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I almost choke on my chip. “What?!”

She nods her head. “Kate thinks he slept with someone else. They weren’t together or even seeing each other, but it was strange.”

“I’ll say. So now they’re frosty?”

“You could say that. There’s no love lost, that's for sure.”

“Have they ever spoken about it?”

“Not that she’s told me. Kate doesn’t let her emotions show,especiallywhen it comes to men. But it definitely bothered her more than she’s letting on.”

“I get that. It’s a bit of a shitty thing to do.”

She doesn’t look all that convinced. “Thing is, Jensen’s a great guy. I just don’t see him doing something like that. I mean, if he did, then yeah, it’s not cool, but…I just think there’s more to the story. Not that it matters. Kate’s seeing Tom now.”

Sure as shitlookslike it matters from where I’m sitting, but I don’t say any more.

Kate retakes her seat right as the first period ends.

It’s really hard to see since we’re so high, but my attention has been laser-focused on number sixty-six all game. He’s played amazing, and the way he goes in on hits is hot as hell. I’m not sure I’d feel the same way watching him fight, but so far, no gloves have been dropped.

Zach pulls his helmet off and removes his mouthguard as he skates toward the side with Jon. It’s zero-zero, and they’re clearly talking tactics. Just as they get to the side, Zach stops and looks up toward me. His turquoise eyes pierce straight through me even from here. Lifting his hand, he waves and smiles, and the way my body heats straight through tells no lies. I want him.

“Oh, jumbotron alert!” Kate shouts.

I look over to see my face on-screen to at least twenty thousand fans as they all make the connection that their key defenseman is waving at me.

I want to slump back in my chair until I’m out of sight, but I fight through the embarrassment and wave back.

I turn to Felicity. “Will it always be this way? The moment he does something that involves me, all eyes are on us.”

“There’s always going to be attention, especially at games. I don’t know whether it’s a case of you get used to it, or they eventually move to the new shiny toy.”

We’re halfway through the third period when Dallas goes a goal ahead.

“Ah shit, Jon’s gonna be pissed if they lose this,” Felicity drawls.

I can already see Zach is pissed. Very little gets through him, but the Dallas winger slid around him like he wasn’t even there.

My phone pings in my pocket, and I pull it out to see it’s from Mom.

Mom

When are you home from Seattle?

I quickly begin typing out a response to let her know I only arrived today when I hear Kate suck through her teeth. “Uh-oh.”

“Babe, you might want to take a bathroom break or something,” Felicity suggests.

My head shoots up. “Why, what’s happened?”

“A Dallas defenseman has just boarded Jessie. It was a dirty hit.”

My gaze shoots across to see Jessie Callaghan lying on the ice, clutching his wrist.

“Yeah, Zach’s not happy,” Kate confirms with a wince.

I watch in horror as he rips off his gloves and helmet and rushes to the Dallas captain who put in the hit. In response, he drops his onto the ice as they begin circling, sizing each other up.