Arena Lights

ARENA LIGHTS FU FIRE HOCKEY SERIES MANDI BECK Arena Lights Copyright 2019 by Mandi Beck Cover Designer: Letitia Hasser, RBA Designs Cover Photo: Lauren Perry, Perrywinkle Photography Copy Editor: Jenny Simms, Edits 4 Indies Copyright Law: If you are reading this book and did not purchase it, this book has been pirated and you are stealing. Please delete it from your device and support the author by purchasing a legal copy. All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under the copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of the above copyright owner of this book or publisher. This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademarked statue and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners. To my Hockey Boy, you’ll always be my favorite player. And to Ran, thank you for allowing us to dream our dreams and doing your best to make them come true. ALSO BY MANDI BECK FU Hockey Series Sin Bin Arena Lights Sweater Weather Caged Love Love Hurts Love Burns Wrecked Series Stoned Rhythm Sugar Cherry Falls Series 1228 Wanderlust Lane 1026 Wild Way Standalone Twisted CONTENTS 1. Maeve 2. Benny 3. Maeve 4. Benny 5. Maeve 6. Benny 7. Maeve 8. Benny 9. Maeve 10. Benny 11. Benny 12. Maeve Epilogue FU Hockey Series Sweater Weather: Chapter One About the Author This is your moment. You're meant to be here. -Herb Brooks 1 MAEVE “Are you even listening to me?” I pop my head out of the closet at my sister’s question. I was not listening to her, and she busted me. In my defense, she hasn’t stopped talking since she barged into my room twenty minutes ago and threw herself on my bed right in the middle of the clothes I had laid out to pack. “Sorry, Millie, what did you say?” Sighing in exasperation, her breath ruffling her red hair the exact shade of mine, she repeats herself. “Two weeks away without our brother or daddy! Can you say party? Because I can. I can also say sex. And party, and drinking, and sex,” my twin goes on excitedly. I’m just as excited about this trip, but just for different reasons. “You may have mentioned a couple of those more than once. I’m not sure if you said sex yet. Did you say sex? I wasn’t really paying attention.” All I can do is laugh. Millie acts like we lead a wicked sheltered life. Just because our older brother, the captain of the hockey team, has eyes and ears all over campus—making it a little harder to date—and our dad just happens to be the coach of our softball team—and therefore always around—doesn’t mean we don’t get a chance to do all the things she’s talking about. Not that I do, because there is more to being in college than invites to frat parties, drinking, and hooking up. Even if Millie doesn’t think so. “Aren’t you even a little excited? No hockey boys around to go back to Levi and snitch about every move we make?” I’m just about to answer when a voice comes from the doorway. “What moves you making, Mill?” “Levi!” she squeaks, jumping from the bed. “Don’t sneak up on us. We’re having a private conversation.” She practically hisses at our older brother. His wide shoulders fill the doorway, as he stands leaning against the doorframe with his arms crossed over his broad chest. She knows she’s been caught. “I can tell.” Levi looks over at me. “How about you, Maevey? Are you making moves?” he asks, knowing damn well he’ll get more out of me than Millie. She knows it too, which is why she doesn’t give me a chance to answer. “Nobody is making any moves. We’re just packing for Arizona. What do you want?” Millie hurries to say, the flush on her face making the freckles sprinkled across her nose more prominent. “Just coming to drop clothes off and to tell you that my favorite roommate is going with you guys on your little trip,” he says smugly. Obviously, he heard Millie’s little “no hockey boys” dig. “What? Who? It’s not a hockey trip; it’s a softball and baseball trip!” she whines. Trying to defuse the situation before she throws a real hissy, I say, “Oh, calm down, Millie. He’s joking.” “Umm, no, I’m not.” Confused myself now, I ask, “You’re not? Millie’s right; it’s a softball and baseball clinic. Why would a hockey player be going? And who is your favorite roommate? You have three.” “Well, Benny is my favorite today. Mostly because he’s tagging along to make sure there aren’t any moves being made.” He shoots a smug look at Millie, throwing her words back at her. “His sister is your assistant coach and in charge of the whole trip since Dad isn’t going. Plus, their family lives in Arizona, so she asked if Benny could come with them. This way, they can visit their parents, and he can be a chaperone, cutting the team’s costs. It just makes the most sense.” Levi looks way too pleased about this, and Millie looks about to cry. I swear that boy loves making her life hell. Well, hell as far as Mill is concerned anyway. “So not fair!” She huffs and stomps from my room, calling for Mom like she can put a stop to this. “She’s maaaaaaddd,” he gloats. “You knew she would be. That’s why you came all the way over here to tell us.” He’s not fooling me. “It’s true.” “You’re shameless.” My