about Declan to myself. He unloaded a major secret on me, one I plan to keep. I also told him a secret about me too but it’s not like I will ever see him again and even if I do he probably wouldn’t remember me anyway, he was too wasted.
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It is an NHL hockey series.
Acknowledgments
I want to thank you my wonderful readers for taking your time which I know is precious to read my latest novel. I hope you fell in love with Holland and Cole as much as I did.
Thank you to all the bloggers who signed up to promote, read and spread word about Ruthless Player. You are all so selfless and amazing. Your dedication is truly inspiring.
I want to thank Grey’s Promotions for doing such a great job on getting word out on Ruthless Player.
Another big thanks to my agent extraordinaire, Stephanie DeLamater Phillips. You always go above and beyond.
Thank you to my wonderful editor Karen Hrdlicka for taking such care with this manuscript.
Thank you to Christina Gwin for your eagle eyes on proofreading.
To Sarah Hansen my cover designer, I love what you have done with the covers for this series. It’s nothing short of perfect.
It really does take a community to bring a book together and my team is truly the best.
Finally, thank you to my family for your continued support and patience. I love you all so much.
About the Author
R.C. Stephens is a top 100 Amazon bestselling author.
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When she isn't in her writing cave she is raising three lovely children with her adoring husband.
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Her books are filled with humour, heartbreak, emotion and true love.
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Born and raised in Toronto, she loves the winter, but Spring and Fall are her favorite seasons.
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Keep up with R.C. by signing up to her newsletter-http://rcstephens.com/newsletter/
Also by R.C. STEPHENS
Westfall U Series
Heartless Player
Ruthless Player
Callous Player coming February 2022
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The Big Stick Series: NHL Hockey Romance
Big Stick: A hockey romance
Butt Ending : A brother’s best friend hockey romance
Dirty Swedish Player : A Fake relationship hockey romance
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Standalones
Halo: A military romance
Irresistible: A Halo Salvation Society crossover novel
The Truth About Us: A brother’s best friend romance
Fraud: A Romantic Suspense
Deceit: A Rock Star Romance
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Billionaire Romance
Mr. All Wrong: A Billionaire Romance
Mr. So Wrong: A Billionaire Romance
Ruthless Player: A College Hockey Romance (Westfall U Series) Page 22
