Page 66 of Cross Check Hearts

“They’re teaching them all the things you never learned. You know, like basic math and spelling,” Reese tells Theo, and the locker room erupts in laughter.

“Alright, alright. Let’s save the trash talking for the other teams,” Noah says as he steps in the middle of everyone. “I’ll meet you all there. You know where it is, Declan?”

“Yeah.”

“Cool, then let’s get moving.”

Everyone spills out of the locker room together, still laughing and bantering with each other. As we step out of the arena, some part of me still can’t believe this is real, or that this is my life now. I’ve wanted this for so long—literally most of my life—so to be heading out for drinks with a team of some of the best players in the NHL feels surreal. I don’t want to let it go to my head, but it feels like one night, I went to sleep as a no-name rookie, and the next morning I woke up a superstar.

Beaming, I climb on my bike and rev the engine. It’s loud—always has been—and it draws a few glances, just like it did the first time I rolled into the lot. A couple of the guys glance over as they get in their cars, but Noah’s already pulling out, so I decide to follow him over to the bar. I’ve been before, but I don’t fully remember where it is or how to get there from the arena, so better safe than sorry.

Noah parks around the back of the building, but I leave my bike in one of the designated spots for motorcycles closer to the door. I’m locking up my helmet in the under-seat storage when Noah walks up, followed by the rest of the team.

He nods at the bike, smirking. “Still making a scene with this thing, huh?”

“Always,” I answer, grinning.

Theo lingers by the bike, running a hand over the handlebars. “Man, I need to get one of these.”

I chuckle. “You thinking about it?”

“Hell yeah.” He tilts his head. “You ever let anyone else take it for a spin?”

I snort. “After seeing how you play? No way. You’re reckless enough on the ice. I’m not giving you the chance to wipe out on my bike too.”

The guys burst into laughter, and Theo shakes his head, grinning. “You asshole.”

I laugh along with them. I’m just giving him a hard time, but the truth is, my bike is my baby. There aren’t a lot of people I would let ride it.

Except…

An image of Hannah pressed against my bike, pinned between its metal and me, flashes through my mind. But as quickly as it surfaces, I brush it away. The last thing either of us needs is for me to blab to one of my teammates about what’s going on between us.

I follow the guys into the bar, and a small group of women are already waiting for us in the lobby. I haven’t met them all yet, but as the guys start to pair up with them, it’s pretty easy to figure out who’s attached to whom.

While Theo’s telling the hostess how many people we have, Noah steps up with a beautiful woman whose blonde hair tumbles across her shoulders. I recognize her right away from the team’s PR. His wife Margo.

“I’m glad you came out with the team,” Margo says with a warm smile as she greets me. “Welcome to the Aces family.”

“Thanks, and thanks for everything you do to make us look good out there.”

She waves that away. “No need to thank me. I’m just doing my job.”

“But speaking of, when are we going to get you into a PR spot?” Noah asks, and I feel my insides twist. Being out on the ice in front of hundreds of adoring fans is one thing, but I’m not sure I’m ready to make a total clown of myself for the whole internet to see. My captain chuckles when I don’t answer. “Well, no rush. We’ll ease you into it.”

Theo overhears and laughs at Noah’s phrasing until the lithe woman with wavy dark hair who’s holding his hand slaps his shoulder lightly.

“What? It was funny.”

She rolls her eyes fondly, kisses him, then turns to me. “I’m Becca, by the way,” she says, offering me her hand. I shake it and smile at her.

“Nice to meet you.”

The hostess comes back to seat us before I get the chance to say hello to the woman who Sawyer is clearly dating. But I end up seated between Grant and Sawyer at the table anyway, so I introduce myself to Sawyer’s girl.

“I’m Violet,” she says, shooting me a friendly smile. “Reese’s sister.”

“I should’ve figured that out faster on my own. I can definitely see the family resemblance,” I tell her as my eyes bounce back and forth between her and Reese.

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