The Hockey Star’s Remorse

Chapter 85

That morning, Aria and | bustled around the apartment, making final preparations for the dog wash fundraiser. After a week of planning, the number of likes on Aria’s posts hinted at there being a massive turn out.

“Okay, Aria, do we have enough shampoo and towels?” | called out from the kitchen.

Aria emerged from the bathroom, her hands full of bags of dog shampoo. “Check and check! The shampoo's all lined up, and the towels are piled high in the car. We're good to go, Evie.”

| let out a relieved sigh. “Great. | can’t believe it’s finally happening.” Aria grinned, her eyes sparkling. “It’s going to be amazing, Evie. Just imagine all those happy doggies getting pampered.”

As we exchanged a high-five, | felt a surge of gratitude for all the effort the others. had put in. Aside from being a media stunt, a dog wash seemed like a genuine way to get the community together. With everything in place, we grabbed our coats and headed out the door, ready to meet up with Timothy and Lucas at the park.

As we reached the park, the scene was nothing short of heartwarming. Pet owners had lined up early with their dogs, and volunteers were buzzing around, setting up washing stations and getting

ready for the day ahead. | couldn’t help but smile as | took in the colorful banners and the joyful atmosphere. “Evie! Aria!” Timothy’s voice called out, and we turned to see him and Lucas waving us over. “Hey, guys!” Aria shouted back. We joined the guys, and Lucas gave us a thumbs-up. “After they get those banners up, we'll be ready to roll!”

Aria’s social media campaign had done wonders. The park was packed with people, pet-owners, curious wanderers, and local news stations alike. A reporter stood just a few feet away, microphone raised to her lips as she read her script live to the

camera. After everything was set up, we split up into teams, each taking charge of a

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different dog washing station. Timothy and | took the tub at the very end.

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As the first pet owner and their dog approached, | grabbed a hose and winked at Timothy. “Ready to get a little wet and wild?” Timothy laughed, picking up a bucket of shampoo. “Let's do this!”

The day quickly turned into a whirlwind of soap suds, wagging tails, and cheerful chatter, As dogs of all sizes and breeds lined up for their spa treatment, we got completely soaked and covered in suds.

At one point, | turned to Timothy, both of us soaked from head to toe. “I thought we were washing the dogs, not each other!”

Timothy laughed, shaking his wet hair like a dog. “Hey, nothing wrong with an extra rinse, right?” | nodded and looked over, falling witness to how Timothy’s. white shirt had begun to cling to the skin underneath.

There wasn’t much left to the imagination beneath the thin material. His muscles rippled and flexed as he gave the Terrier a good towel rub. | could see the dark trail of hair that traveled down the expanse of his navel and disappeared behind his button—up jeans.

| felt my face heat up when Timothy looked over and caught me staring. He didn’t seem bothered by it at all, instead giving me a playful wink before passing the dog along to his owner. Hopefully he was oblivious.

As the day went on, the local news started zeroing in on Timothy in particular. As he brought Duke into the bath, they began asking him questions about his intent behind the fundraiser.

“Most people probably don’t know, but I’m a huge fan of dogs,” he told them, giving the retriever a playful scratch under his ear. This was probably the first time he was willingly exposing Duke to the news.

“This is my pal, Duke. | figured if he had fun with his Sunday baths, others would enjoy it just as much.”

The reporter giggled, narrowly dodging the splash of water near her shoes as Duke leaped out of the tub. “Certainly seems like it! You're pretty generous for starting

all this!”

“Oh, no!” Timothy shook his head firmly. His gaze shifted to me, then Aria and 2/5

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Lucas. “My friends really pulled most of the weight. | was just the pretty face in all of this.”

The cameramen laughed at his quip, but | couldn’t help but pause at his words. | hadn’t expected him to credit us for the event, although we hadn’t expected him to. Hopefully, this wouldn’t take away the charitable nature behind it all.

Around sundown, the fundraiser had begun drawing to a close. | was drying off a very relaxed bulldog when | spotted Penny making her way over to Timothy. She wore her signature professional

smile, a glint of determination in her eyes.

“Timothy!” Penny's voice carried over the fading buzz of the crowd. “Mind if | have a moment?” Timothy turned toward her, his expression more receptive and relaxed this time around. “Sure thing, Penny. What's on your mind?”

