The Shots On Goal Series Box Set

by Kristen Hope Mazzola

  It was a long night, to say the least. All I wanted to do after we finished the paperwork was go home, take NyQuil, and pass the fuck out, but I couldn’t back out on my plans with Gavin. I had been blowing him off way too much over the past couple of weeks and with his wedding only a few days away, I knew I needed to be a good friend.

  “I just got off,” I slurred into my cell while stifling a yawn.

  “I just got here, and Jordan is still working,” Gavin replied.

  “Be there in a few.”

  “Hurry up. I had a day from hell at practice and need a drinking buddy.” Gavin huffed before ending the call abruptly.

  If he only knew what a luxury that is.

  I rolled my eyes, throwing my phone in my pocket, slammed my locker shut, and started to make my way to the street to hail a cab.

  It wasn’t like Gavin was a stranger to bad days but I felt like he had no idea what it was like for most of us. He came from a wealthy family, was a professional athlete, wanted for nothing most of his life. He was a hard worker and one of the best men I knew, but sometimes I wanted to slap him across the face with something that was not a first world problem and see how he coped.

  “Good work tonight, boss.” Todd came around the corner from the bathroom, slapping me on the back as he shot me a toothy smile.

  “Fuck, dude, I don’t know if good is the right word, but thanks.” I rubbed the back of my head with my free hand, choking up on my duffle’s handle with the other. My partner and I got along great, but we were both men of few words. We fell into awkward silences more often than not.

  “See you tomorrow.” He finally waved goodbye and I was out the door, ready for the damn day to fucking end as soon as possible.

  I finally bellied up to the bar, joining Gavin. Jordan bounced over with my drink already poured—four fingers of bourbon neat.

  “Figured it was going to be one of those nights.” She sat the rocks glass on a black bar napkin with a wink.

  “You are the best damn bartender in the entire city, you know that?” I forced a wide grin. One thing I always tried to do was leave my freaking job at the precinct, especially on the rougher days. Bringing that shit home with me would drive me fucking insane.

  “This joint really needs to start making some damn food or something. I’m starving,” Gavin grumbled, shoving peanuts into his mouth before chucking one at my head.

  I just rolled my eyes. At least he has better aim on the ice. “One week left of singlehood—man, are you ready?” I laughed a little at the thought. His wedding was going to be a fucking joke or a train wreck.

  He shrugged off the sarcasm in my tone. “As ready as I’ll ever fucking be. I’m just ready to get this whole thing over with.”

  Slapping him on the shoulder, I lied through my gritted teeth, “It’s going to be great. I’m really excited for you and Marsheila.”

  With a mouth full of cherries, he called me out on my bullshit right away. “You fucking hate her. You’re not fooling anyone.”

  Gasping dramatically, I grabbed my chest. “When have I ever said anything of the sort?” I enunciated every word loudly.

  “Come on, dude, you know I’m right. How about every fucking time you’ve been drunk since the day I told you I was going to ask Marsheila to marry me? It’s been nonstop slurs of ‘You’re making a huge mistake, man. Don’t do it, dude. That old ball and chain is going to ruin your fucking life.’” He was right—I had been a complete dick and totally unsupportive.

  “Me? No, I would never.” I flashed a quick smirk, but it was met with a tight-lipped glare—I was pushing too many buttons, that was for fucking sure. “What kind of best friend would I be if I didn’t question the biggest decision of your life?”

  Finally, Gavin started to loosen up. “A crappy one, I guess, but still, we’re a week away. I think we both know this is going to happen.”

  I threw up my hands. “You’re right. I was only looking out for your best interest. If that’s marrying the Wicked Witch of the West, then by all means, be my guest.”

  “You barely even know her.” He slammed his empty glass down. “Bar temptress, another.”

  She pushed her short black pixie-style hair away from her face with the back of her hand, giving both of us the stink eye. “You know I cannot stand it when you call me that, Gavin.” Jordan could be one sassy bitch, and I fucking loved her for it.

