*sends a picture of the back of the jersey showing a hint of butt*
Jasper
You evil woman
Vivian
You want me anyway
Jasper
That I do
I have to say, my name suits you
Arriving at the main entrance of the Peacocks' arena called the Bird Nest Arena forty minutes later, I spot Jasper’s agent, Emerson “Em” Merryweather, based on the social media posts Jasper showed me. Her beautiful dark curly hair and olive skin make her stand out from the crowd. Next to her, a stunning, tall blonde woman is looking at her phone.
“Hey, you made it,” Em says as she hugs me and then turns to her friend. “This is my close friend Haisley Lavigne, the daughter of the Peacocks’ GM Jeremy Lavigne.”
Haisley smiles broadly, hugging me. “It’s great to meet the woman who stole Viking’s heart.”
The use of his hockey nickname makes me smile as I too thought he looked like a Viking when I first met him. “Likewise. I mean, thanks for inviting me to join you.”
“Of course. So, are you ready for your first-ever live hockey game?” Haisley asks.
“I so am,” I gush, over-enthusiasm lacing my tone. “I can’t wait for the halftime show!”
The expressions on both Em and Haisley’s faces say it all—they actually think I meant what I just said. My plan to shock them worked.Perfect.
“Oh my god, you two should see your faces right now.” I laugh loudly, bending to catch my breath. “Did you really think I don’t know that ice hockey is played in three 20-minute periods with intermissions between them?”
Em shakes her head, a smile forming on her lips. “Thank God you don’t think there’ll be a halftime show. I was so worried for a moment there.”
“You totally got us. Well played.” Haisley offers her hand for a high-five and we slap hands.
“I’m glad I could make you sweat.” I chuckle. “But honestly, I’m excited about the game.”
“It’s gonna be a good one, because of the rivalry between the teams,” Em says. “Now that Felix and Jasper both play for the same team, it makes my job as their agent much easier, too.”
“Jasper told me that the Peacocks have a strong team this season.”
“Definitely,” Haisley confirms. “My dad was so pumped to get your boyfriend to play for him. Jasper makes the team even stronger.”
After getting drinks from one of the vendors, we make our way to our seats rinkside. Jasper offered me some box seats, but I wanted to sit with other fans like I would if I didn’t know him.
I take a moment to look around the arena. The ice is pristine, and the bright lights overhead somehow make everything seem more colorful. I can hear the excited chatter of the crowd gathering. The energy around us is palpable, and the arena feels alive with excitement. The music from the overhead speakers adds the finishing touch to the moment. It’s a sensory overload but in the best possible way.
As the players take the ice for warm-up, their blades cutting through the ice echoes through the arena as the crowd cheers.
Haisley leans over to me. “So, I have a question for you.”
“Sure, what is it?”
“Is this your first time seeing Viking on skates?”
I shake my head. “No, we went skating in Finland.”
“Oh, that’s super sweet,” she coos. “So, this is your first time seeing him in full hockey gear?”