As | continued to towel off the bulldog, | couldn’t help but eavesdrop on their conversation. Penny was a seasoned reporter, but I was curious about what she'd

ask.

Penny’s gaze was focused and sincere as she leaned in slightly, notepad in hand. “I wanted to talk to you about the fundraiser, Timothy. The turnout has been incredible, and I’m sure it’s been a whirlwind of emotions for you.”

Timothy's smile turned contemplative. “Absolutely. It’s been humbling community come together like this.” to see the

Penny nodded, her pen poised over a notepad. “Can you put into words how it makes you feel? To see so many people supporting your efforts and contributing to a cause you're passionate about?” Timothy’s expression softened, his gaze drifting over the crowd.

“It's hard to describe, Penny, but | guess the best way to put it is that it warms my heart. This charity event wasn’t just about me. It was about everyone coming together to make a difference, to show kindness and compassion.”

Penny scribbled down notes, her eyes never leaving Timothy. “And what about the experience of washing the dogs, getting right in there with the community?”

Timothy chuckled, a lightness in his tone. “Well, | might need a few more towels, that’s for sure. But seriously, being hands-on in this way, getting a little messy and

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having fun, it’s been incredibly rewarding. Sometimes, it's as simple as getting your hands dirty for a good cause.”

| finished drying off the dog and gave him a light pat on the back. Glancing over at Timothy and Penny, | couldn’t help but feel a surge of admiration for Timothy's sincerity and authenticity. He had a way of sounding heartfelt at a moment’s

notice.

As their conversation continued, | decided to give them some space and headed over to where Aria and Lucas were gathering up the last of the supplies. Aria grinned as she spotted me.

“Hey, Evie! Did you catch Timothy’s interview with Penny?”

| nodded, a smile playing on my lips. “Yeah, | did. He really knows how to speak from the heart.” Aria’s eyes twinkled. “He’s got that down for sure. But you know what, Evie? So do you.”

| blinked in surprise. “What do you mean?”

Aria gestured toward the park, where people were still mingling and sharing stories. “This whole event was your doing, Evie. You rallied everyone together, you made the fliers, and you jumped right in there with the dogs.”

| felt my cheeks flush. “Thanks, Aria, but this was a team effort. We all played a part.”

Aria nudged me playfully. “Oh, definitely. But you're the glue holding this team together.”

| wasn’t sure how to answer that, so | offered up a smile instead.

With everything packed up, we gathered to celebrate our success with a well- deserved treat from one of the food trucks that had set up nearby. There was a truck serving ice cream that we immediately gravitated toward.

The menu had a delightful array of flavors, each one more tempting than the last. Aria was all about the classic chocolate, while Lucas opted for a refreshing scoop of mint chocolate chip. Timothy and | exchanged a grin, both of us eager to indulge

our sweet tooth.

With ice cream in hand, we settled onto a bench, the warm evening breeze ruffling our hair as we

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dug into our treats.

Timothy turned to me with a mischievous twinkle in his eyes. “So, Evie, what

flavor did you get?” A grin tugged at the corners of my mouth. “Rocky Road. | love how it has marshmallows in it.” Timothy’s eyebrow quirked, his expression playful. “Really? Well, I've never been much of a Rocky Road person, but | trust your judgment.”

Before | could react, Timothy leaned over and swiped his tongue over my ice cream. His eyes locked with mine as he drew his chocolate coated tongue back in and licked his plump lips.

My eyes widened as they followed the movement and my heartbeat quickened. He kept his eyes on me for a nerve—racking couple of seconds before they dropped to my ice cream. He smirked. “Mmm, you're right. This is pretty delicious.”

| let out an indignant gasp, my hand instinctively reaching for my ice cream. “Y- You could’ve asked!” Timothy chuckled, a warm and infectious sound. “Sorry, Evie. Couldn't resist.”

| glared at Timothy, but a smile snuck its way onto my lips. “Well, I’m glad you enjoyed it, but next time, get your own scoop. Timothy held up his hands in surrender. “Deal. Lesson learned.”

As we erupted with laughter, | couldn’t help but marvel at the smile on Timothy's face. There was the joy he said he’d been lacking for a long time now on full display. How began to wonder how little enjoyment his life had had before then.

The sound of shoes crunching in the grass caught my attention and | turned to see Penny speeding toward us, waving her phone in the air. Timothy didn’t notice until she started shouting.

“You'll never believe who just called me!” 5/5 SEND GIFT

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