  She started to make Gavin another Manhattan, giving us a coy smile. “Oh come on, Jordan, you know I’m just messing with you,” Gavin remarked as he took the drink from one of our best friends.

  “You haven’t changed one bit since high school. You’re still the same pompous jerkoff you’ve always been,” she teased.

  “Yes, and that’s why you love me.” He blew her a kiss, and I laughed at their banter. It was just the distraction I needed from the shit-storm of a day I’d had.

  Jordan grabbed her stomach as she let out a deep laugh, slapping her tiny hand on the counter. “In your fucking dreams, Gavin. In your fucking dreams.”

  For a few seconds, I was brought back to when we were little kids and met for the first time.

  “Mom? Can I…” I started to ask my mom if I was allowed to go play with Gavin as she nodded and bobbed on the couch. She was having another one of her episodes from her medication. Even at my young age, I could see the signs and knew that even asking was pointless—she wouldn’t remember or be able to respond. I just kissed her on the forehead like always and made my way into the kitchen.

  I scribbled a note on the yellow pad that was magnetized to the refrigerator in the best handwriting I could muster, hoping that my mom would see it when she woke up from her nap and not worry about me.

  Playing with Gavin. Be back for dinner.

  “Can Gavin out and come play?” I asked Mrs. Hayes as she opened their giant front door.

  After flashing me a kind smile, she called up the stairs, “Gavin, Sean is here. Come on down.”

  Gavin trotted down the steps, leaping from the last one all the way to the door. “See ya later, Ma,” he called back as we both started running for our bikes in the driveway.

  “Be home before dark,” Mrs. Hayes hollered before shutting the door behind her.

  “Fine!” Gavin answered.

  “Bet I can beat you to the end of the block,” I challenged Gavin as we started to ride down the sidewalk.

  “You’re on!” he yelled as his legs started to pedal at lightning speed.

  We raced down the sidewalk until we had to come to a screeching halt. There was a little girl coloring with chalk on the cement, and she screamed as our tires got too close for comfort to her masterpiece—a disproportioned rainbow missing the orange layer with a goofy-looking smiling sun peeking through some clouds.

  “Don’t mess it up!” she ordered, leaping to her feet, hands on her hips.

  Red-faced, Gavin jumped off his bike. “Well, maybe you shouldn’t color in our way!”

  “Who do you think you are, the president or something? You can’t tell me what to do!” She whipped her long, dark ponytail around as she put her right index finger right in Gavin’s face.

  “How about you race with us?” I asked. Even as an elementary school-er, I was a peacekeeper; it was just in my nature.

  “Yeah, okay.” She shrugged, rushing to grab her purple bike from the grass.

  “What’d you do that for?” Gavin asked as he shoved me.

  I hopped back on my bike. “It’s better than picking on a little girl. You’d get in so much trouble if she squealed.”

  Gavin knew I had a point, and from that day forward, the three of us were thick as thieves.

  “Sean, how was work today?” Jordan started cleaning up the bar, our cue that it was getting close to time to get the heck out of Dodge.

  I just slouched back in my seat—I hated that damn question. “It was a fucking day of it, to say the least.”

  I tried to be forthcoming with them, as much as I could be. I’d te
ll them the funny shit people said to try to get out of tickets or the crazy crap that happened when we got calls for domestics, but I usually didn’t share the darker side of my job and I sure as hell was not going to tell them about the accident I witness earlier on in the day. I had no idea how to put that into words.

  Staring down at the amber liquid in my glass, I couldn’t hold it in. Before I really knew what I was saying, I blurted out, “It’s sad when a parent dies but their kid survives. It’s miserable when anyone dies, but a mother dying in front of her daughter in a car crash is downright awful.” I slammed back the rest of my drink and grabbed my coat from the stool next to me. “I think it’s time to call it a night. See you guys at the rehearsal dinner?”

  “Yeah, man. See you Friday.” Gavin nodded as Jordan waved goodbye.

