Total pages in book: 137
Estimated words: 131271 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 656(@200wpm)___ 525(@250wpm)___ 438(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 131271 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 656(@200wpm)___ 525(@250wpm)___ 438(@300wpm)
We’re Draytons, and for all the good the name has bought us, living with the ghost weight of a flawed father with exceptional talent doesn’t get any easier.
“We’re creating our own legacy.” I throw my arm around Jacob’s tight shoulders, willing him to hear me. “Fuck the past. The future is ours.”
Jacob rubs his temple and sighs. “Yeah,” he says. “Our own legacy.” But rather than it sounding like a good thing, his statement sounds bleak.
EASTERN ICEBREAKERS INSTAGRAM PAGE
Photo: The Draytons, sweaty after the game, being interviewed by Julia Conran.
Caption:
“We’re focused on hockey,” Jacob Drayton says after the win.
Fans will be relieved to hear the star forward is focused on the next game, backed by his brothers and the rest of the Icebreakers team.
Did you see the interview?
Should reporters be able to ask players questions about their personal lives?
Let us know your thoughts below.
#HockeyLife #DraytonTriplets #IcebreakersTeam #IceHockey #SportsMedia #GameDayVibes #HockeyTalk #BehindTheScenes #SportsInterviews #TeamSpirit #GoalGetter #EasternUniversity
Comments:
“Great game, but I can see both sides. Players represent the school on and off the ice, so personal lives do matter. But maybe the media should back off a bit.”
“Not gonna lie, the Drayton brothers are incredible players, but all this off-ice gossip makes Eastern look bad. We’re a hockey team, not a reality show.”
“Drayton brothers are fire. Loved watching them dominate tonight. Ignore the haters and keep focused, boys!”
“Honestly, Julia Conran needs to chill with those personal questions. These guys are here to win games, not spill tea.”
“Star forward or not, personal drama affects the whole team. Reporters have a right to ask—fans deserve to know if it’s a distraction.”
34
RILEY
I love watching hockey. It will always hold a place in my heart because it’s something I shared with my dad growing up. His enthusiasm and willingness to have me tag along were highlights of my childhood. But watching tonight’s game was hard. I knew Jacob, Hayes, and Shawn were going into the game with the weight of the exposure of our relationship resting on their shoulders. I knew the opposing team could raise it to incite trouble.
They played well, despite the off-ice dramas, but watching Jacob throwdown and fight and worrying that it’s because of our relationship was so hard, I spent an hour after the game coming up with ways to tell them it’s over. They need to go their way. They can’t sacrifice everything they’ve been working toward for a relationship they’ll leave behind in a few months.
But every time I tried to formulate the words, tears would gather in my eyes and plop onto my cheeks, and I’d have to swipe them away and stare at the ceiling, blinking.
I don’t want to let them go. Ever. I could never have anticipated how special they are and how happy, fulfilled and content they make me.
For a long time, it was just me and my dad, and I’d look at other people’s families and be jealous of the fun and camaraderie. Now, I have that every day, so much so that I can’t imagine being without it.
And even though my dad has some concerns, it’s not because he doesn’t trust the Draytons. Not really. He knows those men because of the boys they used to be. It’s just the unconventional setup that he wanted reassurance about, and they succeeded in making him believe that they’re serious and will protect me from anything coming our way.
Sitting in their den, waiting for them to return home is strange. I tidied up a little and made sandwiches and snacks knowing they’d be hungry from the game.
The sound of the key in the lock sends a jolt of nervous energy through me as my heart thuds against my ribs. The door swings open, and they enter their home noisily, making a beeline for the den where they know I’ll be. The TV’s playing a teen movie I’ve been mostly ignoring, and the lights are dim, so when Hayes sticks his head in the door, he blinks a couple of times and sweeps his intense sapphire eyes across the room, searching for me.
The smile he gives me is so warm and steady, it makes the emotions I swallowed rise up until they swamp me with happiness. Shawn follows, his ever-present smirk magnetic as he shucks off his coat and tosses it onto a chair. And then there’s Jacob, bringing up the rear, his broad shoulders hunched, his jaw tight, and his lids lowered until he realizes the room is dark and he can blink and open his eyes. His skin looks gray like he’s sickening, and I squint at him, concerned, as he forces a smile.
“Well done,” I say. “That was a game to remember.”
“It was,” Jacob says, but his tone is clipped.
Hayes crosses the room in three long strides and picks me up, cradling me in his arms like a toddler who needs to be put straight to bed. He kisses me hard at first, then soft and teasing, melting me against him.