Her mouth drops open. "That wasone time!"
"Pretty sure you also yelled at someone to 'learn the rules before running your mouth.'"
Caroline snorts, half covering her face as she laughs. "Okay, fine. Maybe two times."
"Try five," I tease, "I used to look forward to what insult you'd throw next. You made trash-talk sound... sexy."
Color creeps up her neck, painting her cheeks a soft pink. She groans, tilting her face away like she's trying to hide it, but the corner of her mouth betrays her—curling up despite her best effort.
She shakes her head, laughter bubbling in her voice. "I can't believe you actually remember that."
"How could I forget?" I shrug, my grin softening into something smaller, fonder. "You defending me like that? That was the highlight of every game. I'd score one goal and spend the next five minutes trying not to grin like a lovesick fool because I knew you'd be right there, ready to throw hands for me."
Her laughter fades into a gentle smile, that same wistfulness settling between us like a quiet echo of what used to be.
"Those were good days," she murmurs.
"They were," I say, matching her tone, then add with a teasing smirk, "Maybe Saturday can be one of them again. You can remind everyone in the stands how cheering's supposed to be done."
She quirks a smile, "Yeah, I guess your fan club could use a few tips and learn from the best."
I chuckle under my breath, and she joins in, the sound soft and easy. For a moment, it's just us again—grinning, caught in that familiar pull I thought was long gone.
Then, over her shoulder, I spot Adam watching us from across the room. His script is still in his hand, but his attention sure as hell isn't on it.
A slow, smug grin tugs at my mouth before I can stop it. Not my fault the view from here's better. I keep my expression casual, though—just a polite, perfectly innocent smile. Totally harmless. Except maybe not.
Because, yeah—call me petty or whatever—but watching Adam seethis?
Feels pretty damn satisfying.
*****
It's finally Saturday. Game two of the weekend series. Only less than an hour before puck drop.
The locker room's alive—music blasting, sticks tapping against benches, the smell of tape, and menthol gel thick in the air. Half the guys are laughing, chirping each other while getting their gear on. Others are zoned in, headphones on, faces locked in game mode.
We're still riding the high from last night—taking down Northpoint University, one of the toughest, most stacked D1teams in the country. Those guys are built like tanks and skate like devils, so yeah, beating them? That felt damn good. Everyone's still buzzing from it—everyone except me.
Don't get me wrong, I'm hyped for the game... but that's not what's got my heart punching through my chest right now.
No, my nerves have nothing to do with the puck tonight—and everything to do with what I'm about to doafter.
Because sometime tonight, in front of a packed arena, I'm about to pull the cheesiest stunt known to man. The kind of thing that makes people hide their faces behind their hands and mutter "secondhand embarrassment" under their breath.
And the worst part? I volunteered for it.
No one dared me. No one forced me. I actually planned it.Me.Zach freaking Westbrook—alternate captain, Mr. Too-Cool-to-Care—decided to turn the ice rink into a goddamn rom-com set.
I barely slept last night, even though my body felt like it got run over by a freight train after the Northpoint game. My ribs ache, my shoulders are screaming, but my brain wouldn't shut up. I kept replaying everything I needed to do tonight, over and over.
Was everything set? Did I forget to tell the AV team something? What if the music cues screw up? What if I trip in front ofeveryone?
It's not second thoughts. God, no. I've never been this sure about anything. It's just—this has to be perfect. For her.
Still, there's this little part of me that's been gnawing at my nerves all day: what if she doesn't show up? What if she changed her mind?
That thought's been eating me alive—until five minutes ago, when Sam texted me, letting me know that she's on the way to the arena with Caroline.