  Chapter 2

  Whistler

  This has seriously got to be a damn joke. I checked my watch again. We were getting close to thirty minutes of no-show bride. Is this really happening right now?

  Gavin started to bounce on his heels. “What the heck is taking them so damn long?” he mumbled. With the back of his hand, he wiped sweat off his brow. It was a chilly fall day, so for him to be sweating, there was a serious problem. But if I was in his shoes, I would have been sweating too.

  “You know how Marsheila has to be perfect. They’re probably still trying to get her hair just right,” I said, trying to comfort him, but there wasn’t too much I could come up with. From where I was standing, it wasn’t looking good. All I could think about was how much I wanted to be an ass and tell Gavin that I had warned him, but what good would that do in that situation? It was better too bite my tongue and try to be as supportive as possible.

  The music from the string quartet was starting to get on my nerves as they started to play their set for a third time, the droning of the repetition digging under my skin making me want to rip the damn bowtie and vest off instantly. The guests were fidgeting in their white folding chairs as they looked around, muttering to themselves. It was starting to get pretty awkward and downright embarrassing. All eyes were glued to us as the shit slowly started to hit the fan. I felt like I was front and center for a train wreck that was about to take place.

  What a fucking crock of shit.

  With all the demands Marsheila had put on the damn wedding, making Gavin shell out upwards of seventy grand on one damn day, I was thinking how that bitch better make an appearance soon or I was going to start breaking necks.

  Right as I took my cellphone out of my pocket to call Marsheila, the maid of honor, who was also Marsheila’s sister, started quickly shuffling around the group of seated guests, trying to wave Gavin over.

  I followed Gavin closely as he rushed toward her.

  “I am so sorry, Gavin. I couldn’t talk her out of it.” She shoved the note into Gavin’s hand before turning around and bolting away in her tan heels and flowing seafoam green dress.

  What in the ever-loving fuck just happened?

  Gavin dropped to his knees in the cold grass right at my feet. I didn’t know what to do. I couldn’t believe this was actually happening to my best friend, and there was nothing I could do to help or stop it.

  I started to pull him to his feet, forcing Gavin to stand. His face was red, his eyes were glassed over, and his jaw was hanging open. Before I could even register what he was doing, Gavin’s fist was connecting with the side of my face. I grabbed my cheek as tears started to roll down his.

  “Holy fuck man!” I exclaimed, staggering back a few steps.

  Gavin was frozen. All eyes were on us, the guests slack-jawed as they watched the worst moment of Gavin’s life unravel in front of them.

  I needed to see the note clutched in Gavin’s hand before he had a chance to read it. I needed to know that cunt’s ridiculous excuse for breaking his heart was.

  “Get off of me!” Gavin protested as I desperately tried to wrestle the note out of his grasp.

  “You just punched me, dude. You need to let me see this.” Our eyes were locked. I knew the big, bad hockey star was about to fight me like he did the guys in the rink, but I didn’t give a fuck. It wouldn’t have been the first time Gavin and I got into it. He usually won, but I held my own.

  I tore the envelope open and read the scribbled cursive that wove the biggest heap of bullshit I had ever read in my entire damn life.

  My dearest Gavin,

  This is the hardest letter I have ever written in my life. Please know this decision was not made lightly or in haste in any way. It’s taken me over a month, and sadly, I know without a doubt that it’s not just cold feet. I do believe we are making a mistake and should not get married at this time. I have dreamed about becoming your wife for as long as I can remember, and it’s with a heavy heart that I have to close the door on that dream. You’re an amazing man and will be a fantastic father and partner for someone, but I believe I’m not the one you’re supposed to be with. Through all of it, I have felt second in so much of your life, and I cannot start a marriage being anything but first and foremost in my spouse’s life. My eyes were opened more and more over the last few weeks to things that aren’t going away, getting better, or changing. Putting my feelings on the back burner has weighed me down, and I know that is not what either of us deserve. I know I have changed over the last few years, and that’s a huge part of this. You need to be with someone who is more like you, who still wants to do the same things you do, who loves hockey and doesn’t mind how much you travel. I will always love, admire, respect, and be so proud of you, and I will always be here for you, Gavin. I’m going out of town for the weekend to be alone and truly get my head on straight. Please give me this space. I guess we can hammer out the details when I get home. Please understand that the last thing I ever wanted to do was hurt you. I know inevitably that is what is going to happen, and I am so sorry. I do love you, Gavin.

