Page 66 of Hooking the Captain
We moved toward the security line and it was then I saw the back of his jersey.
Cooper.
I chuckled to myself. I knew Coop was the captain of the team, but the irony of my current date wearing the jersey of my ex-boyfriend wasn’t lost on me.
Once inside, the smell of popcorn and hotdogs filled the air, making my stomach grumble.
Jacob glanced at me and asked, “You hungry? We can grab beers and food before we head to our seats.”
I nodded, appreciating his thoughtfulness. “Sure, that sounds great.”
We weaved through the crowd toward the concession stand, and Jacob offered to pay for our drinks and food as we approached the cashier. I thanked him as he handed me a cold beer.
“I’ll get the next round,” I vowed, raising my beer in a toast.
Jacob grinned and clinked his can against mine. “Deal.”
With our food and drinks in hand, we made our way to our seats. The Bruins were on the ice for warm-ups, and my eyes immediately fell on Coop. He looked good out there, his confident stride and skilled movements catching the attention of some of the kids near the glass. Seeing him again was strange, and it brought on a mix of nostalgia, curiosity, and a lingering connection I couldn’t quite shake.
While Jacob got settled, I quickly pulled out my phone and fired off a text to Coop:
Hey! Hope you’re doing good. Just wanted to tell you I’m at the game tonight. Should be fun finally getting to see you play in person. Good luck tonight!
It had been ten months since we had talked, but seeing him in person made me want to let him know there were no hard feelings, and I truly wished nothing but the best for him. He deserved it.
I tucked my phone away and turned back to the ice.
Jacob must have noticed where my gaze was directed because he asked, “Are you an Emmett Cooper fan too?”
“He’s the reason I started following hockey,” I admitted.
“He is pretty hot,” Jacob mused.
He wasn’t wrong.
We spent the game cheering as the Bruins played their asses off. Unfortunately, the Flyers scored a last-second goal and won the game.
A few minutes later, Jacob and I joined the throngs of disappointed fans slowly making their way up the stairs.
Once we made it through the sea of people and out of the arena, Jacob turned to me. “Well, that kind of sucked.”
I chuckled softly, shaking my head. “Yeah, but despite the loss, I still had a good time tonight.”
His lips curled into a genuine smile. “I did too.”
I was enjoying Jacob’s company and wasn’t ready for our night to end yet. “Hey, would you want to grab a drink somewhere?”
His eyes brightened. “I’d love to.”
“Chrome’s not too far from here. Do you want to head over there?” I asked, mentioning the nightclub I’d gone to quite a few times since moving back home.
“Sure. I’ve never been there before, but I heard it’s a lot of fun.”
We decided to walk since the club was only a few blocks away, but before we got very far, a voice cut through the air.
“Ford!” they called out, causing me to spin around.
When I saw who it was, my entire body froze.
