“I know. They’ll score here. I can feel it.”
She’s so confident, and I envy her that. She’s not just confident in the Kings; she’s confident in Max. She knows without a shadow of a doubt how much he loves her, and she, him.
“You and Max are lucky,” I murmur, not actually meaning to say it aloud until I hear the words pop out of my mouth.
Thankfully, the sudden roar of the crowd drowns out my words.
Only one minute remains, and Jared and Max are in the middle of a pile of players on the opposite side of the rink from our box.
Jared breaks out of the pile with the puck, and he deftly handles his stick as he races down the ice toward the opposing goal. He sends it over to a streaking Arch, who hesitates just long enough for Jared to break free again.
Arch lets the puck go, and Jared flicks it forward. He’s skating so quickly I strain to follow his jersey number. When he releases the puck, I know before it happens that it’s a goal.
I start jumping up and down and screaming.
“Goal!” I hear from others in the suite.
The other Wild King players mob Jared on the ice, and the announcer says the Thunder have called timeout.
Still enough time for a miracle.
As the Kings stop celebrating and regroup, Jared turns toward our box and raises his stick.
I flush. That was for me. Just like he said he would do.
I raise my hand and wave before taking my seat again.
Emerson isn’t the only one smiling at me when I turn to face my seatmates.
Mia, Jamie Beth, and Haley are all beaming.
“He’s totally smitten,” Emerson says with a confidence I don’t feel. “A Storm brother won’t salute just anyone.”
“Completely true,” Mia agrees as she leans across Jamie Beth’s lap enthusiastically. “I think you should go for it if you want to.”
Oh, I want to.
And this vote of confidence makes the idea even more tempting.
But I don’t know if I can hook up with Jared and walk away. And I would need to be prepared for a one-night stand. Earlier today, I practically confessed I have feelings for him, for God’s sake. Feelings that I’ve never taken the time to process.
And he didn’t say anything back.
The fear in his eyes said everything, though.
So I need to make sure I keep my guard up. No matter what happens physically, emotionally, I need to protect myself.
The timeout is over, and the Thunder make one last furious push to score by pulling their goalie and going all in.
It doesn’t work.
The Wild Kings pull it out, a tough season opener but one that ends in a victory.
“Yeah!” Declan kisses Mia, and the rest of us hug.
Mia says she’s leaving with Declan, and Jamie Beth and Haley follow.
“Come with me to wait for Max?” Emerson asks me. “I hate to wait alone.”
