Page 53 of Wild Blades

“I wanted to go out the front so everyone could see me with you.” Rory looks up at me, his face full of disappointment, his voice trailing off to a whine.

I force my laughter down and make an instant excuse. “But what if they try to steal your new sneakers?” My eyes widen.

He hugs his bags with his new prized possessions inside against his chest, protecting them. “I’ll go out the back way,” he agrees.

“Great idea.” I wink at his parents, and we all say our goodbyes before they head out back. “Hey, Rory,” I shout, just as they are about to disappear through the storeroom. “Want to come to the game next week? Be my guest?”

“Yeah?” His eyes light up brighter than a Christmas tree. “Can my mom and dad come too?”

I nod.

“And one of my friends?”

“Make it two friends.” I hold up two fingers.

Rory runs at me, and I drop to my knees just in time as he flings himself at me, his bags banging off my back. I let out ahumpfsound as the sharp edges of the boxes dig in.

“Thanks, Wade,” he says, sounding happy.

He’s maybe my smallest fan, yet in some way, he’s had a bigger impact on me in the last thirty minutes than anyone has in the last year.

“Kali has your mom’s email. She’ll contact you this week.” Rory’s parents are hugging each other as Rory’s father mouths athank you. I pat Rory’s little back. “Time to go, buddy. See you next week, yeah?”

“Wave to me?”

“Absolutely.” I hold out my fist for him to bump. “Stay cool, buddy.”

He skips away and looks back, grinning, then gives me one last wave.

Rory’s made me realize hockey isn’t just about the game, which it’s become for me, it’s about little dudes like him. Time for me to be a better role model. And if Marcus is injecting his money into a support team to help me, then I have to show him I am willing, able, and someone worthy of his effort.

Because everyone is watching.

“So, who are Max, Lewis, Brandon, and Trevor?” I push my arms above my head as I stand up again and give my back a good stretch, my shirt hitching slightly as I move. I had a game on Thursday night, then a grueling session with Ash yesterday afternoon, and my muscles are screaming at me.

“Security.” I catch Kali checking out my abs, then she wipes a tear away.

“Are you crying? What’s up?” Worry makes my spine bristle.

“I’m fine.” Looking away, she hides her face.

I capture her chin in my hands, turning her face back to me. “Did something happen?” Blood pumps faster around my heart. “Who upset you?” I will kill them with my bare hands.

Big dark watery eyes stare back at me. “You.” Her chest lets out a little sob.

“Me? Why?”

“That was really something quite special, Wade. You’re nicer than you let people see.”

I've heard that a couple of times in the past week, I might start believing it soon.

I use the pad of my thumb to wipe away the big fat tear that rolls down her cheek. “Yeah?”

“One hundred percent. I think you’ve forgotten who you are.”

I step closer to her, as close as we were on the dance floor last night. “Will you help me to remember?”

Chest to chest, breath for breath, we stand like this. My hands on her face, our mouths so close, yet so far away. Unable to resist, like the gravitational pull of the earth, our lips ghosting each other. She sucks in a breath, and I wait for her to make her move. I want this, whateverthisis with her, and need it to be right, need to know she wants it too. I think she does. She said so last night but was tipsy, and I haven’t exactly been the best at making decisions or good judgment calls lately. I don’t trust myinstincts, so I could be wrong, but I’ve seen the way she looks at me.

---