Page 36 of Ice Melts

“Anything.”

“Don’t hurt him,” Tatum said softly. “Travis isn’t like some of these other guys, Sarah. He’s all in when he cares about someone. And I think… I think he’s been waiting for you for a long time.”

Sarah’s throat tightened, emotions rising in her chest. “I won’t hurt him,” she said, voice steady. “I swear.”

Tatum exhaled, then broke into a smile. “Well then. I guess we have a lot to talk about.”

Sarah grinned back. “Yeah. We really do.”

Tatum reached for her latte again, a mischievous glint in her eye. “So, tell me everything. Well, I mean, mostly everything.” She fake gagged.

Sarah rolled her eyes but laughed, the tension finally gone.

Everything felt lighter now—easier.

She and Travis still had things to figure out. She still had to navigate her job, the pressure from Jess, and the mess she’d made with the articles.

But for the first time in a long time, Sarah felt like she was finally heading in the right direction.

And this time, she wasn’t afraid to follow her heart.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

The sharp scent of ice and sweat filled the arena as Travis laced up his skates, the familiar tug of the laces grounding him even as his mind raced. The cold air bit at his face, but it wasn’t enough to cool the anxiety gnawing at his chest.

The locker room buzzed with the usual pre-practice chatter—sticks being taped, gear clattering, jokes thrown across the benches. But underneath it all was a tension that hadn’t been there before. The team was on edge, and so was Travis.

He tried to focus on the upcoming game, on the drills they needed to run, the strategies they needed to perfect. The finals were within reach—so close he could taste it—and yet, the shadow of what had happened off the ice loomed large over everything.

The bando.

The arrests.

The drugs.

And Sarah.

She’d said she’d figure it out, that she wasn’t going to blow up his team’s reputation. But the pressure from her editor was real,and Travis knew better than anyone that sometimes the story won out over personal ties.

He trusted her. He had to. But that didn’t make the knot in his stomach loosen any.

Logan sat across from him, unusually quiet, his gaze focused on the floor as he taped his stick. The cocky grin that used to be permanently plastered on his face was long gone, replaced with something hollow and tired. He’d just come off his suspension to then be caught clubbing again. He hadn’t had any drugs on him. He wasn’t driving under the influence. But he’d been there. He’d invited half the team.

Travis wanted to say something—anything—but what was there left to say? Logan had made his choices. They all had.

But now, those choices were threatening to throw away everything they’d worked for.

The sound of skates slicing into the ice echoed through the arena as they hit the rink for practice. The drills were sharp, fast-paced, but Travis could feel it—the team wasn’t in sync. Passes were off, shots were sloppy, and the energy that usually electrified their practices was missing.

Logan missed a pass from Jake and cursed under his breath, slamming his stick against the boards.

“Logan!” Travis barked, skating up beside him. “Focus.”

Logan shot him a glare but didn’t argue. He knew he’d screwed up.

Travis skated back to the center, clapping his hands to get everyone’s attention. “Come on, guys. We’re better than this. We’re three games away from the Cup. You think this is how champions play?”

The team mumbled responses, but no one met his eyes.

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