Page 99 of Match Penalty

I glance at the fortune cookie paper taped to it.

An old flame may reignite.

My heart stops.

I look up, and there she is.

Cammy.

She’s sitting in the bleachers, bundled in a hoodie with my Hawkeyes jersey stretched on top, her smile bright enough to melt the ice beneath my skates.

I skate toward the plexiglass like a man possessed—because fuck, I am. She waves, her eyes sparkling with something I haven’t seen since the night she smiled at me in Oakley's before the fight.

“Where did you get the fortune?” I call out, my voice echoing in the rink.

She leans forward, resting her elbows on the railing. “I lied that night about what it said. I thought you might be interested in what my fortune really was.”

I stare at the crumpled slip in my hand, the weight of her words confirming what I had already suspected. “An old flame may reignite.” I read aloud, my voice hoarse.

Cammy nods, her smile softening. “You were right. That fortune was very wise… even though I didn't tell you what it said.”

The world narrows to just her and me as I skate closer to the boards.

"Why didn't you tell me the truth?" I ask.

She purses her lips and stares down at the paper in my hands. "Because I was scared that it would come true."

“And yet… you came all the way here—wearing my jersey,” I say, my voice quieter now, tinged with disbelief. "You don't seem too scared now."

She gets up from her seat and starts walking down the few steps to bring her to the front of the rink.

“I had to come. You weren’t answering your phone,” she says, her smile faltering for a moment. “And then Angelica told me everything.”

My heart sinks. Angelica. Of course she did.

“She told you about the accident?”

“She told me everything,” Cammy says firmly. “About the accident. About the DUI. About why you’ve been running from everyone and everything ever since.”

I swallow hard, the words caught in my throat.

Cammy’s gaze softens. “You’ve been carrying that for so long, JP. But you didn’t have to. Not alone. I would have kept the secret, but at least now, I understand why you couldn't tell me.”

I shake my head, my voice rough. “You don’t understand, Cammy. Trouble follows me. It always has. I couldn’t drag you down with me.”

She moves closer to the boards until we’re only separated by the plexiglass. Her hands press against it, her fingers splayed wide.

“Do I look dragged down to you?” she asks, her voice steady.

I blink at her, my throat too tight to speak.

“You’re not your father, JP. You’re not even close. And you’re not alone. Not unless you choose to be.”

I press my hands against the glass, mirroring hers. “I got traded, Cammy. I don’t even have a team to go back to.”

Her lips twitch into a smile. “Actually… this isn't your new team. Coach Haynes never turned in the transfer. You're just here until you come to your senses and come back with me to Seattle. Slade called in a favor with the coach to keep it from you. Your contract paperwork with the Hawkeyes is sitting in the legal department's office waiting for you to come home and sign it.”

I shake my head, the weight of her words slowly lifting. “Slade’s a pain in my ass.”

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