I grin. His mood for some scintillating gossip excites me and expels all my troubles out of my head momentarily. I’ll take the reprieve.

“Okay,” I say conspiratorially. “So, I met one of the Cold Fury players and we ended up having quite the conversation.”

“How so?” Stevie asks, his eyes twinkling.

“He just approached me and told me some crap about how beautiful I was, and that it wasn’t a cheesy pickup line, but oh, God…it was so cheesy and completely a pickup line.”

“Is he hot?”

“Beyond hot,” I tell him while nodding. “He’s got dark brown hair that’s pretty long…about near his chin, but it’s cut in like these choppy layers.”

Stevie closes his eyes and sighs at the fantasy I’m painting.

“And the most amazing green eyes. Really light and reflective. Oh, and he’s tall, and you can tell he’s really muscular. He’s just a really beautiful man.”

“I’m dying just imagining,” Stevie practically squeals. “So…when are you going out?”

The grin I had been sporting as I described Garrett melts off my face. “We’re not. I turned him down.”

“You what?” Stevie practically shrieks. “Are you crazy? You haven’t had a date since before Moses was born and now you’re being chased after by a freakin’ hot hockey player. Please tell me you’re joking.”

I sniff with offense. “He’s just wanting to get into my panties. He doesn’t want anything serious.”

“And?” Stevie drawls. “What’s wrong with that?”

I open my mouth to tell him exactly what’s wrong with that, but nothing comes out. My mind whirls and I try to think back to what I was feeling when he asked me out. Warmth, excitement, maybe even a little desire. All good feelings, no doubt. So why in the hell did I say no?

“And don’t give me that shit about being morally opposed to casual sex,” Stevie says before I can even think of that excuse.

“I’m not morally opposed to it,” I mutter. “I’m just not that type of person.”

I absolutely am not. Never have been. All my sexual experiences have been the products of long-term and trusting relationships.

Stevie rolls his eyes at me. “Why typecast yourself, Olivia? There’s nothing wrong with giving in to your desires. As long as you are both consenting adults, you’re safe, and you have realistic expectations, tell me where is the downside?”

Snorting, I cock an eyebrow at him. “You make it all sound so simple, especially when nothing in my life is simple anymore.”

“It is simple,” he asserts. “Maybe something simple was put before you because you need simple. Damn if you don’t have a hell of a lot of complicated right now. So, the way I see it…simple is good. Not to mention…he sounds like the perfect diversion.”

I’ve never been one for thrills or excitement. Adrenaline rushes make me nauseated and the unknown makes me break out in hives. I’ve always loved the quiet and surety.

But now that I’m facing a potentially limited lifespan, I have to wonder if I’m missing out on something. If this disease kills me, will I have any regrets about turning my nose up at opportunity? Even if the opportunity is scary and daunting but potentially thrilling to the bone?

“So, what you’re saying is I should just go out and have some wild monkey sex with a complete stranger?”

Stevie rolls his eyes at me and swats my leg. “That’s a good place to start, but I think you know what I’m saying. Seize your life by the horns. What better time to do it than now? And not just with wild monkey sex. You’re getting ready to go into battle, honey, and you need to suit up with armor and get ready to kick some ass.”

I chew my bottom lip, considering what he’s saying.

“But,” Stevie adds on with seriousness, “I do believe a sweaty, naked night with a hot hockey player is the perfect place to start.”

Maybe he’s right. Maybe I need to break out of my comfort zone and really start living my life as if every day is my last. Because frankly…that could be a true statement.

Unfortunately, I think the opportunity with Garrett has passed. I turned him down flatly, and I’ll never see him again. And there’s no way I’m going to Sutton and asking her to hook me up with Alex’s bestie. She’d never understand me turning into a wanton hussy.

No, that ship has sailed, but I do think I’ll take Stevie’s advice and start opening myself up to further opportunities that will be coming my way. Because I’m not going down without a fight, and if I do go down, I don’t want there to be any regrets.

Chapter 3

Garrett

Coach blows the whistle and we take off. Alex has the puck at center ice as I streak down the left side, and our other first line forward, Kel Borden, mirrors me on the right. Alex gently taps the puck back and forth with his stick while his eyes stay pinned on the goalie, Thomas Erickson. He closes in…straight down the center, but Thomas spreads his body wide, his hulking frame taking up too damn much of the net. Alex winds back for a quick slap shot, but at the last minute shoots a quick-but-subtle pass my way. Even as his blade just kisses the puck goodbye, I’m winding my stick back, intent on taking my own blistering shot at the goal. At the last second, I see Kel close in from the right as Thomas turns his full attention to me. Rather than let my cannon blast go, I give a soft flick against the puck and shoot it center-ice to Kel.