“Ready?” I look over my shoulder as I ask through my helmet’s microphone.
Selene gives me a quick nod. “More than ready.”
And with that, we take off back down the dirt road and head back to campus.
31
SELENE
The excitement that I feel around me is electric. I can’t help but embrace it as Hailey, Jade, and I make our way through the sea of red and white jerseys. Hailey leads the way; I assume she’s scanning the ice for any sign of Levi. Despite her usual grumpy demeanor, there is no doubt in my mind that she’s happy to be here.
“There they are!” Jade squeals, pointing to a cluster of players warming up near the goal. I follow her gaze and spot the guys.
My eyes immediately find Knox. I saw small aspects of the moves he showed off during our private skating lesson; however, watching him warm up and prepare for this game has me thinking so many different thoughts.
My gaze lingers on Knox as he goes through his pre-game stretches. Heat rises in my cheeks as I watch him transition into a deep lunge. I watch as his hips thrust forward while he extends his arms over his head. Part of me wants to look away, but there’s no chance in hell that I would. When he drops into a groin stretch on the ice, I nearly lose my mind.
I'm so entranced by Knox's movements that I barely register Jade's elbow digging into my side. “You might want to close your mouth before you start drooling,” she says.
I snap my jaw shut, feeling the heat in my cheeks intensify. “I wasn't—I mean, I was just—” I stammer, trying to find an excuse for what I was doing but failing epically.
“Uh-huh,” Jade says with a smirk.
Hailey saves me from further embarrassment. “Come on, let's find our seats before the game starts.” She tugs on my arm, and I follow without hesitation.
As we settle into our seats, I can't help but let my gaze drift back to the ice. Knox is still going through his warm-up routine, and I'm still mesmerized by his movements. My eyes drift away from him for a moment until I see Isla’s blonde ponytail. She has her camera up to her face, snapping shots of the Red Wolves as they get ready to play.
The buzzer sounds, jolting me out of my daydream. My eyes are drawn back to Knox as he is now standing with his team, tapping the blade of his stick against the ice. His head tilts slightly as he listens to Coach Johnson. I wonder what’s going through his mind right now. He looks calm, focused, but there’s an intensity in his stance that I remember seeing just before the start of the game I watched from Hailey and Jade’s apartment.
“Ready for this?” Hailey asks me, breaking my thoughts.
I nod as I smooth my hands down Knox’s jersey, which he insisted I wear tonight. However, I’m not sure if I’m nodding because I’m referring to the game or the fact that watching Knox play is already doing something to me. Things like making me cross my legs tightly in an attempt to maintain some form of control.
Before I know it, the game begins, and I already feel like I’m on the edge of my seat. At first, it’s hard to follow what’s happening. The players move so fast it’s a blur, and theannouncer’s voice over the loudspeaker only adds to the noise. Hailey and Jade are shouting, but I can barely make out what they are saying because their cheers are blending in with the roar of the crowd. But all I can do is watch Knox. I swear he’s everywhere. Racing across the ice, weaving between defenders, and crashing into the boards with a sound that makes me wince. Every time he moves, it’s like watching something that has been choreographed to perfection but is also chaotic at the same time.
I zero in on Levi, who is in the center of it all as he snatches the puck. Hailey lets out an uncharacteristic yell of triumph as he passes it to Knox, who streaks down the left side of the ice.
My heart jumps into my throat as Knox dodges around one of the opposing players, his movements as smooth as the ice he’s skating on. I think he’s on the attack now, working with Asher, who is near him on the right.
“They’re setting it up,” Jade whispers, but her eyes never move from the action in front of her.
Setting what up? I want to ask, but the crowd erupts as Knox fires the puck toward the net. The goalie blocks it, but Levi’s already there, scooping up the rebound and sending it back where it belongs.
Hailey jumps out of her seat, screaming, “Yes!” while Jade claps loudly. I can’t help but smile, even if I don’t entirely understand how it all came together.
As the first period continues, I find myself getting caught up in the excitement. The Red Wolves are playing well, and Knox is a force on the ice. Every time he gets the puck, I grab Jade’s arm because I’m so nervous. Over time, I assume I’ll get better, but for now, Jade doesn’t seem to mind.
During a break in play, I let my gaze wander and that's when I notice a familiar person standing a few rows behind us. My eyes have to be messing with me right now.
It’s Tessa. Isla’s roommate. And Knox's ex-girlfriend.
My stomach twists as her gaze meets mine. There's a flicker of recognition in her eyes, followed by something else. Surprise? Curiosity? She tilts her head slightly, as if piecing together the puzzle of why I'm here. It doesn’t help that I’m wearing Knox's jersey.
Not that I’m the only one wearing his jersey in the arena, but given the warning she gave me weeks ago about how I shouldn’t put him on that fake list as a guy to rebound with, I’m sure she’s probably trying to figure out what this is all about.
I quickly look away, trying to focus on the game again. But I can feel Tessa's gaze lingering on me like she’s staring a hole through me. Hailey must notice my discomfort because she leans in closer to me to say something in my ear.
“Everything okay?” she asks.