Hat Trick Sneak Peel
Relaunch Exclusive
“So, you have to tell me—what’s it like?” Jessica’s voice was pure mischief, low and conspiratorial as she leaned closer, the black eyeliner wand hovering dangerously near my eye.
“What’s what like?” I asked, blinking fast to keep from smudging her work.
She pulled back just enough to study her progress, the tiny tip of her tongue caught between her teeth as she assessed the symmetry. “Sleeping with Gavin. Don’t even try to play coy with me. I bet he’s incredible.”
A shiver rolled straight down my spine at the mere thought. The morning flashed behind my eyes—his hands gripping my hips, the gravel in his voice when he’d whispered my name against my neck. I pressed my knees together instinctively.
“It’s…” I swallowed, cheeks heating. “It’s complete and total ecstasy. I really don’t know how else to describe it. The way he growls when I’m pleasing him—gah!” I waved a hand in the air helplessly. “It’s like… primal poetry. I never thought I’d feel so much with one person, ya know?”
Jessica gave a slow, knowing grin. “Hearing a guy moan because of you is the sexiest compliment ever.”
I laughed, the kind that feels like champagne bubbles. “Exactly. It’s like—confirmation I’m doing something right with my life.”
She dusted my cheekbones lightly and leaned back to inspect her masterpiece. “There,” she said proudly. “Absolute smoke show. If Gavin doesn’t lose his mind when you walk back out there, I’ll eat this eyeliner.”
“Noted.” I hopped down from the counter and took a look in the mirror. Damn, she was good. My lashes looked a mile long, my eyes darker, sharper, but still soft at the edges. For a second, I actually felt glamorous.
Jessica tilted her head. “Is it just me, or did it get really quiet all of a sudden?”
I frowned. The bass from the party had faded. Even the usual hum of conversation was gone. “Yeah… it did.”
A pit opened in my stomach. That wasn’t party quiet—that was something’s wrong quiet.
Before either of us could move, Brayden appeared in the doorway, tension already written across his face. “You might want to go see if Gavin’s okay,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck. “Some chick walked in, and he marched her right out into the hallway.”
“What?” My heart dropped straight through the floor.
I brushed past Brayden, heels clicking against the tile as I hurried toward the front door. The second I opened it, the winter air slapped me across the face.
And there they were.
A woman stood in the hallway, crying so hard her mascara streaked down her cheeks, and Gavin—my Gavin—was standing over her, fists clenched, every muscle in his body tight with fury.
“After all these years,” he was shouting, voice echoing against the marble walls, “you pick tonight—of all fucking nights—to come to my home?”
“Gavin, please, I’m sorry!” Her voice cracked, desperate.
I froze in the doorway, confusion, fear, and jealousy fighting for dominance inside me.
“It’s way too late for that,” he barked. “Just because my mother called you to tell you I’ve finally found true happiness with someone else gives you no fucking right.”
The woman—tall, bleached blonde, stunning in a hollow kind of way—collapsed to her knees, sobbing. “But I love you,” she grumbled.
“Fuck you!” Gavin’s words were sharp enough to cut glass.
Every cell in my body buzzed. I’d seen him angry before—on the ice, in the heat of a game—but never like this. This was raw, unguarded pain.
“Gavin?” I whispered, my voice breaking before I could stop it.
He turned sharply, breathing hard. His eyes softened the second they landed on me, but there was still a storm behind them. “Myla,” he said, exhaling roughly. “This is Marsheila. And she was just leaving.”
Marsheila. The name hit like a slap. The Marsheila. The ex who’d broken him.
Her hair clung to her damp cheeks, and even through the smeared makeup, I could see she was beautiful in that polished, empty way that belonged to women who’d never had to fight for love.
“I’m sorry for dropping in like this,” she murmured.
I stepped closer, lacing my fingers through Gavin’s, feeling his pulse hammering beneath his skin. “I think he said you were leaving.” I pressed the elevator button with a calmness I didn’t feel, holding her gaze the whole time.
She shuffled forward, clutching her purse. “I didn’t mean to ruin your party.”
