Page 34 of My Pucking Perfect Goalie

I think about Harper. About Finn’s insistence that I do something about my crush.

“That's pretty much what Finn says.”

“Yeah, she’s smart,” Brett says, grinning. “Don’t get me wrong—she gives me principal vibes when she comes in here, but it’s clear she’s doing a good job. Even if the sound of her heels in here makes me break out in a sweat.”

I laugh despite myself. He's not wrong—Finn can be intimidating with her intense focus and demanding standards. But she's also the first person who's made me believe I could be more than just another goalie.

“One more round,” Grey calls out. “Sammy? You ready?”

I take a deep breath, adjusting my mask and standing. “Yeah, Coach.”

This time, when Brett comes down the ice, I try something different. Instead of thinking about statistics or expectations, I imagine Finn watching. Not judging, just...believing in me.

That expression on her face she gets when she talks about my potential. When she insists I go after what I want.

The way she looked at me on the mountain when I finally faced my fear of heights.

Brett makes his move, but this time I stay patient. When he shoots, my glove comes up automatically—just like in practice with Bennett. The puck hits leather, and Isaac lets out a cheer.

I still let in two of the next four attempts, but they're better—closer saves, smarter movements. Not perfect, but progress.

Small steps.

***

“Sammy!” a voice singsongs through the arena.

I freeze when I hear my name, echoing off the walls. It’s Harper—I can tell from the pitch and cadence. Every time she speaks, it’s like the lilting twinkle of a Disney princess.

When I turn around, she’s walking toward me, her ponytail swinging behind her, pink flats making little muffled noises against the polished floor. Today, she’s wearing a pink skirt and matching blazer, with a little pink strawberry pin on the lapel. Like something out of a cartoon. Out of a fairy tale.

When she stops in front of me, sending a white-toothed grin in my direction, I swear she even smells like berries. Of course she coordinates her outfits with her perfume.

“Hi, Harper,” I say, hitching my duffel bag up onto my shoulder and trying to keep my eyes locked on her face.

“I’m so glad I caught you,” she says, breathing a little hard, and I realize we’re the only two in the arena, standing just outside the rink. From here, I can still feel the radiating coolness of the ice, and her cheeks are a bit pink.

“I’m working on some social media stuff for the holiday season,” she goes on, “and I was wondering if you’d be willing to participate?”

“That depends on what you have in mind,” I laugh.

I think about Brett and some of the other guys, and how she got them to put on cheap Halloween costumes and do a little skit for the team’s TikTok page.

“For Thanksgiving, I want to get a couple of short confessionals from a bunch of you. Just, like, saying what you’re thankful for, you know? No more than five minutes of your time. And it would probably be better to think of it ahead of time. For Christmas, I have this dance idea that would include Santa hats, and Brett already said he’s on board with it. And then New Years would be about resolutions. What do you think?”

I think I blanked out during the middle of what she was saying, my mind losing focus while locking onto her lips, which shine with a bubblegum pink lip gloss.

“Sammy?”

“Oh, yeah, of course,” I say, cheeks heating. “I’d love to be a part of it.”

A lie, but I can’t think when she’s standing this close, smelling like a bakery. The moment I say it, her face lights up and she pulls her phone out, clearly jotting something down in her notes app. When she looks back up, she reaches out and puts her handon my arm, just below my elbow. I fight my first instinct, which is to yank it away.

That wouldn’t be suspiciousat all.

“Wanna walk me to my car?” Harper asks, and I realize she has her purse on her shoulder, her keys in her hand. “It’s pretty safe, but I always feel better when someone is with me. Especially this late.”

“Oh, yeah, of course,” I say, falling into step next to her as we circle the rink, heading to the employee entrance in the back.

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