Chapter 68 Chapter 68

Chapter 68 Chapter 68
HAYDEN

Coleen’s apartment always smelled faintly like vanilla and fresh laundry. It was nothing fancy, just the small space she shared with Mark, but for me, it was starting to feel like a safe place. A place where the noise of hockey, expectations, and scouts couldn’t reach me.

In fact, I could be beside a dumpster and still feel the same as long as I was with Coleen.

She was curled up on the couch when I came in, a blanket draped over her legs, her hair falling in loose waves over her shoulders. A textbook sat open on the coffee table, though the way she was staring at it, I doubted she was actually reading.

“Long day?” I asked, shutting the door behind me.

Her lips curved into a tired smile. “You could say that. You?”

I let out a low laugh and dropped onto the couch beside her, running a hand through my hair. “Practice was brutal. Coach is pushing us harder with playoffs coming up. But that’s not even what’s draining me.”

She tilted her head, studying me. “Then what is?”

I hesitated. Normally, I kept the mess with my parents close to my chest. But tonight, with her sitting there looking at me like she actually wanted to know, the words slipped out before I could stop them.

“My parents,” I admitted. “They won’t let it go.”

Her brow furrowed. “You mean… the NHL thing?”

I nodded, leaning back against the couch. “Yeah. I told them, I told them clearly that I’m not declaring early. I’m finishing college first. But it’s like they don’t hear me. Every call, every message, it’s the same argument. My dad especially. He keeps saying I’m wasting time, that I’ll miss my window if I don’t act now.”

I rubbed my palms over my knees, the tension I’d been holding in my shoulders spilling out in waves. “It’s like nothing I do is ever enough. Even when I’m playing my best, even when scouts are noticing me, he finds a way to make it about what I haven’t done yet.”

For a moment, the only sound was the ticking of the wall clock. Then Coleen reached out and placed her hand over mine, her fingers warm against my skin.

“Hayden,” she said softly, “Are you completely sure you don't want to declare early?”

I shook my head instantly. “No. I mean… yeah, the NHL is my dream, but I want to be ready. I want to finish what I started here. My team, my degree, it matters to me. And it’s not like the NHL is going anywhere.”

“Then don’t compromise that,” she said firmly. Her eyes held mine, steady and unwavering. “Don’t let anyone, not even your parents, take that choice from you. This is your life. Your dream. And you’ve earned the right to go after it on your terms.”

Something in my chest loosened at her words. I didn’t realize how badly I needed someone to say exactly that until she did.

I swallowed hard, my throat tight. “You make it sound so simple.”

Her lips curved. “That’s because it is. You know what you want. The hard part is just standing your ground.”

I let out a rough laugh. “You make me sound braver than I feel.”

She squeezed my hand. “That’s because you are.”

The silence that followed wasn’t heavy, it was charged. Her hand lingered in mine, our fingers brushing, until I couldn’t stop myself from closing the distance.

I leaned in slowly, giving her time to pull back if she wanted. She didn’t. Her breath hitched, her eyes flickering to my lips, and that was all the permission I needed.

The kiss started soft, tentative. But the moment her hand slid up to the back of my neck, everything inside me unraveled. I deepened it, pulling her closer until she was half in my lap, her laughter muffled against my mouth.

“Hayden,” she whispered between kisses, her voice shaky, “we should...”

“We should what?” I murmured, pressing my forehead to hers.

Her cheeks flushed, her smile tugging at the corner of her lips. “We should… probably slow down.”

But her arms didn’t move from around my shoulders, and I didn’t let go of her waist. Instead, I kissed her again, slower this time, savoring the way she melted against me.

It was steamy, electric, the kind of make-out session that made the world fall away until it was just her and me, heat sparking in every touch, every breath.

And then...

The door creaked open.

“Hey, Coleen, do we still have popcorn...”

Mark’s voice cut off as he froze in the doorway, a grocery bag dangling from his hand. His eyes widened, then immediately narrowed into a smirk.

“Oh. Ohhh. Well, this is new.”

Coleen practically jumped off my lap, her face flaming. “Mark!”

I ran a hand over my face, biting back a groan. Of course. Of course he’d walk in now.

Mark set the bag down on the counter with exaggerated slowness. “Don’t mind me. Just your friendly roommate returning from a snack run. Carry on.”

“Mark!” Coleen hissed again, throwing a pillow at him.

He caught it effortlessly, laughing. “Relax, Coleen. I’m just saying it’s about damn time. The sexual tension in this apartment was becoming unbearable.”

I buried my face in my hands, my ears burning. Coleen, however, looked like she wanted the ground to swallow her whole.

“Out,” she ordered, pointing toward his room.

Mark grinned, clearly enjoying himself. “Fine, fine. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”

“Which is basically everything,” Coleen muttered under her breath as he disappeared into his room.

The moment the door clicked shut, silence fell again. Coleen and I exchanged a look before bursting into laughter.

“Well,” I said, still catching my breath, “that was… memorable.”

She groaned, burying her face in my shoulder. “He’s never going to let me live this down.”

“Good,” I teased, kissing her temple. “Because I don’t want to forget it either.”

And even though Mark had ruined the moment, the truth lingered in the air between us, stronger, undeniable, impossible to take back.