Page 114 of The Flirty Forward

The time passes quickly as we talk about anything and everything. Because of leaving so early, we get to the arena ahead of the traffic. “Give me a second; I need to change.” I grab Sebastian’s jersey from my bag and start unbuttoning my blouse.

Brielle raises her eyebrows. “Who are you and what have you done with my prim and proper teacher friend? Stripping in the front seat? Youhavebeen hanging out with Sebastian for too long.”

I shake my head. “I’m not stripping. I have a tank top on underneath.” I take off my blouse and pull on the jersey. I leave on my dress pants and boots. Nobody sees the bottom half at these games. I climb out of the car. “What do you think Sebastian does...just walks around stripping all the time?”

Her eyebrows dance. “I don’t know; he seems like the type to do it.”

I shake my head. “He doesn’t,” I mumble, and she laughs. A wry grin slips across my face. “You’re crazy.”

“I’m not the one picturing Sebastian stripping now, am I?” I feel my face heat up because that’s exactly where my mind had gone, and she knows it. “Hey, I get it; I’m engaged to a hot hockey player too. Believe me; I get it!”

After that interesting conversation, we make our way inside to watch said hot hockey players play.

Chapter 44

Stephanie

It doesn’t take long for the arena to fill up and get crazy. It always seems like the Friday and Saturday games are more wild and crazy than the weeknight games, but I don’t know if that’s just in my head. I feel bad not sitting with Sebastian’s family, but Bri convinced me to sit with her for the night. She worked it out to get a ticket by her, so I went along with it. But I have to admit, I kind of miss the craziness that is Sebastian’s family at these games.

I get more and more nervous, the closer we get to the game starting. Finally, the lights dim; and the screens light up. It's go time! I settle back in my seat and watch the opening montage for the Green Thunder. This part will never get old for me, neither will watching my man play hockey. He was born to play; he has this grace to him that makes him such an incredible hockey player. I can’t help but grin and scream when Sebastian’s face comes on the jumbo screen. When he skates out, I join all the other fans in standing and cheering for him. Soon enough, the puck drops, and the game is underway. Bri grabs my hand and squeezes it, making me wonder if she’s as nervous as I am about going down there during the intermission.

Sebastian seems a little off, and I wonder if he’s not feeling good. He seemed a little off earlier too. We end the first zero to zero. As soon as it ends, I turn to Bri, panic in my eyes. “Do we have to go down there now?”

She waves me off. “That’s not until the next intermission.”

“Oh.” I’m not sure if it calms me down or makes me more nervous to have to wait. I stand and try to shake out my nerves,but it doesn’t seem to work. Before I’m ready, we head into the second period. It feels like our guys come more awake for this period. Gunner and Aiden both score, but the other team scores two as well. It’s an electric second period; we’ll enter the third period two to two. I'm so invested in the game that I forget that now we have to go down to the ice. Bri, on the other hand, doesn’t forget. She turns to me as soon as the period is done.

“Ready?” she asks, beaming.

“No.”

“Too bad.” She tugs me forward, and I shake her off so we don’t both fall down the stairs. She leaves me no time to think about what we’re going to have to do because she’s already almost halfway down the steps. When we get to the main level, Chloe meets us and lets us out onto the ice. Somebody’s already laid out a black mat on the ice, making it easy for Bri and me to walk out.

“Ready?” Bri asks again.

I look out at the ice. “What do we have to do?” I’m totally panicking now.

“Come on, it will be fine.” She takes my hand and pulls me forward. Somehow, I manage to walk out to the end of the black mat without tripping. Thankfully, a quick glance around shows that nobody’s even watching. Most people are talking or leaving to go get snacks or go to the bathroom. My heart slows a little, and I try to take a calming breath.

“Hey, how come there are no other teachers?” I ask Brielle.

She looks around. “Hmm. Maybe they’re still coming.”

Something about her answer makes me give her a second look, but she just smiles. I try to relax and be calm like she is. “How come you’re not nervous?” I ask.

“I am,” she says with a smile.

“Do you think anybody’s going to do anything? I feel stupid just standing here.”

Before she can say anything, the lights dim. And then a loud booming voice announces, “Ladies and Gentlemen, if you will direct your gaze to the ice, we have a special presentation.” A spotlight lights up the space where Bri and I are standing, and suddenly I feel like I’m going to throw up. So much for nobody noticing. “For this special presentation, I would like to welcome to the ice, number ninety-eight, Aiiiiiden Brooooks.” The crowd goes wild, and Aiden appears out of the tunnel and skates over to us, stopping on a dime next to Brielle. He takes off his helmet and bends low and kisses Brielle, causing the audience to go crazy. I can’t help but smile, despite my nerves. “Ladies and Gentlemen, please direct your attention back to the tunnel for the entrance of number eighty-five, Sebaaaaastian Haaaart.” My breath catches as Sebastian skates out onto the ice. He takes almost a full lap before coming to a stop in front of me. I stare up at him. I always forget how tall and broad he is, especially on skates and in pads. My already pounding heart kicks up a beat when he pulls off his helmet and grins down at me.

“Hey, Gorgeous.”

I stare up at him, eyes wide. “What’s going on?” I breathe. I feel like I’m going to pass out or throw up or maybe throw up and then pass out.

“Breathe,” he says, stepping closer to me. He’s on the mat now as well. He tucks a hair behind my ear. “I wanted to ask you something.” My brain must be short-circuiting because I just stare at him. It’s not until he goes down on one knee in front of me, that my eyes widen and I take a step back.

“What are you doing?” I whisper.

---