Loved You First

Chapter 23

"Torey, I'm terrible at fishing, why are we doing this?" I whine as we drive down a back road to a pond Torey told me he loved ice fishing and regular fishing at when he was younger.

"I haven't been here in ages, and besides, I promised you I was going to bring you to places while you were here, why not?" He laughs.

"It's too god damn cold." I huff, crossing my arms.

"Oh my god, stop it. It's not even that cold, it's only 29° out, good fishing temperature."

"I haven't been ice fishing since I lived in Maine."

"And how long ago was that?"

"Since 8th grade, every time I go back, it's during break and summer so, not much ice."

"Well, there's plenty here today." He stops the truck.

I look out across the big lake. It's so pretty.

Torey heads around the back of the truck to unload the snowmobile as I walk around the front, looking out across the frozen lake.

It brings back a lot of memories. Before the NHL came into our loves, my dad always brought Tuukka and I fishing when we were younger, and right up until Tuukka was drafted, out ice fishing every good winter we had and we'd always have one on one hockey games going on as well. We always had a blast. The engine to the snowmobile breaks me of my flashbacks.

"Did I scare you?" Torey calls out over the engine as he drives over to me. I laugh and roll my eyes. "Want to grab the stuff from the back and I'll come back to get you?" He nods towards the truck. I walk over, grabbing all the equipment we need, and pile it on the back. He speeds off, unloading, then coming back for me.

"For some reason, I don't trust you." I say, climbing on back.

"Give me a break." He laughs, revving up the engine before accelerating

. I quickly and tightly wrap my arms around him as he glides out over the lake. I scream the whole time though. We eventually stop at our fishing spot.

"I say next time, I drive." I smirk from sitting in the snowmobile, watching him begin to drill holes in the ice. He laughs.

Once he drills four holes, we set up the traps.

"Damn, you're good at that." Torey watches as I set two of mine.

"It's not that hard, well, maybe for some." I laugh as he pokes the end of his finger with the hook.

"You're so funny." He sarcastically says. I laugh and place mine in the two holes, helping Torey with his other.

Once everything is set, we sit on the ice and talk.

"You never did tell him, did you?" Torey glances up at me.

"We haven't talked since then, and I'm not going to be the one to call him. He knows my number." It's been three days since the Brooke incident.

"I thought you did?"

"Nope, I talked to Brad though. I'm not going to tell Tuukka, Tuukka will kick Tyler's ass."

"Yeah, what did Brad have to say?"

"I guess he saw it happen, but didn't know it was Brooke. Brad was drunk, obviously, so he didn't do anything about it. He was going to talk to Tyler." The thought of this whole mess brings tears to my eyes.

I've never been so stressed out in my life, the tears just come out of no where now. I've never felt so weak.

"I'm sorry Meghan." Torey quickly pulls me into a hug. I hug him back tight, but begin to laugh.