Page 15 of Finding the Forward: Part Two
My heart burst with love.
I put down the sign, well aware that we were still on the giant screens. “Love you, Team Mom.”
“Love you, too, Grif Graf.” Verity placed a manicured hand on the glass. Her long, near black hair was back in a French braid. Like nearly always, she had that shiny pink gloss on her lips. She wore knee pads over her leggings, and had on wrist guards.
I put my large hand to her smaller, golden one, wishing there was no glass.
The teens next to me took pictures and waved frantically.
“Hi there.” Verity smiled and waved, taking some beaded bracelets off her wrist and throwing them over the glass.
One girl jumped up and down and threw one back, which Verity caught and put on her other wrist.
Verity’s blue-green eyes turned on me. “Hi.”
“Hi. I wanted to see my favorite girl before she left.” I put my forehead on the glass.
Rusty came up beside her, dressed in her red and black Maimers jersey and black shorts, with colorful socks. Like always, she had a rusty nail temporary tattoo on her cheek.
“That was sweet, Grif. But Team Mom and I have to go,” Rusty told me.
“I’ll be right here the whole game.” I blew her a kiss. “Oh, this is for you. If you get lonely, hug him and know I’m with you.” Taking the fluffy little bear, I tossed it to her over the glass.
She held it to her, a giddy look crossing her face. Verity blew me a kiss back and waved as she and Rusty left. People continued to clean up all the blankets on the ice so the game could start, though the rookies had left.
Well, all but one. Mercy stood in front of me. Like Rusty, she was in full gear and uniform except for her helmet. Her makeup was a lot more dramatic than she wore day-to-day, and she had fishnets over tan leggings, which were probably the cut-proof kind.
Mercy’s big brown eyes focused on me. “That was good.”
Someone yelled her name, and with a wave, Mercy left the bench.
“Do you think that went well?” I asked the teens next to me. Anxiousness sizzled through me as I wished I could talk to Verity, hold her.
“That was so romantic,” the one with the eyelashes said. “She gave me a bracelet. Hers are so fancy.” She held out her wrist, the bracelet filled with round crackly beads and letters spelling outSmash It.Bracelet trading was a thing in skate smash.
“Oh, I thought you were going to propose,” the drunk woman on my other side sighed.
“Another time.” I’d absolutely marry that woman. Mate her. Live with her.
Love her always.
“Can we get that selfie now before the game starts?” The guy on the end held out his phone.
My phone buzzed.
Verity
That was sweet and unexpected. I’ll visit you at intermission.
I looked over at the expectant faces of the teenagers, which were lit by their glow necklaces. “Absolutely.”
Chapter Five
Verity
My heart thudded in my ears as I awkwardly made my way back to the locker room, one of the equipment managers handing me my crutch. Being out there on the ice with them had beenfun,though my leg and ass still ached from my fall.
When the song shifted to my favorite, I hadn’t expected to see Grif on the screen holding a sign. Very romantic.
