Total pages in book: 89
Estimated words: 86878 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 434(@200wpm)___ 348(@250wpm)___ 290(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 86878 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 434(@200wpm)___ 348(@250wpm)___ 290(@300wpm)
I stifle a grin.
That girl scares the hell out of me. She’s all sharp edges and attitude, the kind of person who won’t hesitate to cut you down with a single look.
I don’t know what it is, but she gives off this vibe, like you never really know what’s going on in her head.
Bridger glances at the stands, and his gaze narrows when it locks on Holland. There’s something between those two, but for the life of me, I can’t figure out what it is. He’s been dealing with a lot lately—the BS with the messages and his father—and it’s been weighing on him. You can see it in the way he moves and his sullen demeanor.
Bridger’s a good friend. I wish there were more I could do to help, but there isn’t. The only thing I can do is be there for him if he needs me.
I shove those thoughts from my head and refocus my attention. I’ve got a game to win and a girl to impress.
My mom, Ollie, Theo, and Kia are also here, cheering me on. I want my siblings to see that anything is possible with enough hard work and a shit load of determination.
As soon as the puck drops, everything around me fades to the background.
I play hard. Every shift, every pass, every check feels like it’s propelling me toward my future. And knowing that Ava’s in the stands, wearing my number, cheering for me, makes me push myself past my limits.
I want to win, not just for the team but for her.
It doesn’t take long before I’m locked into the rhythm of the game. The feel of the puck on my stick, the way my legs burn as I skate up and down the ice. It’s when I catch a clean pass and break away from the defense that everything slows. The goalie shifts, trying to anticipate my shot.
I see my opening and fire the puck.
A second ticks by.
Then another.
When it hits the back of the net with a satisfying thud, the arena erupts. The roar is deafening, and I can barely hear my own thoughts over the sound of the crowd. I skate toward the glass and point at Ava. She’s on her feet, grinning from ear to ear. The sight of her has something clicking inside me.
Even though the fans are going crazy, shouting my name, she’s the only one I’m cognizant of.
I’ve never been in love before. Never even thought about the possibility. But seeing her there, wearing my name, my number, cheering like I’m the only guy on the ice…
It’s like the world finally makes sense.
This has to be what love feels like.
The undeniable pull toward someone who makes everything brighter and better. The feeling manages to ground me while lifting me up at the same time.
As the game continues, I glance up at her whenever I can. It’s like she’s my anchor, the one thing that keeps me steady in all this chaos.
I have no idea how I got lucky enough to find her, but I do know one thing—there’s no way in hell I’m letting her go.
Not now.
Not ever.
40
Hayes
By the time the team arrives at Slap Shotz, the place is packed to the gills. Everyone is still riding high from winning our first playoff game.
It’s tradition—after a win, this is where we go to celebrate.
Fans are sporting jerseys and buzzing from the game, as if they were the ones on the ice tonight. There’s a frenetic energy that charges the air and is impossible to ignore.
I should be soaking it all in, enjoying the glory of the win and the attention. Hell, there are a few groupies hitting on me right now, tossing out flirty comments and batting their eyelashes, hoping I’ll give them a bit of attention or a word of encouragement.
But there’s no way in hell that’s going to happen.
I can’t take my eyes off Ava.
And if I’m being truthful with myself, that’s the way it’s been from the very beginning.
She’s across the room, talking with Fallyn and Juliette, laughing, her smile bright enough to light up the whole damn bar. In a short period of time, she’s become my everything. I never expected to feel this pull toward her. Now that I do, I can’t imagine a single day without her. She’s still wearing my jersey, and every time she glances at me, my heart skips a beat.
As soon as our gazes collide, she rises to her feet and cuts a direct path to me. The moment she’s within striking distance, I nab her fingers and pull her close enough to wrap up in my arms.
It’s exactly where she belongs.
It’s the best feeling in the world to be here with my girl and my teammates, celebrating our first playoff win. Ryder was just on stage with Juliette, singing some ridiculous duet that makes the whole place swoon and cheer. Wolf jumped up there after them, crooning a love song to Fallyn. I flick a glance at his wife to see she’s eating it up.