Chapter 57 Chapter 57

Chapter 57 Chapter 57
COLEEN

If there was one thing I knew for certain, it was that Mark and Hayden had never truly been alone together. Sure, Hayden had stopped by our apartment plenty of times to pick me up, or to drop something off, but those visits were quick.

The kind of visits where Mark shouted a sarcastic remark from the couch and Hayden tossed back a one-liner before I dragged him out the door.

In fact, the only time Hayden had spent the night in my room was when I told him about my mom calling and he was there for me while I called my dad.

But today was different.

“Remind me why this is happening again?” I asked as we walked toward the coffee shop on the corner of campus.

“Because Mark texted me,” Hayden said with a half-smile, “and said, and I quote, ‘if you’re going to steal my best friend all the time, the least you can do is buy me coffee.’”

I groaned. “That sounds exactly like him.”

Hayden bumped his shoulder against mine. “Relax. It’ll be fine.”

“Fine?” I muttered under my breath. “This is Mark we’re talking about. Nothing is ever just fine with him.”

Hayden chuckled but didn’t argue.

I bet he thought I was exaggerating but I knew my best friend.

When we stepped inside the café, I spotted Mark instantly. He was already sprawled at a table near the window, laptop open, earbuds dangling, looking like he owned the place. He looked up, saw us, and smirked.

“Well, well, if it isn’t Lover Boy himself,” Mark said as we walked over. “And my roommate, who I never see anymore because she’s too busy swooning at hockey games.”

“Hi, Mark,” I deadpanned, sliding into the chair across from him. “Behave.”

“No promises,” he said cheerfully, before turning to Hayden. “So. Michaels. You finally decided to grace me with your presence outside my apartment?”

Hayden smirked and pulled out the chair beside me. “Figured it was time to face the legendary best friend. Get it over with.”

Mark leaned back, folding his arms. “Bold move. I like it. Most guys wouldn’t willingly subject themselves to me.”

“Guess I’m not most guys,” Hayden said evenly.

I groaned, burying my face in my hands. “Oh God. This is going to be a disaster.”

To my surprise, the disaster never came.

Once the initial banter died down, Mark and Hayden actually started… talking. Like, really talking.

“So,” Mark said, sipping his coffee, “why hockey?”

Hayden shrugged. “Why music?”

“Touché,” Mark said with a grin. “But seriously. What made you want to throw yourself on ice every day?”

Hayden leaned back in his chair, considering. “I guess it was the only place that ever made sense. I wasn’t exactly the easiest kid to deal with growing up. Hockey gave me structure, gave me somewhere to put all that energy.”

Mark nodded slowly. “Makes sense. Music’s the same for me. All that chaos in your head? You put it into something that actually means something. Otherwise it eats you alive.”

For a moment, the air shifted, less teasing, more… real.

“Exactly,” Hayden said quietly.

I blinked, looking between them. Was this… bonding?

The conversation kept going like that. It was a mix of jabs and genuine questions.

“So tell me, Michaels,” Mark said, smirking again, “what’s your plan? NHL stardom? Fancy house? Autographing pucks for adoring fans?”

Hayden laughed. “Maybe. Or maybe just… finish college first, see where it goes. I want the NHL, yeah. But I don’t want to burn out before I get there.”

Mark tilted his head, studying him. “You’re smarter than I thought.”

“Thanks?” Hayden said, raising a brow.

“Don’t get too cocky,” Mark shot back. “I just mean, a lot of guys your age think about glory first, everything else second. It’s refreshing you’re not like that.”

Hayden gave him a wry smile. “Trust me, I’ve got enough people pushing me toward glory. Doesn’t hurt to slow down once in a while.”

Of course, it wasn’t all deep and serious. Mark made sure of that.

“So, Coleen tells me you can’t skate backwards without looking like a newborn giraffe,” Mark said casually, sipping his drink.

I nearly choked. “I never said that!”

Hayden shot me an incredulous look. “Wow. Throwing me under the bus already?”

Mark grinned. “She didn’t have to. I can see it in your face.”

“Please,” Hayden said, shaking his head. “I could skate backwards circles around you.”

Mark raised his eyebrows. “Is that a challenge?”

“Oh God,” I muttered, pinching the bridge of my nose. “I’m leaving. You two can embarrass yourselves without me.”

They both ignored me.

“Loser buys dinner,” Hayden said, extending his hand across the table.

Mark shook it. “Deal.”

When Hayden finally went to grab us refills, Mark leaned across the table toward me. His usual smirk was gone, replaced with something softer.

“He’s the real deal, Coleen,” Mark said quietly.

I blinked. “What?”

“You heard me.” Mark’s gaze held mine, steady. “I’ve known you long enough to see the difference. You’re lighter with him. Happier. And he’s not just playing around, you can see it in how he looks at you.”

I swallowed, suddenly unsure of what to do with my hands. “Mark…”

“I’m not saying jump in headfirst,” he continued. “But stop holding back like you’re waiting for the other shoe to drop. You deserve good things too, you know.”

The words landed heavier than I expected, pressing into a part of me I usually tried to keep locked up.

I nodded slowly, my throat tight. “Thanks, Mark.”

“Don’t thank me,” he said, leaning back again as Hayden returned with the coffees. “Just don’t run away from this.”

The rest of the afternoon passed in a blur of laughter and sarcasm. Watching them trade jokes, argue about the best pizza toppings, and plan their ridiculous skating challenge, I realized something I hadn’t before. Mark’s approval meant more to me than I thought it would.

And now that I had it, the walls I’d been so careful to keep around my heart suddenly didn’t feel quite as necessary.