Off-Limits

Nowhere to Go

Lena’s Pov

I stared at my phone screen until it went completely black, feeling the cold metal press against my icy fingers. Panic was like a tight knot in my chest, making it hard to take a deep breath. I sat on the hard metal bench near the arena exit, pulled up my search app, and started typing furiously. I looked up every hotel, motel, and cheap guest house within driving distance of the rink.

"Fifty dollars? No way…, but two hundred dollars a night?" I gasped out loud, scrolling through the prices. My heart sank deeper with every tap of my finger. Every affordable room was completely booked because of the big hockey tournament in town this weekend. The only places with open beds were luxury hotels that cost more than my entire monthly paycheck, or places over an hour away with no bus route to get me to work by seven in the morning.

I leaned my head back against the cold brick wall and squeezed my eyes shut. Embarrassment burned hot in my cheeks. I had come here to prove to everyone that I could take care of myself without running to my big brother for help. I wanted so badly to be independent, but now, on my very first day, I was completely stuck.

With a heavy sigh, I tapped on Marcus’s contact and hit call.

"Hey, Lena!" Marcus answered on the second ring, his voice loud and full of energy. "How was day one? Did you crush it?"

"Marcus," I said, my voice trembling just a tiny bit. I bit my lip to steady myself. "I have a small problem. A huge problem, actually. The apartment I was supposed to rent flooded, and the lady canceled on me. I don't have anywhere to sleep tonight."

"What? Are you kidding me?" Marcus’s tone changed instantly from cheerful to full big-brother protective mode. "Where are you right now? Are you still at the arena? Don't move. You're coming to stay at my place tonight. We’ll figure the rest out tomorrow."

A huge wave of relief washed over me. "Are you sure? I really don't want to intrude."

"You're my sister, Lena. Of course you're staying here. I’m heading to my car right now. Wait by the front entrance."

Ten minutes later, Marcus pulled his big black truck up to the curb. I tossed my heavy suitcase into the back seat and climbed into the front, letting out a breath I felt like I had been holding for hours. We drove for fifteen minutes toward his house, chatting about my day, and for a moment, I thought everything was going to be completely fine.

But as soon as Marcus turned down his street, his brake lights flared red.

"What in the world?" Marcus muttered, stopping the truck in the middle of the road.

Bright red and blue lights were flashing all over his driveway. A massive yellow plumbing truck and two emergency service vans were parked right outside his front porch. Water was gushing out from underneath his front door, running down the driveway like a small, muddy river.

"No, no, no," Marcus swore under his breath, putting the truck in park and leaping out. I scrambled out after him, shielding my eyes against the flashing lights.

A worker in heavy yellow boots walked over to us, wiping sweat from his forehead. "Are you Marcus Carter?"

"Yeah! What happened to my house?" Marcus demanded, looking terrified.

"Main pipe burst in your upper bathroom while you were at practice, pal," the plumber said, shaking his head. "It's a disaster in there. The ceilings are collapsing, and the main floor is completely ruined. You can't live in here for at least two or three weeks while we dry it out and rebuild."

I stood on the sidewalk, completely stunned. I couldn't believe it. Two flooded buildings in one single day! It felt like the universe was playing a mean prank on me.

"Where are you going to stay?" I asked Marcus, my voice sounding tiny and lost.

"I can check into a hotel on the team's card," Marcus said, rubbing the back of his neck in frustration. "But the team policy only covers single player rooms for emergencies. I can't bring family in, and I can't afford to pay out of pocket for a second room for weeks with all these house repairs."

Just then, a sleek grey sports car pulled up to the curb behind us. The driver's side door opened, and Ethan stepped out. He was dressed in a casual black sweater and dark jeans, looking tall, calm, and impossibly handsome under the streetlights.

"I saw the emergency trucks from down the street," Ethan said, looking from the flooded house to Marcus, and then to me. "What happened?"

"Pipe burst," Marcus groaned, throwing his hands in the air. "My house is destroyed, and Lena has nowhere to stay either because her apartment flooded today too. It's a complete mess."

Ethan’s dark eyes shifted to me, holding my gaze for a long, quiet moment. There was something deep and unreadable in his look that made my heart do a quick flutter.

"She can stay at my place," Ethan said calmly, turning to Marcus. "I have the extra guest bedroom. It’s quiet, it’s close to the arena, and she can stay as long as she needs."

My eyes went wide. "Wait…, iwhat? No! No, Ethan, I can't do that."

"Why not?" Marcus asked, looking between the two of us with a confused frown. "It's a great idea, Lena. Ethan lives five minutes from the rink."

"Because it's weird!" I said, my face burning red. "He's your best friend, Marcus! I can't just move in with your teammate. It’s not right."

Ethan walked a step closer to me. His tall frame blocked out the cold night wind. He looked down at me with a soft, serious expression. "Lena, it's just a room. You need a safe place to sleep, and I have space. I promise I won't get in your way. Nothing weird is going to happen."

Hearing him say that promising that nothing would happen, made a strange, quiet sting go through my chest, but I pushed it down. He was right. I had no money, no room, and no other choices.

"Fine," I whispered, looking down at my shoes. "Thank you, Ethan."

An hour later, Ethan was unlocking the front door to his modern top floor apartment. The place was spotless, quiet, and smelled like expensive wood and clean rain. Large windows looked out over the glowing city lights below.

"Here’s your room," Ethan said softly, opening a door down the main hallway. The room had a big, comfortable bed with crisp white sheets and a large warm blanket.

"It's really nice," I said, setting my bag down by the door.

Ethan stood in the doorway, his broad shoulders filling up the frame. The apartment was completely quiet, and suddenly, the space between us felt super small and full of tension. I looked up at him, meeting his dark eyes, and my pulse started racing fast.

Living under the same roof with my brother's quiet, incredibly handsome best friend was supposed to be a simple favor. But standing here in the dim light, looking into his intense eyes, I realized this was going to be much, much harder than I thought.