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"I was dating this guy--Vernon--about eight years ago I was eighteen e ether two years It was so intense We were in love Living together Planning a future together We were both dancers It was great, you know? He really understood me since we had the saht it was forever Until he got a job offer to dance in Los Angeles And he took it"

"Without talking to you about it?" Carolina asked

Stella nodded

"So he broke up with you?"

"No He just assuured I’d get another job at some point out in LA Like my job at the tiree When I told hiothiure out a way to work things out, but with him there was no coat the time, and I wanted to stay here He said if I really loved him, I’d move with hi but to otistical so I loved New York and intended to stay here You would have thought fro or so He had the nerve to act like he was the one who’d been hurt"

Carolina rolled her eyes

"The breakup was ugly I thought I was going to marry him, and instead, he moved away I lost trust in men after that"

"He hurt you Badly And no wonder you’ve been relationship-shy all these years But all ic tellsdifferent I just couldn’t risk falling so deeply in love and letting soain Orbroken inside of me"

"You’re not broken, Stell You were hurt, and when soet over I went through so similar with Drew, if you recall It was hard for ain"

Stella nodded "I remember And if I recall, e advice that was Drew’s a great guy and he loves you You love him It all worked out for you, and clearly I had no idea what I was talking about See? I don’t think I can be trusted where hed "You were just trying to protectto be one to you Don’t judge all men by how Vernon treated you If you love Trick, ive him the benefit of the doubt At least talk to him about your fears"

Maybe she should She’d never told anyone about Vernon And now she’d told Carolina, who hadn’t uess I’ll try"

Carolina squeezed her hand "See? Progress"

Chapter Eleven

They were tied two to two after the end of the second period Trick’s frustration level was high, but he was trying to keep his focus They all were It was interure out a strategy so they could win this godda off our power plays," their coach said "We have to do better there"

Coach was right about that They weren’t taking advantage of the power plays They’d had three so far and hadn’t capitalized on any of theuys Our strength and stao show them e can do"

They stood, and raised their sticks in the air, touching theuys are the best team I’ve ever coached," the coach said "Now, let’s kick their butts"

They took the ice to the cheer of the crowd, so that always fired up Trick With the home crowd behind them, he knew they could win this Now they just had to prove to their fans they were as good as the applause they were getting

Drew took the face-off and Trick clutched his stick, ready for the puck When it sailed away from him, he took off after it, only to skid to a halt when Drew scooped the puck up and shot it toward hiht by the net, so he took the shot

It bounced off the right side of the goal and into the net, lighting up the lamp