Page 151 of Almost Ravaged

“Ty?”

The sound of her voice brings me out of my reverie.

“I said good luck.” She nods toward the tunnel. “You probably need to get back there.”

She’s right.

“I’ll see you after the game?” I ask. As if it’s even a question.

Sawyer grimaces. “I have to close, so I won’t be out of here right away.”

I shrug. “After that, then,” I press. “Text me when you’re done. I’ll walk you home.”

Without confirming the plans, she shoves against my pads. “Go.” With that, she scurries away.

I don’t move a muscle until she’s out of sight.

Then, with renewed confidence and a sense of peace only she can bring me, I head back toward the locker room to play my first collegiate game.

The crowd is loud and rowdy as we take the ice and the announcers go through the starting lineup.

I scan the sea of faces as I make my introduction pass. The student section is overflowing, filled with girls all done up and shirtless super fans, their chests painted green and gold.

Cam, Kai, Bryant, and Grant are there, clustered together.

I keep looking as I skate, searching for her hair. So what if I saw her in the hallway ten minutes ago? I’m a fucking fiend.

I know roughly where she should be.

Atty pointed out the seats during warmups.

I’m ready. I’ve got this.

I just need to see my girl one more time.

I swing around the net and stop to check on our goalie. Jet Gerard, a junior, has been nothing but welcoming to Atty and me. We’ve got a good thing going, the three of us. Hell, the whole team respects the shit out of the guy. Don’t fucking touch him. Don’t even breathe in his direction. The NCAA has rules against fighting, but if there were ever a situation where I’d be tempted to drop gloves, it would be on Jet’s behalf.

“You good, Tremblay?” he asks as he drops into his down stance.

I nod. I’m good. And the second I lay eyes on my girl in the stands, I’ll be fucking great.

“Let’s fucking go.”

I push off, heading back toward the bench, still searching the crowd.

A tingle of awareness rolls through me a second before I spot her.

There.

She’s sitting right where she should be, with my name on her back.

I grin, willing her to look up and catch me staring.

Instead of zeroing in on me, she turns to the person beside her.

I follow her line of sight, and my gut drops.

Fuckin’ A.