I smiled sweetly. “Oh, honey, you could never ruin my night. Thank you for leaving him, so I could find the man of my dreams.”
The elevator dinged, and the doors closed between us.
For a moment, the only sound was Gavin’s ragged breathing and the faint hum of the elevator descending. Then he pulled me into his arms, so tightly it nearly knocked the air from my lungs.
“I’m so sorry, baby,” he whispered against my hair. His voice trembled with leftover anger. “My mom doesn’t know how to mind her own damn business. I had no idea she’d do this.”
I pulled back just enough to cup his jaw, forcing him to look at me. His eyes were still wild—hurt and fury tangled together—but underneath, I saw it: fear. Fear that I’d see this scene and walk away.
“It’s not your fault,” I said softly. “But we’ve got a room full of guests wondering what the hell just happened, and I think it’s time we go remind them this is supposed to be a celebration.”
His shoulders loosened, and the corner of his mouth lifted just enough for me to see the man I loved again.
I brushed my thumb across his cheekbone, lingering there. “You okay?”
He nodded. “Yeah. I just… didn’t expect that ghost to come walking back in.”
“Then let’s put her back in the grave where she belongs.”
He huffed a half-laugh, forehead dropping against mine. “You’re something else, you know that?”
“Yeah.” I grinned quickly. “But I’m your something else.”
I kissed him, slow and steady, until the tension eased from his body and his hands slid down to my waist. When I finally pulled away, I laced our fingers together and nodded toward the door.
“Now,” I said, “let’s go remind everyone this party’s for me—and that I have the hottest, most dramatic boyfriend in Manhattan.”
He laughed, low and real this time, and followed me back inside.
The crowd erupted into cheers when we walked in, oblivious to the chaos that had just taken place in the hallway. The music picked back up, glasses clinked, and for one dizzying moment, it felt like the universe was right again.
And maybe it was.
Because Gavin’s hand never left mine for the rest of the night.
“What’s what like?” I asked, blinking fast to keep from smudging her work.
She pulled back just enough to study her progress, the tiny tip of her tongue caught between her teeth as she assessed the symmetry. “Sleeping with Gavin. Don’t even try to play coy with me. I bet he’s incredible.”
A shiver rolled straight down my spine at the mere thought. The morning flashed behind my eyes—his hands gripping my hips, the gravel in his voice when he’d whispered my name against my neck. I pressed my knees together instinctively.
“It’s…” I swallowed, cheeks heating. “It’s complete and total ecstasy. I really don’t know how else to describe it. The way he growls when I’m pleasing him—gah!” I waved a hand in the air helplessly. “It’s like… primal poetry. I never thought I’d feel so much with one person, ya know?”
Jessica gave a slow, knowing grin. “Hearing a guy moan because of you is the sexiest compliment ever.”
I laughed, the kind that feels like champagne bubbles. “Exactly. It’s like—confirmation I’m doing something right with my life.”
She dusted my cheekbones lightly and leaned back to inspect her masterpiece. “There,” she said proudly. “Absolute smoke show. If Gavin doesn’t lose his mind when you walk back out there, I’ll eat this eyeliner.”
“Noted.” I hopped down from the counter and took a look in the mirror. Damn, she was good. My lashes looked a mile long, my eyes darker, sharper, but still soft at the edges. For a second, I actually felt glamorous.
Jessica tilted her head. “Is it just me, or did it get really quiet all of a sudden?”
I frowned. The bass from the party had faded. Even the usual hum of conversation was gone. “Yeah… it did.”
A pit opened in my stomach. That wasn’t party quiet—that was something’s wrong quiet.
Before either of us could move, Brayden appeared in the doorway, tension already written across his face. “You might want to go see if Gavin’s okay,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck. “Some chick walked in, and he marched her right out into the hallway.”
“What?” My heart dropped straight through the floor.
I brushed past Brayden, heels clicking against the tile as I hurried toward the front door. The second I opened it, the winter air slapped me across the face.
And there they were.
A woman stood in the hallway, crying so hard her mascara streaked down her cheeks, and Gavin—my Gavin—was standing over her, fists clenched, every muscle in his body tight with fury.