  -Marsheila

  Gavin tried to snatch the note out of my hands as I reread it in disbelief then said, “Why don’t you just wait until tomorrow for this? Let’s make the best of all the money you blew on this shit show.”

  I put the note in my pocket, and Gavin turned to his guests. “It seems like there won’t be a wedding tonight…I guess that’s something to celebrate.” He threw his hands into the air, letting out a weird laugh.

  “Fuck it!” I slapped Gavin on the back before yelling, “It’s all paid for already, let’s have a damn party!”

  So, in our tuxes, with all the guests that were there for Gavin, we went and got plastered at the open bar, ate a shit load of amazing filet mignon with wild Alaskan salmon along with everything else at the buffet, and danced our night away. The best part by far was the food fight that ensued once the cake was brought out. Gavin got an extra bill for cleaning and damages a few days later, but he didn’t mind in the slightest—it had been totally worth it. I was just glad my best friend wasn’t going to be tied to that raging bitch for the rest of his life. If I never saw Marsheila again, it would be too soon.

  Chapter 3

  McBee

  A few years later

  “You’re going to be great! Just try and calm down a bit. It’s going to be fine. Everyone is anxious on their first day on the job. It’s totally normal.” My mother tried her best to comfort me, but to no avail. “I was a complete ball of nerves on my first day and it ended up bring the best day of my life, second only to the day you were born.”

  I was about to walk into Precinct 69 in Brooklyn. I was about to have a dream I’d had since I was a little girl come true. Both of my parents had been NYPD, and it was time for me to finally follow in their footsteps.

  Growing up, I had mostly been a loner. I preferred fictional characters to the mean girls and horrible bullies I had dealt with at school. I loved mysteries and crime dramas, reading them as fast as I could get my hands on them. Now, I was embarking on my own crime-filled adventure.

  “Yeah, Ma. I know, I know. I’m allowed to be nervous, though—
it shows that I care.” I paced a few times just down the block from the front door like a lunatic.

  “Your father and I are just so proud of you, Jess. You are going to be one hell of a cop!” I could hear her sniffling a bit.

  “Thanks, Ma,” I sniffled a little bit too, “Ma, I gotta go. I don’t want to be late for my first shift.”

  We hung up the phone and with a deep breath and shaking hands, I walked into the station. I knew my way around it for the most part, and within a few minutes I was standing in the captain’s small office, trembling like a leaf.

  “Good morning, sir.” I choked a bit as my throat turned into the Sahara, looking down at the captain that was reading a file on his desk with a magnifying glass.

  “You must be the new kid.” Captain MacDonnell heaved up from the chair behind his desk as I reached my hand out to shake his.

  “Y-Yes, sir,” I stammered.

  He hit a button on his phone. “Whistler, come here. Your new partner is waiting.”

  Captain MacDonnell had a devilish smirk on his face as one of the most handsome men I had ever laid eyes on strode into the minute space. He was tall, broad, and had the clearest cobalt eyes I had ever seen in my damn life. That wasn’t the kicker though—it was his damn smile. That smile could make an angel sin.

  With a sly simper spreading on his lips, he held his hand out. “Sean Whistler. Nice to meet you.”

  “I’m Jess—uh, Jessica McBee. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” My fingers gripped his for far longer than was appropriate as I got lost in the clear oceans that captivated me, and the captain cleared his throat.

  “Whistler, show McBee the ropes and keep her out of trouble, ya hear? Her parents were on the force and her dad was actually my partner when I worked vice for a blink of an eye.”