Audrey moved her hands along her cheeks as hiccup sobs left her body. She had so many plans when she was younger. So many, and all of them were gone now. If she would have been strong and stood up to her father when she had the chance, she wouldn’t be here; she would be doing what she wanted. Instead, she was working a job she hated, involved in relationships with deadbeats, and would never be able to hold a child who she grew inside of her.

It wasn’t fair.

But it was her life.

***

Tate slammed his stick against the goal post.

What the f**k was his problem! That was two goals in 52 seconds! He never let goals in that quickly and for the first time he had! Tate inhaled a deep cleansing breath. He wasn’t himself, and that needed to change. There was no way he was going to let the Assassins’ lose to the Ducks, the worst team in the NHL. He was one of the three top goalies in the league! He had to get his head in the game. He had to.

Tate slammed his stick against his pads before standing high and looking out at the ice. His captain, Shea Adler, and his alternate captain, Jacob Titov, stood together as three forwards skated around, getting ready for the puck to be dropped. Tate glanced over to where coach Bacter stood, yelling his ass off. He never really talked to the guys when they were on the ice; he was more of a yeller.

And he scared the living shit out of Tate.

Tate’s career was in the hands of Bacter. If he kept messing up, all Bacter had to do was say he wanted someone else, and Tate would be back in Florida on the Assassins’ farm team, something he didn’t want. He loved his team. Adler, Titov, Brooks, and Anderson were his friends. Real friends. He hadn’t felt like he was at home until meeting those guys. He was also getting used to Nashville, and he was getting settled into his condo. Things were good.

Except for the fact that the first time he has sex in months, the girl he wakes up next to shoots out of the room faster than a puck being shot into a goal by his captain. It was depressing and it really did f**k with his head. Was he that horrible? Did he not give her everything she wanted? He had made sure to give more than he took, but it must have not been good enough. What did he do wrong? But most of all, why was he letting this affect his game!

Tate smacked his pads again, taking in another cleansing breath. He had a game to win. He would think about his issues with the un-named girl later.

After the game Tate sat by his locker, with his head between his knees. How he ended up winning would always be a mystery to him. He was a mess between those steel pipes and he didn’t know if he was going to be able to be the goalie that the Assassins needed. At one point he had completely blacked out from all the adrenaline coursing through his system. Finally he got his head in the game and nothing else mattered. Not the thousands of people watching or the Brunette Beauty from two days ago.

She was still heavy on his mind as he took in deep shuddering breaths. All he could see was the worried lines between her eyes as she looked for her clothes. She was in such a hurry to leave. It was as if she couldn’t get away from him quickly enough. Was he really that awful? He could have sworn they had a good time. Tate knew he had taken exceptional care of her in a bed that was big even to him. He had been the perfect lover and man, was she a hot little thing!

He still wasn’t breathing right after the ways she worked him. She had him yelling out things that he normally wouldn’t say. She was gorgeous and sexy, and he wanted more. But he hadn’t gotten her number, or hell, even her name. How was he supposed to find a woman who didn’t want to be found?

“Goldie! What the hell is wrong with you?”

Tate looked up to see Lucas Brooks standing in front of him already dressed and ready to go. Tate sat in his gear, still sweaty. As he looked around the room, he saw that he was the last one still in gear. Not that it mattered; the team couldn’t leave without him. He looked back up into Lucas’ eyes and shrugged his shoulders.

“Nothing, just thinking.”

Lucas scoffed, “Are you still thinking of the runaway lay? Let her go, she obviously wasn’t worth your time.”

Tate shook his head, “She was amazing.”

Lucas laughed, “Dude, she’s the first girl in months. You’ll find another.”

Tate ran his hands through his short hair. He hated his new haircut. He liked his blonde hair long, not in a short cut, but the guys had made fun of him, calling him Goldilocks, so he went ahead and cut it. Now, he was regretting it more and more each day. He should have known better, Matilda, his sister, had always told him not to cut it no matter what. He should have listened. Now he felt more like a girly boy, than he did before.

With a huff, Tate looked up at Lucas again, and shrugged his shoulders.

“You are probably right. It just bothers me.”

Lucas nodded, “It would bother me too, but don’t worry. You’ll find someone. I’ll see you on the bus.”

Tate nodded as Lucas walked off. Little did Lucas know that Tate’s confidence was blown to bits! It had taken a lot for him to walk up to the beauty and hit on her. He wasn’t used to things around here. It scared him shitless to be rejected and watching her run out of that hotel room made all hope of his finding someone go up in smoke.

Tate knew he was young and good looking. He shouldn’t have any problem finding someone but it still bothered him. He wanted a relationship like his parents. He wanted to find that special person, the same special person his dad had in Tate’s mom. He wanted to find her like his dad had when they were young. He wanted to love only her for the rest of his life. He wanted to have a son, so he could teach him how to play hockey. Tate wanted everything while he was young, just as his parents had done. Was it too much to ask?