Face-Off With Fate: A Rink Romance | Book #1 of UM Hockey Series

twenty one

Scarlett Redd☾

After stepping out of the car, Vincent sits there a little while longer. I can't face him right now.

I walk in through the employee's only door and see Calum heading to his office with another girl for the night. He escorts her inside, placing his hand on the small of her lower back, and leads her inside before closing the door behind her.

"Did Vince do that?" he says in a panicked tone.

"No, but thanks for asking."

"Grab some ice from the bar, you're swelling up pretty bad there."

"I will, thank you," I mumble before making my way past him.

"Vin with you?"

"He was in the car, go take a look out back," I state before walking into the main lounge.

I start to the bar on my right, and once again see my favorite waitress, Gigi, great.

"And what can I do you for?" she says before realizing it was me. "Holy, what happened to your face?" she shouts before pulling me behind the bar.

"Long story Gigi, not the time. Can I just get some ice please," I groan. She looked offended by my response but complied and handed me a cloth wrapped with ice.

"That's the best I can do it. We don't get many bar fights around here. It is an established bar after all."

"Thanks. Sorry about the attitude, it's been a shit night, I gotta go find my friends."

"They're in a booth over there with a guy that the blonde tried to pick up. She's been drinking a lot since she got here," she warns me.

I take a second to look around and spot them where Gigi told me they were.

Brooke's being held by a strange older man, while Stella and Kaia sit across from them uncomfortably.

"Here, shots on me. Looks like you can use one," Gigi says as she pours me a drink.

"I'm driving, you take it." I insist. "For the ice."

She takes the shot and gets back to bartending as I force myself to move my legs to approach the booth.

I get weird looks from the crowd around me. Didn't anyone learn that staring is rude?

I get to the booth and look at Brooke, who's absolutely wasted.

"Brooke, we need to go," Kaia argues.

"She's fine girls, she's having a good time," the older man insists.

"She's nineteen buddy, unless you wanna go to jail, I'd bounce if I were you," Stella shouts.

He immediately unwraps his arms from around her and makes his way to a bar seat.

I stand here watching Brooke. She doesn't dare to look my way. She's hurting badly. Her best friend and dream guy.

All she'd wanted for the last two years was Dante. And I was the one he kissed.

I didn't mean to be the one that he kissed. It just happened so fast.

"Brooke, please-"

"Don't you even dare talk to me right now!" she shouts, not bothering to look my way.

I can see Vincent pass the bar and ignore Gigi, as he makes his way over to us.

"Brooke, give her a break, look at Scar," Stella insists.