Candace hugs me with a squeal. “They did it!”
I return the hug, willing my pounding heart to slow down. The players spill onto the ice, celebrating and taking a victory lap. Alex skates right for us, lifting his helmet off. I meet him at the boards wearing his alternate jersey.
Sweaty and red-faced, he gives me that broad grin that makes my heart swell. He kisses his glove and presses it to the glass. I don’t hesitate before touching my hand to meet it on the other side.
“Your goal was amazing,” I say. “I’m so proud of you.”
It amazes me how quickly things change. Two months ago I came to my first game in years, hating everything about hockey. Now I’m dating one of Heston’s best players in recent history and my appreciation for the game has been revived. My life changed forever at my Ballgowns for Books benefit when Alex stopped pretending and became my real boyfriend.
It turns out, happily ever after isn’t only in the books I read. Now I enjoy them together with him.
Theo skates by and hooks an arm around Alex’s shoulders. I give my brother a thumbs up. He smirks and responds with a smug nod. They push away from the boards to head for the locker room.
Candace takes charge to lead us through the crowd. We make our way out of the arena to meet them at The Landmark to celebrate their win once they finish cleaning up in the locker room.
It doesn’t take them long to burst through the doors at my dad’s sports bar with their teammates a short time later. The whole place is full of people congratulating them. Alex stops a few times to shake hands and take photos with his fans. I watch from the table tucked in the corner.
This spot is my favorite in the bar because of the great vantage point while being out of the way when things get rowdy.
It’s also where the photo of me and Alex dancing together at my ball hangs on the wall, along with a copy of my donation to the bookshop after the event.
After we talked, Dad takes every opportunity to tell anyone who will listen how proud he is of me and my achievements. He’s only beat out by Theo singing my praises whenever I’m spending time hanging out with the hockey team. I feel like I’m part of their weird little family.
I’m not in my brother’s shadow anymore. I never was.
There’s no one who bothers me anymore, either. Mike was the worst offender and he’s no longer a problem. Not long after that party, he lost his eligibility to play football because of academic probation. He transferred to a community college. I never did get to tell him off, but his old group of friends steers clear of us.
Heston University is still my picturesque academic haven, and now I enjoy it more than ever, even when everyone obsesses over our hockey team.
Alex weaves through the bar to reach me at our table. He drapes his arm along the back of the booth and tilts my chin up to capture my lips. When he breaks away, he lingers there for a moment.
“Hi,” I say against his mouth.
“Hey, sweetheart.”
“Great game.” Candace holds her hand up for a high-five.
“Thanks.” Alex claps his palm against hers.
Theo and a couple of the other guys join us. One of the freshman players winks at Candace and she laughs at his flirtatious antics.
“Did you order food? I’m starving.” Theo pats his stomach.
“Wings, wings, and more wings,” I say. “Like, the whole menu.”
Theo and Alex both groan appreciatively. After letting hockey and its players back into my thawed heart, I’ve learned to order twice as much food as I think we’ll eat. Proving me right, the guys descend on the food as soon as our order arrives.
Rather than feeling left out, I’m comfortable to sit and enjoy the company. They all talk and I don’t feel like I need to jump in to be seen. Alex rubs my back and steals wings from my brother’s plate to put on mine until I’m stuffed.
When we’ve eaten our weight in wings and seen every local station’s sport segment coverage on tonight’s game, I squeeze Alex’s wrist beneath the table.
“Ready to go?” I ask.
He pretends to think about it. “You know I could talk about hockey all night.”
“Maybe I’ll pick my book boyfriend over you tonight,” I sass.
Chuckling, he presses his lips to my ear with words meant only for me. “Or I could read it to you and become any fictional man that tries to steal your heart from me.”
