Page 25 of Levi

Watching the team walk out onto the ice, I follow behind my uncle and the rest of the trainers and coaches to the benches, each of us wearing matching blue jackets with our names and the team logo on them. It hits me all at once—I’m here. It’s surreal. This is my dream job. Pride swells in my chest, but so does the fear of losing it.

I’ve worked so hard for this, and now that I have it, the weight of it all feels overwhelming.

I have to show my uncle I’m serious, that I’m not the flighty party girl my sister has made me out to be. All through college, he threw little jabs that made it painfully clear he believed Ally's version of who I am, and it broke something in me, so now it’s time to prove myself.

Little did he know the only person I was fucking then was Levi. But now, I need to prove I can be serious about friendships, relationships, and my job.

But before any of that, we have to win this game first.

CHAPTER11

LEVI

I will nevertire of the rush I get as I lace up my skates on game day or the pride I feel when I put on my Firebirds jersey. It reminds me of when I was a kid watching the game with my nana and grandpa. I’d sit on the couch between the two of them with a huge bag of popcorn, cheering along with my grandpa anytime the Firebirds scored. It’s where I first found my love for the game, so after I fell in love with skating, they knew they had to give it a shot and put me into lessons.

Once I learned how to skate and had a stick in my hand, it was game over. I was in love, and they loved watching me. I think it was hard for them after my parents left. I may have lost my dad and mom, but they lost their son and daughter-in-law, and that was something they had to process while taking me in.

They never once made me feel like it was too much, even after my grandpa passed away. When I was a teenager and my nana had to figure it all out on her own, she did it with a smile on her face. But all the hard work they put into getting me here on the ice in front of thousands of people to represent my city…it’s why I refuse to leave and am so dedicated to taking care of my nana.

It's the only way I can pay her back, thank her for everything she did for me. At least that’s the way I see it.

But tonight…tonight I’ve been playing for another reason. The blonde-haired, blue-eyed girl with a clipboard in her hand sitting on the bench. Her being here, a part of my favorite team, I like it more than I should for her being just a friend. But that’s not something I have time to think about right now. Maybe that’s not what I should be thinking about that during the game, but I’ve been leaning into those thoughts and it’s really been paying off.

There’s something about having the woman you’re bringing home with you watching you play that makes you want to have the game of your life. I’ve scored twice and had two assists for Ash, so I’d say I’m having a helluva game.

It’s the second intermission right now, and we’re in the locker rooms listening to Coach chat with us, but thankfully he’s recognizing just how well we are playing together for it being the first game. We’re on fire, including Cooper, who has saved every single one of the twenty-seven shots on goal.

One more period left, and we will not only win, but Cooper will get his first shutout of the season, and I love that for him. Sitting here while Coach is talking, I look around and my eyes immediately find Quinn, who is checking out Jax’s ankle again. She’s doing her rounds, checking players for injuries, and I know she’ll make her way over to me before too long, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t jealous that she wasn’t standing here retapingmyankle.

It's not that I’m jealous; I just don’t like people touching what is mine.

She’s not yours stupid—it’s fake.

Fake or not, none of these motherfuckers know that, which means while they’re around us, She. Is. Mine.

After Coach released us all to finish our break and get a snack, Quinn finally made her way over to me to check my ankle before the next period.

“Save the best for last?” I joke as she sits on the bench down from me and gestures for my ankle.

“No, I just thought you needed to pay attention to the coach more than anyone else and I didn’t want to distract you,” she jabs back, and I won’t lie, it’s a huge turn-on.

She’s a spitfire, a big ball of chaos that I just love to play with.

“She pegged you quick,” Nash says as he grabs his stick and helmet, half a granola bar still in his mouth.

“Nah, he won’t let me do that.”

“Oh shit,” Nash laughs, spitting out his granola bar all over Quinn. “My bad, I didn’t expect that.”

Looking down, I laugh as she sits there with granola in her hair. “I’ve had worse things in my hair,” she says quietly, just loud enough for me to hear before looking over at Nash and jabbing her thumb in my direction. “Not a problem. I’m used to this heathen.”

“True,” Nash says with a laugh before he hurries off to go find Cooper and Jax, leaving me with Quinn, who has my foot in her lap while her fingers work to undo part of the tape.

“You’re a little feisty today.” I smirk, and she blushes.

“Sorry about that—I couldn’t help myself,” she says bashfully, her eyes downcast on what her hands are doing with my ankle, and I want her blue eyes back on mine.

With the crook of my finger, I tilt her face up until she’s looking at me. “Don’t apologize for being you,” I say with a smile, and we both freeze, her hands on me, my hand cupping her chin as we get lost in each other for a moment.

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