Page 99 of Rookie Season
I smile. “I’ll be out soon, okay?”
“Take your time.” She nods and eases through the door, and I watch her go, filled with more hope than I’ve felt in a long time. I rush to check the score on my phone and sure enough, the Lions just won five to two, with Penn scoring one of those goals.
A moment later my teammates file inside, everyone yelling and talking at once, on a high from their win. Penn is beaming and stalks toward me, lifting his hand for a high five.
“Did you kick Weatherby’s ass?” I ask him. It’s the first time I’ve seen my best friend since what went down this morning, and I’m unsure how he’s feeling about what happened.
Penn nods. “You know I did.”
“I’m sorry I wasn’t out there with you,” I say.
Instead of responding, he pulls me into a hug. Not one of those bro-hugs where we slap each other on the back, but an actual hug—even though a room full of hockey players are watching. Some of them start jeering, but Penn doesn’t appear to notice, or care.
“I heard what happened to Ally,” he says in a low voice so only I can hear. “And you don’t have a damn thing to be sorry about, Downsby. If I’d known, I would have been right behind you, ready to do some damage.”
“Thank you,” I tell him as we break apart.
Penn thumps my back before moving away, and I’m startled to notice Sandine has been standing right behind us. Ibrace myself for a comment about how reckless I am, and how it must be nice to behave however I want since my brother-in-law is the coach…but instead, he comes to stand right in front me and says, “I thought you were a sissy until I saw you punch some jerk out today. No idea why, but Fisher said he deserved it…so good for you, kid.” He gives me a playful push. “Maybe you’re not so bad after all.”
And with that, he crosses the room and slumps down in front of his cubby like that was totally normal.
Penn looks at me and shrugs.
I take a seat next to my friend and feel light…like all is finally right in my world.
CHAPTER 42
ALLEGRA
“Your parents are so cool, Ally,”Penn says as he flops down on the couch and Harry climbs into his lap. “Although I’m a little disappointed that Carter wouldn’t sign my butt.”
I smile as I set my bag down on the kitchen counter. It’s the day after the guys’ game against the Fire Cats, and we just got back from lunch with my family—twenty-four hours later than we’d originally planned, but it went great. As I predicted, my parents love my roommates…and they are utterly obsessed with Noah. They’ve already invited him to spend Christmas with our family in Hawaii, and I’m thrilled they changed their flights to stick around in San Francisco for the rest of the week. The Lions’ next game is in a couple of days, and I’m hoping Noah will be cleared by the team doctor to play, because I’d love for my parents to see the man I love in action.
“I don’t blame him for not wanting to get near that thing,” Fisher fires back at Penn as he sits down next to him. He’s holding a container of leftovers, and as he sinks downonto the couch, it pops open, spilling noodles all over himself.
Fisher leaps to his feet, but it’s too late. Sticky sauce is running down the front of his pants, and when he sees it, he swears.
“Sticker chart,” Penn, Noah and I say in unison.
“Imeantto say puck,” Fisher says, but Penn shakes his head.
“Too late.”
“But I have nine stickers right now,” Fisher whines.
Noah raises a brow. “Guess that means you’re taking the trash out.”
“Thought you already took care of that yesterday.” Fisher holds up his hand for a high five. Noah just stares at it with a blank expression.
Fisher puts his hand down with a sigh. “Too soon?”
“Yes,” Noah growls as he wraps his arm around me, pulling me tight to his chest. I smile up at him, still on a high from last night when he told me he loved me for the first time.
Penn and Fisher went out after the game to celebrate their win, but Noah and I were so exhausted from the emotional toll of the day that we came straight home and curled up around each other in my bed, me still wearing his lucky jersey and him whispering that he loved me again as I drifted off into a peaceful, dreamless sleep. I don’t think I’ll ever tire of hearing those three little words come out of my boyfriend’s beautiful mouth.
“Maybe a little soon,” Penn adds with a shrug.
“I thought it was kinda funny,” I admit.
