Page 1 of Waiting Game

FIRST PERIOD

CHAPTER 1

COLE

Glitterball - Sigma/Ella Henderson

While it sucksthat my team, the New Jersey Blue Demons, didn’t make it into the playoffs, and despite the bad juju, I have to grin when I watch my billet bro, Liam ‘Leprechaun’ Donnghal, slide yet another puck into the back of the net for the New York Stars.

There’s an advantage to my figure-skating coach being late—I got to read some Omegaverse why choose until the puck dropped, and then I started watching my bro in action. That means I can cheer to the empty rink when he scores without feeling like I’m betraying the Blue Demons.

Thankfully, my celebration is between me, the ice, and my Kindle app.

When a notification slides into my DMs informing me my coach has shown up at long last and has parked outside the rink, I switch from watching the game stream to my messages.

Sending her a thumbs-up, I move over toHooked-Up,when I see a chick swiped right on me.

My nose crinkles as I study her profile.

I have nothing against hot blondes, but I prefer brunettes—they’re the ones who know how to have more fun.

Checking out the next profile, I see a hottie from Midtown. One of her pictures shows her working behind a bar—her uniform hasChuck’sembroidered on her tit—where another has her hugging a cat.

That’s good. I like cats.

As I swipe right, a second later, a notification dings around the rink, echoing and making me jump.

Which is when I realize I’m not alone anymore because that notification wasn’t mine.

I glance up, on the hunt for my figure-skating coach who’s the only person allowed access during this private session, and my eyes widen as recognition hits.

The chick I swiped right on is the one skating toward me…

My grin makes an appearance as I straighten up and head onto the ice.

This whole session was born of watching Kyle Lewis, one of the first-string right wingers who plays for the Stars, spin pirouettes during his cellies. While other morons were givinghim shit, until Liam called them out for it, I was watching his landing and takeoff.

Poetry. In. Motion.

Ballet isn’t my thing, but figure skatingcouldbe.

Having seen my coach, hell, I’m more invested in my classes than ever because not only is she hotter than she looked on her profile, but thatassof hers?

Fuck. My. Life.

And all that brown hair—I should probably start worshipping her now and save us both some time.

Of course, I’m too busy checking her out to see the writing on the wall because Mia Charles, ofHooked-Upfame as well as a talented figure-skating coach who’s supposed to be helping me with my edge work, skitters to a halt right in the center of the ice and bursts into tears before I even get the chance to ask, “How you doin’?”

CHAPTER 2

COLE

Shake It Off - Taylor Swift

“You okay, miss?”

Calling her ‘miss’ when I know my coach’s name gives this encounter a faintly Victorian tang, but I do it anyway.

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