Page 48

SAVANNAH

Five Months Later

“Bro, are you blind?”

“Stripes! What the hell!?”

“Oh my god! Boooo!”

I set my camera down in my lap. I don’t think the team's social media account needs photos of the pissed off crowd. The Lions are winning their first game of the season, but one bad call and they turn into the townspeople from Hunchback of Notre Dame. I half expect them to start throwing tomatoes.

Maverick skates to the team bench, lifting one hand to his ear and the other to the crowd, getting them to boo louder, and I snap a photo of his goofy ass grin.

“I wish I got paid to take pictures of hockey players and eat hot dogs,” Chloe says around a mouthful of popcorn.

I bark out a laugh, looking over at my friend. “First of all, I’m an intern; I’m not getting paid to do this. Second—” I pause when I spot Victoria a few rows up and over.

Chloe takes notice and follows my gaze. “His dad still doesn’t show up?” she asks.

I shake my head. “No, but I think that's all Victoria. She finally showed up for him when his dad tried to take everything away, and if I had to bet, she’s still got her pointy little heel on his neck, keeping the dog down, you know?”

Victoria spots me and her lips turn up into a soft, apologetic smile. I return it with a wave.

“I love a powerful woman,” Chloe mutters, turning back around in her seat.

While I’m trying to be appreciative of what she did for Noah, I still have a hard time accepting that she wasn’t there for him before.

But I can tell she’s trying now, and since I’m working on being more accepting of giving people second chances, I’m supporting their relationship moving forward. For Noah.

Knock Me Out by Vintage Trouble plays throughout the arena as people move about during the second intermission. My dad is likely doing a quick analysis of plays from the second period, and then he’ll be spouting off some words of wisdom.

“What do you think the nacho line looks like?” Chloe asks, and we both swivel in our seats, trying to gauge how many people have left their seats.

My eyes land on the tall, lean, dark haired guy beelining it down the steps, right toward us.

I turn back around with a fool's hope that he’ll get the hint that we’re ignoring him. My dreams are short lived when his annoying voice speaks.

“Hey, you.”

The quarterback of the LCU football team—and my arch-nemesis— stands in the row below us, wearing some early-2000s smug look that he probably thinks is charming.

“Hey, Nathan.” Chloe smiles up at him, and I fight like hell not to roll my eyes because I thought we were over this guy.

“Never thought I’d see you at a hockey game,” he quips, but it sounds more like a dig.

“Savannah’s dating Noah.” She points her thumb at me and I shove my elbow into her side. Not because it’s a secret anymore, but my relationship is not the reason we’re here.

“Oh, and she’s interning with the team this year.”

“Savannah.” Nathan turns to me, but I don’t say anything, so he turns his attention back to Chloe. “You look really good tonight, by the way.”

“Thanks. So do you.”

He tilts his head, his smile widening. “This is hard.”

If you’re referring to this interaction? It’s downright brutal.

“What is?” she asks.

“Seeing you tonight. I haven’t seen you since that party last week, and I don’t know…” He shakes his head. “I just wish I could take you out on a real date.”

Chloe digs her fingernails into my thigh. I bite hard on my tongue to keep from letting out a pained gasp of surprise.

“It’s too bad you're dating Maverick.”

What the FUCK?

Chloe must be as shocked as I am because I swear she stops breathing.

“I’m sorry?” Her blonde hair falls to the side as she cocks her head.

“Yeah, he told me last night. I’ve got to say I was a little shocked, considering…” his eyebrows lift, like he wants her to fill in the words for him.

Considering you come every time I call, and I continue to make you believe that one day we’ll be together.

The arena lights darken, and the glow lights turn on as the music blares through the speakers.

The Lions are back on the ice, doing a few warm-up laps, and I hold up my camera to get a few shots.

I stand and look back at Chloe, who still looks like a deer in headlights.

With a quick pat on her leg and a whispered, “I’ll be right back,” I shove my way past Nathan and make my way over to the team's bench, where I take pictures for the rest of the game.

The final buzzer sounds and I snap more photos of the team, fists flying in celebration. I think I might have caught the first-ever photo of Silas smiling. The team makes their way over to the bench, but I only have eyes for one of them.

“Nice shot, Golden Boy.”

Noah doesn’t stop when he gets to the wall, but effortlessly hurdles it as he rips his helmet off and runs a gloved hand through his sweaty hair. “You like those goals I scored for you, Savvy girl?”

I smile as he towers over me.

“At least this time, you knew I was here.” I tease.

“Ten bucks and a kiss says we win it all this year.”

He grips the back of my waist and pulls me in closer. His mouth lands on mine, but it’s my heart that he really kisses.

I smile against him, and when he pulls back, I whisper against his lips, “With those stakes? That’s a bet I’m happy to lose.”