Page 29 of Seal the Deal

“You won’t, Jake,” she says. “You’re not him.”

I shake my head, the fear bubbling up so raw and exposed now. “What if I do, though? What if I get so wrapped up in hockey that I lose sight of everything else? It’s already happening. I’m obsessed. And if I make the NHL, it’ll only get worse. Half in, half out. I can’t do that.”

There it is—my biggest fear laid out in the open. The thing I’ve never let spoken words claim. That I’ll never be enough. Not for hockey, not for my family. Not for anyone.

Without a word, Charlie’s hand slips from my arm and finds my jaw, her grip firm as she turns my face toward hers. “You’re not going to fail.” She holds my eyes, her conviction sinking into me. “You care, Jake. And one day you’re gonna make someone so happy, just by being who you are.”

I stare back at her, the words settling into the spaces where my doubt lives. And for a moment, with her eyes on mine, I let myself believe her.

***

Jake - Present Day

The echo of blades on the ice should be grounding, pulling my focus back to morning skate—but not today. Not with Charlotte taking up space in it.

I haven’t stopped thinking about her since I left her office yesterday: the way she grinned and rolled her eyes at my teasing, the way her teeth sunk into her bottom lip. Being around her feels both nostalgic and new. Like a past I've missed and a future I've been waiting for, buried so deep inside I didn't realize its significance until now, has finally breached the surface.

Seeing Marcus leaning a little too close over her desk made my hands clench. It took everything in me not to drag him aside. But in a way, he did me a favor. Just cemented what I already knew. With Charlie, it’s like a fog lifts, and everything feels sharper and more alive. It terrifies me how quickly I’ve realized how much I want her, how much I always have. I think I’ve been waiting for her all along.

“Hey, Brooks, you awake?” Ryan’s voice snaps me back. I’ve been standing still, the puck just sitting on the ice in front of me. He skates up beside me, eyebrows raised. “What’s up?”

“Nothing,” I lie, taking a quick shot at the net. The puck glides in smoothly, but doesn’t bring the usual satisfaction. “Just a lot on my mind.”

Ryan doesn’t press, but I know he’s not buying it. He’s been my captain for years and knows me too well. But I’m not ready to talk about it. Not yet.

We return to the drills, and I push myself to focus, forcing Charlotte from my mind. But before long, the routine blurs, and she slips back into focus with that flash in her eyes when she flirted right back.

I skate over to the bench, grab a drink, and reach for my leather notebook—glancing over notes on plays, trying to find something to ground me. It’s something I keep on me for everything I can’t keep in my head. My therapist recommended it a few years back, as a way to manage stress and keep things in perspective. I don’t need the sessions as much anymore, but the notebook stayed. Mostly it’s filled with game strategies and scattered notes.

Lately though, I’ve started adding tiny stars in the margins each time Charlotte crosses my mind. Just a quick mark, small enough to miss, but it’s becoming a habit I can’t seem to break.

“Brooks! You in or what?” Chase skates over as I slip it back into my bag.

“Just warming up, man. Don’t get too ahead of yourself.”

Chase laughs, speeding toward the net where some of the other guys are shooting. I pick up my pace, letting adrenaline and muscle memory take over.

“Late night?” Eli asks as I line up beside him.

“Nah, just have a lot on my mind.”

“Uh-huh.” He gives me a sideways glance before refocusing.

We go through the drills, and while I’m concentrating, I'm also running through the rest of my plans of the day. I’m picking up ingredients and heading to Charlie's place this afternoon. The thought has my stomach flipping, excitement tangling with nerves.

I’m nervous, because I don’t want to mess this up. And I’m excited, because I know I won’t.

After the drills, we break into smaller groups, working on specific plays. Chase skates over to me, his expression turning mischievous. “So, what’s got you so distracted, Brooks? It’s not like you to be this quiet.”

I shrug, trying to play it cool. “Just thinking about some stuff. Got plans later.”

“Plans, huh?” Chase smirks, glancing around. “Would those plans involve a certain redhead from the Pulse office?”

I can’t hide the smile tugging at my mouth. “Maybe.”

Chase claps a hand on my shoulder, testing his luck. “You know what they say about redheads… lady in the streets, fiery in the sheets.” He waggles his eyebrows. “Bet she’d keepyouon your toes, or maybe I should say your knees.”

“Careful,” I warn, but he doesn’t take the hint.

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