Page 82 of Hat Trick Holidate

She shakes her head no and sighs. “No, Daddy said he’s waiting for you to come over.”

My heart feels like it’s floating outside my body. I introduce myself to Belinda, and she smiles. As the guys come back to the ice, my brother isn’t among them. The announcer calls out, “Roman Rustavelli of the Jets and Sven Friezen from the Vipers have been ejected from the game.”I fear that Roman’s career is over. Both benches have been warned.

Jolie gets on my lap. “You’re wearing daddy’s jersey.”

“You are too.”

“Daddy wanted us to look alike.”

Jolie is talking up a storm not just to me and Cannon but everyone. It makes my heart sing at how far she has come in the last two months.

Bryce, Reed, and Lykins move swiftly over the ice and pass the puck with finesse and ease. Reed slaps it toward the goal, but their goalie defends it well. The Vipers winger, Brad Shaw, jukes several of Jets defenders and shoots on goal. Snow saves it, and the puck is passed back to Bryce. God, he’s gorgeous, talented, possessive, protective, and thoughtful.

He’s skating like the champion he is. I hope it’s because he read my letter. While I’m daydreaming, he sinks the puck in the back of the net.

The team slaps his helmet and shoulders, then they release them from his grip, and he skates over to me. Instead of pointing like Reed does to Brooke, he kisses his fist and beats it against his chest, very close to his heart.

Jolie yells, “That’s my daddy.”

I don’t know what to yell. Am I his girlfriend?

So, I bounce on my toes, clap, cheer, and smile. God, I smile so much, my face hurts.

My stomach dips and turns as the game ends. Belinda is watching Jolie, so do I leave Jolie with her or…

“Hey, Reed texted me and said Jolie’s spending the night with us. Have fun.” Brooke wiggles her eyebrows.

I hug her tightly. “He’s coming? He wants me?”

Brooke’s enthusiastic grin widens. “He is. Don’t make him wait. Get out of here.”

I don’t even remember driving home because Bryce Wynward is mine.

chapter 36

BRYCE

When I openedthe note in my locker, I scanned for the signature first. Rusti. And I knew she wasn’t breaking my heart—she would mend it.

The last five days have had me in a chokehold, barely able to breathe. But today, when Roman took out the Viper who flipped me over his back, I began to breathe. We talked about the scuffle with his former best friend and ex-wife, and he thanked me for stepping in and how he loves being a Jet.

Even though I want desperately to be with Emmaline and kiss the fuck out of her, there’s something I need to do first. I waltz into the interview room.

Reporters are shouting my name, “Wynward, how does your head feel? Kissing your glove and pounding your heart after the score… who was that for?”

The questions go on and on. “Listen, I’ll answer all your questions, but I have one thing to say before, and it will allmake sense.” I pause and lean up to the microphone, as I roll up the sleeves of my dress shirt. “Next year, I’ll be a free agent, and the only way I’ll stay in an Atlanta Jet uniform is if Roman Rustavelli is part of this team. Cross and I need to know that someone has our back, and he’s proven that he’ll protect us, and we’ll protect him.”

“You’d really leave?”

“I would. I’ve had a great run, and I love Atlanta but if he gets cut from the team because he had my back, I don’t want to be part of the organization. He has a no-fighting clause, and he made a choice to protect his teammate and the person who loves his sister.”

Grins spread across the women reporters’ faces.

“In my book, that’s the very definition of a teammate and a brother.”

Tears fill my eyes.

“If you all don’t mind, I need to get my girl.”

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