Page 14 of The Trade Up

“Yeah.”

“And he still brought you his jersey and tickets, so he must be okay with the possibility of your ex finding out. Zach’s a big boy. Why don’t you let him worry about Colby? Because I have a feeling that for him, the only thing worse than an encounter with Colby is you not showing up.”

ChapterSeven

ZACH

“You looking for someone in particular?” Drew asks when he notices my eyes flick to the empty seats on the other side of the glass. I’m supposed to be warming up, but I can’t stop looking for Ashleigh.

“Nah,” I say as I drop down to the ice, spreading my knees to stretch my inner thighs.

“You sure?” he asks.

I stick my right leg out sideways and slide down into a deeper stretch. “Positive.”

AHmmrolls around in the back of Drew’s throat. “Too bad, because two women just sat down in the seats you’ve been eyeing.”

My head flies around before I stop myself from looking. Sure enough, Ashleigh and that girl, Blake, who I gave the box to earlier at the museum, are standing at those seats taking their jackets off. Their eyes aren’t focused on the ice yet, so I take a second to note that Ashleigh’s wearing my jersey. Given what she told me about her ex, I know what it must have taken for her to put that jersey on and show up here tonight.

I’m pretty sure she is going to be the love of my life.

“Let’s go,” Drew says. “You need to get your head in this game. Knowing she’s here is great. Getting distracted by her, not so much.”

“Okay.” I agree because he has much more experience in this area than I do, given that Audrey comes to all his home games. But as I pop up onto my skates, I turn and head over to the wall, tapping on the glass with my fist as I skate by. Ashleigh’s head snaps up, and I throw her a wink over my shoulder as I skate away.

Drew and I practice taking some shots, then I find Tomberlin, my defensive pair, and as we stand there talking strategy, I hear a commotion behind me.

“Fucking take it off!” Clark is yelling into the stands. And that’s when I notice the panicked look on Ashleigh’s face as the two hundred pound winger bangs his fist on the glass in front of her. I no longer have to wonder who her ex is, or why she didn’t want to see him tonight. Colby Clark has a reputation for having a short fuse, which my teammates reminded me of just last night.

I make it to his side in one second flat. “I highly suggest you not speak to her that way,” I say, keeping my voice low and level.

“Or what?” he spits the words at me.

“Or you’ll answer to me.”

His lip curls as he looks at me, then he looks over toward Ashleigh and that’s when he seems to notice the 08 on her sleeve. He looks at my sleeve, then his eyes meet mine.

“You’re going for my sloppy seconds, eh?”

He’s just trying to push your buttons,I remind myself.Don’t give him that kind of power.

“She’s not sloppy anything, and it’s your loss.” I keep my voice casual, like I’m talking to an irate toddler about to have a tantrum. “But every time we play each other now, she’ll havemyname on her back. I hope you enjoy that as much as I will.”

“You’re so fucking dead, Reid.”

I laugh in his face. “Keep telling yourself that.”

I know I’m egging him on, and I hope I’m not pissing Ashleigh off by doing so. But based on what she told me about him, he deserves to feel both shame and regret for the way he treated her.

“Clark,” one of the Seattle players calls out, “get over here!”

He eyes Ashleigh one more time, then skates away. I move up to the glass, where she’s shrunk back in her seat.

“Hey,” I call to her with my hand on the glass. She leans forward, her hand meeting mine. “I’m glad you’re here. And I’m sorry he’s an asshole.”

She gives me a weak smile and I blow her a kiss, which at least brings out her real smile.

“I have to go, but meet me out back after the game?”

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