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COLEENThe morning after our date, I woke up smiling.Which was terrifying.Because I wasn’t the kind of girl who woke up smiling over a boy. I wasn’t the kind of girl who replayed conversations in her head while brushing her teeth, or who scrolled through her messages to see if maybe, just maybe, he’d texted “good morning” before I was even awake.But apparently, I was now.Mark noticed before I even finished pouring my cereal.“You’re chipper,” he said, lounging at the table in his sweatpants like someone who hadn’t seen daylight in days. “What happened to the girl who grumbles through breakfast like a grumpy cat?”“Nothing.” I shoved a spoonful of cereal into my mouth, trying to play it cool. “Just in a good mood.”“Uh-huh.” He tilted his head, studying me. “And does this good mood happen to be six-foot-two with great hair?”I choked on my cereal, coughing hard enough to make my eyes water. “Mark!”He grinned like a cat that got into the cream. “So, I guess I can assume from your m

Last Updated : 2025-08-27

052

HAYDENThe call came out of nowhere.I was halfway through lacing my skates for morning practice when my phone buzzed on the bench. I almost ignored it. I'm usually good at tuning out distractions before I hit the ice, but the name flashing across the screen made me freeze.It was my mom.I hadn’t heard from her since… well, since before camp. And now, weeks later, she was calling me? I hesitated, staring at the screen like it might explode. Jason, who was sitting two lockers down, noticed.“You gonna get that?” he asked, leaning back with that lazy grin. “Or do you need me to tell your mom you’re too cool to talk?”I shot him a glare but answered anyway, pressing the phone to my ear. “Hey, Mom.”“Hayden,” her voice was smooth and polite, like we were strangers. “I just realized I never asked you about that hockey camp you went to. How did it go?”I blinked, surprised she even remembered. “It went great. Intense, but… worth it. I learned a lot.”“That’s good.” There was an awkward pau

Last Updated : 2025-08-27

053

COLEENThe wind bit through my coat as soon as I stepped outside, the kind of cold that nipped at your ears and made you question every life decision that involved leaving a warm apartment. Hayden had texted that he was waiting by his car, and sure enough, there he was, leaning against it like he was posing for a magazine cover instead of freezing in the parking lot.“You’re going to turn into an icicle,” I called as I walked over.He grinned, shoving his hands deeper into his pockets. “What, and ruin my reputation as a tough hockey guy? Can’t let that happen.”“You could at least pretend to be human and wear a hat,” I teased.“Can’t mess up the hair,” he shot back. “Priorities, Coleen.”I rolled my eyes as I reached him, but I couldn’t stop the small smile tugging at my lips. “You ready?”“Always,” he said, opening the car door for me with a little mock bow. “Your chariot awaits.”I slid in, muttering, “You’re ridiculous.”“And yet,” he replied, rounding to the driver’s side, “You st

Last Updated : 2025-09-02

054

HAYDENI didn’t know the best way to explain it, but game days had a rhythm.It usually felt like a ritual of sorts. Every player had their game day routine, most people were even superstitious about it, but I didn't think it was that deep. I would admit that one's game day routine played a significant role in their preparedness.For me, I like to wake up early, shake off the nerves with coffee that was probably stronger than it needed to be, run through warm-ups until my legs feel alive, and try not to overthink the fact that the stands would be full by puck drop. Usually, I was good at keeping my head down, it was just me, my teammates, and the ice.But today? I could already feel the eyes.Word had gotten around that a few NHL scouts were showing up again, and the locker room buzzed with it. Everyone tried to play it cool, but you could see the extra sharpness in how guys taped their sticks, hear it in how hard we slammed the pucks against the boards during practice drills.“Big n

Last Updated : 2025-09-02

055

COLEENI hated Mondays. Well... not all the time but most of the time. It was the start of the week and I'm never fully recovered from the weekend by the time Monday rolls around.Mondays were supposed to be miserable. Mine wasn’t… terrible.Classes, notes, the kind of steady routine I’d grown used to, it was all strangely comforting. Mark and I even managed to grab a quick lunch between his music theory lab and my psych lecture.“You look less stressed than usual,” Mark said around a mouthful of fries. "The Coleen I know would not be looking this relaxed on a Monday."“I’m hiding it well,” I said, smirking as I reached for one of his fries. He slapped my hand away.“Rude. Get your own.”“I paid for your coffee this morning,” I reminded him, glaring. “I deserve at least one fry as interest.”He rolled his eyes, pushing the carton toward me. “Fine. So, what’s new with you and Lover Boy?”“Don’t call him that,” I muttered, but my ears heated anyway. “And nothing’s ‘new.’ We’re just… han

Last Updated : 2025-09-03

All Chapters of The Hockey Star Regret : Chapter 51 - Chapter 55

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