Page 24 of Stick With Me
Realizing I’ve lingered too long, I gently brush strands of hair from her face, tucking them behind her ear. With a soft sigh, I straighten. “Night, Sunshine,” I whisper before quietly slipping out of the room.
I get back to my room, ready to climb into bed, but I can’t shake the restless energy. We slept in the same bed last night. Would she even care if we made it two nights in a row?Fuck it.I slip quietly back into her room, easing under the covers beside her, careful not to wake her. Wrapping my arms around her soothes the buzzing under my skin. She stirs, the rustle of sheets breaking the silence. “Ryan.” Her voice is soft and raspy from sleep, laced with confusion.
“Yeah, it’s me,” I murmur, bringing my nose into the crook of her neck. She smells like sunscreen and coconuts.
“I didn’t know if you’d be back.” Her voice is still thick with sleep.
“Where else would I be?”
“I saw the picture of you guys,” she mumbles, her words hesitant. “You make a cute couple.”
“We aren’t together, Hannah,” I say firmly, wanting to make sure there’s no doubt in her mind. “We never really were.”Not in any way that mattered.
“She’s really pretty… She’s a model.”
“Mm-hmm, but you’re prettier.”
“Nuh-uh.” She yawns.
“Go back to sleep. We’ll talk tomorrow.” I pull her in closer and kiss her shoulder.
“Will you stay?” she whispers, already half-asleep.
Like it’s even a question. “Yeah, baby.”
Sleeping beside Hannah is transformative. I feel more rested and focused, like I could take on anything. I’m convinced it’s going to give me the boost I need to win today’s game. Not even the thought of playing alongside Knolls can ruin my good mood.
As I step onto the ice for warm-ups, I let myself soak it all in. The crisp air fills my lungs, and the sharp glide of my skates across the freshly cleaned sheet of ice sends a familiar thrill through me. The arena hums with energy, the buzz of fans mixing with the clatter of sticks.
I don’t take my spot for granted. I work my ass off to stay at the top of my game. But did I ever think I’d be an All-Star? Not a chance. I would have been happy with a solid, middle-of-the-road career in the league. Yet here I am.
Now, my focus narrows to the final game. It all comes down to who takes home the win and, more importantly, the bragging rights.
Stepping into a wide stance, I bend one knee, the stretch deepening as I lean into it. My routine is interrupted by blades slicing across the ice. I know it’s him before I even turn. Knolls, wearing that stupid cocky grin, has one of those faces that’s just begging to be punched.
“Saw Rebecca with Beck last night. I heard they left together.” He’s clearly trying to get a rise out of me, but I give no shits about Rebecca or what she does. Plus, he’s not telling me anything I don’t already know.
“That’s nice.” I drop to the ice to continue my pre-game stretches, hoping Knolls takes the hint to fuck off.
“Everyone you’re with seems to trade up. How long do you think before Hannah does the same? You don’t expect her to stick around, do you?” His mocking laugh follows. My thoughts must be written all over my face, reflected in the smug curl of his lips.
The barb stings more than it should. I know he’s trying to get under my skin, but there is truth in his words. I have always been second best. Fuck, even here. I’m only here because King is out with an injury.
“Fuck off, Knolls.” Determined to have the last word, I get back to my feet and skate away. Still, his words echo in my head.
I glide around the boards, scanning the crowd for the one person whose smile will give me the hit of endorphins I need right now. Hannah. Just knowing she’s in the stands helps keep my urge to pummel Knolls in check. If only he were on the other team, I could at least knock him into the boards. But unfortunately, that’s frowned upon when it’s your own teammate.
It doesn’t take long to spot her. I stop in front of her section, tilting my head in greeting. She smiles back, her bright green eyes locking with mine. The noise of the arena fades into the background, and for a minute, it’s just us. My shoulders loosen, and the tension coiling inside me slowly drains away.
We lose. Badly. As the final buzzer sounds, disappointment washes over me. The bitter taste of defeat is hard to swallow. I was wrong to think I had anything close to magic; nothing could have saved that game—not even sleepovers with Hannah.
I could have done more.It’s the same thought that creeps up every time my team loses a game.
Skating back to the bench, I try to catch my breath. I didn’t play like an All-Star, that’s for sure. It was obvious to me—and to the rest of the guys—that Knolls and I weren’t vibing. Of course we weren’t. How are we supposed to play hockey together when we can barely stand each other?
But it wasn’t just the two of us; the entire team didn’t mesh. Our passes didn’t connect. We didn’t set each other up with goal opportunities. Our defense was inconsistent, at best. We weren’t playing as a unit. It was every man for himself, and the competing team took full advantage of that. Our goalie saved us from being butchered, but the score still ended 1-3.
This game is low stakes, with only our pride on the line. So, at least most of my temporary teammates are in good spirits. With the weekend wrapping up, everyone’s eager to get home. While I’m excited to get back to Chicago and rejoin my team, I hate that it means leaving Hannah.