“After all these years,” he was shouting, voice echoing against the marble walls, “you pick tonight—of all fucking nights—to come to my home?”
“Gavin, please, I’m sorry!” Her voice cracked, desperate.
I froze in the doorway, confusion, fear, and jealousy fighting for dominance inside me.
“It’s way too late for that,” he barked. “Just because my mother called you to tell you I’ve finally found true happiness with someone else gives you no fucking right.”
The woman—tall, bleached blonde, stunning in a hollow kind of way—collapsed to her knees, sobbing. “But I love you,” she grumbled.
“Fuck you!” Gavin’s words were sharp enough to cut glass.
Every cell in my body buzzed. I’d seen him angry before—on the ice, in the heat of a game—but never like this. This was raw, unguarded pain.
“Gavin?” I whispered, my voice breaking before I could stop it.
He turned sharply, breathing hard. His eyes softened the second they landed on me, but there was still a storm behind them. “Myla,” he said, exhaling roughly. “This is Marsheila. And she was just leaving.”
Marsheila. The name hit like a slap. The Marsheila. The ex who’d broken him.
Her hair clung to her damp cheeks, and even through the smeared makeup, I could see she was beautiful in that polished, empty way that belonged to women who’d never had to fight for love.
“I’m sorry for dropping in like this,” she murmured.
I stepped closer, lacing my fingers through Gavin’s, feeling his pulse hammering beneath his skin. “I think he said you were leaving.” I pressed the elevator button with a calmness I didn’t feel, holding her gaze the whole time.
She shuffled forward, clutching her purse. “I didn’t mean to ruin your party.”
I smiled sweetly. “Oh, honey, you could never ruin my night. Thank you for leaving him, so I could find the man of my dreams.”
The elevator dinged, and the doors closed between us.
For a moment, the only sound was Gavin’s ragged breathing and the faint hum of the elevator descending. Then he pulled me into his arms, so tightly it nearly knocked the air from my lungs.
“I’m so sorry, baby,” he whispered against my hair. His voice trembled with leftover anger. “My mom doesn’t know how to mind her own damn business. I had no idea she’d do this.”
I pulled back just enough to cup his jaw, forcing him to look at me. His eyes were still wild—hurt and fury tangled together—but underneath, I saw it: fear. Fear that I’d see this scene and walk away.
“It’s not your fault,” I said softly. “But we’ve got a room full of guests wondering what the hell just happened, and I think it’s time we go remind them this is supposed to be a celebration.”
His shoulders loosened, and the corner of his mouth lifted just enough for me to see the man I loved again.
I brushed my thumb across his cheekbone, lingering there. “You okay?”
He nodded. “Yeah. I just… didn’t expect that ghost to come walking back in.”
“Then let’s put her back in the grave where she belongs.”
He huffed a half-laugh, forehead dropping against mine. “You’re something else, you know that?”
“Yeah.” I grinned quickly. “But I’m your something else.”
I kissed him, slow and steady, until the tension eased from his body and his hands slid down to my waist. When I finally pulled away, I laced our fingers together and nodded toward the door.
“Now,” I said, “let’s go remind everyone this party’s for me—and that I have the hottest, most dramatic boyfriend in Manhattan.”
He laughed, low and real this time, and followed me back inside.
The crowd erupted into cheers when we walked in, oblivious to the chaos that had just taken place in the hallway. The music picked back up, glasses clinked, and for one dizzying moment, it felt like the universe was right again.
And maybe it was.
Because Gavin’s hand never left mine for the rest of the night.
Hat Trick is available for free with Kindle Unlimited
AUTHOR NOTE:
This new edition of Hat Trick is part of my complete Shots on Goal relaunch—eight fully rewritten, expanded, and newly edited novels releasing together on January 30, 2026. All eight updated editions will be available for preorder as part of this special relaunch event. Thank you so much for being here and celebrating this next chapter with me.
This new edition of Hat Trick is part of my complete Shots on Goal relaunch—eight fully rewritten, expanded, and newly edited novels releasing together on January 30, 2026. All eight updated editions will be available for preorder as part of this special relaunch event. Thank you so much for being here and celebrating this next chapter with me.