Page 163 of Waiting Game

Cole: *gulps*

Cole: You took that ahead of time, didn’t you?

Mia: Maybe. It seemed important to you.

Cole: Thank YOU

Mia: Now, enjoy your Taylor Swift soundtrack

Cole: ??

Cole: I should never have told you about that

CHAPTER 31

MIA

The live gameis so much better than watching it on the TV.

For obvious reasons, reasons I agree with, Cole got me a seat in the nosebleed section.

He groused about it as he gave me the ticket, muttering that there was still a chance Gracie and Liam could see me on TV, and his grumbles grew even louder when I refused to wear his jersey in enemy territory.

I might need to squint at the ice and rely on the Jumbotron to keep updated, but the energy is as vibrant. And, mostly, I’m just grateful.

Grateful that he wanted me here.

Grateful that he’s willing to take a risk on me being spotted by people we’re trying not to hurt.

Grateful that he cares.

Grateful that he brought me.

Grateful.

It peppers every interaction, every play, every moment, enriching the experience.

Despite Jarvis’s lessons, I haven’t learned much about the sport, but sometimes, you have to cut it down to the bare bones—there’s a puck that both sides are trying to get into the other team’s goal.

Two-hundred-pound guys armed with sticks will brutalize their way across the ice.

And, to make it more difficult, there are offside rules to comply with.

My favorite part is how they throw down helmets and gloves to start fighting—who does that?!

Hockey players, that’s who.

My eyes are locked on Cole throughout the game. Even when he’s on the bench, studying the iPad for plays, I’m assuming, I flicker my focus between him and the action.

An anticipatory buzz whistles through the arena, drawing my thoughts from him and onto the ice.

The game makes me think back to when I was a kid. All wide-eyed as I stared at the big beyond that’s the world, trying to make sense of it, attempting to find some semblance of understanding of what’s going down.

I grew up in stadiums like these; they’re practically my second home, but it’s different tonight. Theemotionsare different. People are excited and I’m literally breathing that in.

My focus darts around like a butterfly on crack because there’s too much to take in so I’m taking in nothing at all, but I know I like this.

I like being a part of it.

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