The only things she left were the memories of the best night of my life.
And the desire to do it all over again.
17
CASEY
The arena erupts as Lincoln Storm nets what is going to be the final goal of the game.
Six to one.
The Vipers were on fire tonight.
Lights flash and the goal horn sounds as the floor beneath my feet vibrates, everyone stomping and shouting for their beloved team.
This is what hockey is all about.
The sense of belonging, of family. Of being able to turn to the person sitting beside you and know they’ve got your back.
Parker hollers as Linc laps up the praise in the middle of the rink like the cocky asshole he is.
“Be careful; if he hears, he might think you like him,” I shout in her ear.
She immediately stops, her top lip peeling back.
“I’m not screaming for Linc. I’m cheering for my team. They fucking killed it. All of them.”
“They did,” I say, unable to wipe the smile from my face as the team congratulates each other. “Hayden Monroe smashed it, too.”
“He was a good draft pick,” Parker agrees, watching the rookie get attacked by the others after his kickass performance tonight.
The losing team disappears off the ice, leaving just our Vipers behind. The majority of their fans that came to watch have already left. I get it—it’s disappointing to see your team lose—but I’m always here to the end, no matter the score. Hell, the guys need it more if they’ve lost.
Dad catches my eye from behind the boards, and I give him a little curtsey. He’s buzzing from that win. I can sense it from here. Unable to accept the praise, he gestures to his team, still joking around on the ice.
Glancing back at the team, my breath catches as I find Kodie looking this way.
For a moment, I think it’s an accident, but when he doesn’t immediately drag his eyes away from me, I realize it probably isn’t.
“Casey?” Parker shouts in my ear, but I’m powerless to rip my gaze away.
“Holy shit, Case,” Parker laughs.
But then his eyes drop to my jersey, and he’s gone. Like it never happened.
Only it did.
My body knows it did. And so does Parker.
“Okay, even I need a cold shower after that,” Parker says as the guys finally make their way off the ice.
“I don’t know what you mean.” I try for nonchalance, but I fail massively.
“He wants you,” she states as we begin to file from our row.
“It doesn’t matter if he does. He can’t have me.” I don’t mean for there to be so much bitterness in my tone, but it’s there, and there is no chance of Parker missing it.
“But what if you can?” she asks, playing devil’s advocate.
