Page 64 of In the Net
I open it to find that Tuck just posted a photo in the chat: it’s the hand of his girlfriend, Olivia, with a big, glittering ring on her finger.
Just then, a message from our former teammate comes through.
Tuck
I’m engaged.
Beat all you assholes to it.
A smile ticks on my lips as read receipts from the other members of the group quickly come in, followed by reactions to the news.
Hudson
You would get engaged just to brag that you’re first.
I laugh. Tuck and Hudson are as different as two guys can be, but they became best friends during the two years they lived together. Funny enough, Hudson’s girlfriend Summer and Tuck’s now-fiancée Olivia are best friends, too.
Tuck
Don’t worry, Hud, you can always be the first divorce once Summer comes to get senses.
Laugh reacts flood Tuck’s message, even though we all know that Hudson and Summer are so in love with each other that there’s zero chance they won’t be together forever.
Another message pops up on my screen, from Harper this time.
Harper (ugh)
If you guys are winning by halftime, can I leave early?
I roll my eyes at her, but my mouth still curves.
First of all, hockey doesn’t have a halftime.
Second of all, no.
I don’t want her leaving early. I want her to watch the whole game.
Why, though? That’s weird, isn’t it?
I wonder if she’s wearing my jersey. I picture the sight, her with my name and number on her back, and a strange feeling beats in my chest. A proud, satisfied feeling. Now I can’t get the thought out of my head.
I send her another message.
Are the girls with you? Maddie and Scarlett and Jasmine?
Harper (ugh)
Yeah. Why?
If Maddie and Scarlett haven’t heard about Tuck’s engagement yet, they’ll want to know. Giving them the news is the perfect excuse to see if Harper has my jersey on, without having to wait to skate out onto the ice and looking through the stands for her.
I ask Harper where they are, and she tells me they’re in line for food. Most of the crowd at home games shows up well before the team skates onto the ice, treating games as a big social event. I tell the guys in the locker room where I’m going and head to deliver the news.
Disappointment sinks in my chest when I spot Harper and see that she’s not wearing my jersey. It’s no surprise, but after the image flashed so appealingly in my head, it’s a letdown.
There’s a stand selling team jerseys right down the hall, though.
I’m not ready to give up on seeing Harper wearing my jersey. Not ready to give up on finding out if the real thing would have that weird, possessive feeling fluttering through me just like the image in my head did.
