Page 50 of Only for Tonight
I skate onto the ice and my eyes go up to the box where I know she is. I see her standing there with her cousin Zoey and another girl beside her. The three of their heads are together as they laugh at something.
The crowd roars when we skate around as we start the third period. We’re winning four to one. So we have to make sure we continue playing our game. I skate to the blue line and lean forward with my stick in both hands with it on my upper legs, while they take the puck at center ice. “Twenty minutes,” I tell Kirby, whose eyes are on the puck that drops and he skates up when we win the faceoff.
We end up holding our ground, and when there’s thirty seconds to go, I intercept the pass and whip it to the other side of the net that has no goalie in it. It sails all the way down the ice, the defenseman trying his hardest to get to the puck before it hits the back of the net, but he’s too slow and it slides in. The crowd goes wild and my teammates all skate up to me as the horn blows for the end of the period.
We skate to the middle of the ice and we hold up our sticks to thank the crowd for coming before I skate off the ice. We do this after every single home game, regardless of if we win or not. Obviously, it’s always better doing it after a win. I go to the locker room and try to hurry up. The coach comes in and gives us a pep talk before he allows the media to come in. I give a couple of interviews before I step into the shower. The reporters are now gone as some of the guys trickle around and make plans for the night. I’m slipping on my jacket at the same time as Kirby. “You joining us for dinner?” he asks me as he grabs his wallet and puts it in the inside pocket of his jacket.
“No.” I shake my head. “Going to head straight home.”
“Your girl here?” he asks me, raising his eyebrows, and I nod.
“Am I going to meet her?” he asks, laughing.
“Soon,” I say, not sure what else to tell him since I have to talk to Ariella about how to slowly ease people into this thing with us.
“I look forward to it,” he replies. I nod at him as I turn to walk out of the dressing room. I step out and see Angela there waiting for Kirby and Tiffany is right next to her. She smiles at me and I just turn my head and start to walk away.
“Seriously, Jaxon?” she huffs, hustling to catch up with me in her six-inch heels. “You’re just going to walk past me and try to ignore me?” I turn my head to the other side, not bothering to answer her since that was the answer. “Can we talk, please?” she hisses, grabbing on to my arm.
“No.” I move my hand out of her touch. “We said all there is to say.” I stop. “Also, calling my mother”—I snort—“what did you think that would do?”
“I didn’t have a choice,” she hisses at me, her face distorting. “You left me no choice.”
“The mature choice would be to walk away and think it didn’t work out. Not get on the phone to my mother and spew the shit that you spewed. Jesus.” I shake my head. “It’s over, Tiffany, as in we are never getting back together. It was already over but the stuff you pulled since has made it clear that it is never, ever going to happen again.” I put my hands in my pockets as I look over to see Kirby having words with Angela. I also don’t tell her that it will never happen again because I’m with Ariella now. She doesn’t need to know that nor does she deserve to know that.
“Is it because of her?” She cocks her hip to the side.
“Yes and no.” I nod.
“You are going to give us up for that puck?—”
I step into her space now, when a couple of seconds ago I tried to get as far away as I could from her. “Watch your mouth.” My voice is tight. “She’s more than you will ever be.” Shock fills her face. “I’d give you up in a heartbeat for her. Without a second thought. Without skipping a beat, it would be her over you every single time. Without a shadow of a doubt.” I see her lip quiver. “Move on.” I turn and stride out and away from her and head toward my SUV where I have Dave waiting with Ariella.
I see her talking to him and take her in, she’s wearing sneakers and my jersey. She must feel me staring at her because she turns my way and smiles at me. “There he is, the first star of the game.” I roll my eyes as she claps her hands.
“Thanks, Dave,” I tell him and he nods at me and walks away, slapping my shoulder.
“You got a good one there,” he says and I smirk.
“Oh, I know, except when she was younger.” I look back at her as she waits for what story I’m going to tell this time. The funny thing is, I have so many stories that it’s hard to choose. “She got me in trouble for pulling her hair.”
“You were twelve and I was five.” She hits me in the stomach. She’s about to pull her hand away from me when I stop her moving by grabbing her hand and pulling her to me. She looks up at me. “Hi,” she says softly.
“Hi,” I return, wrapping my arm around her waist, “ready to head home?”
She nods her head, as I bend to kiss her quickly before putting her in the car and taking us home. “What do you usually do after a game?” she asks me as we step into the house and I take off my jacket.
“Eat and then just try to relax,” I tell her. “Usually sit outside and listen to the ocean.”
“Well, why don’t you go and relax and I can make you something to eat,” she offers, taking off the jersey and leaving her in a tank top and her tights.
“Or you can go sit down on that stool”—I point to the stool—“and talk to me while I warm up one of my premade meals.”
“Fine.” She moves to the stool and sits down. “Then we can go and sit outside while you eat.”
“That sounds like a plan.” I kiss her neck. “So how did you like the game?” I ask her and she smiles.
“It was fun. Zoey and Gabriella were there.” She mentions the other girl who was beside her.
