Page 53 of Just my Puck (Love & Laughter #1)
LUCY
M y heart is pounding with anticipation. As I run into the arena, not wanting to be even a few moments late for the warm-ups, I slam straight into Jason, who appears to be loitering and waiting for me.
“Princess,” he purrs, taking me in his arms and kissing me deeply, not bothering who sees or captures it on camera. “Everything okay?”
Nodding, I grasp his chin lightly. “Are you okay?”
The meaning in my words is heavy, and it clouds his eyes momentarily, but then he sighs, leaning his forehead against mine. “Yeah. I’m good. The final shot is wearing off, but I’m not going to let it hold me back tonight. We need this.”
“And the other thing?”
He grins and lifts his head up. “You are looking at the new assistant coach for the Coe Bay U hockey team.”
Clapping my hands, I jump up and down. “Yay! You fucking rock, Storm!”
He snorts. “Please don’t call me that. It feels all wrong coming from you.”
“I know,” I giggle. “It seemed like a ‘Storm’ kind of moment.”
Turning my head to the side, I see Carter and his dad talking.
My palms sweat for a moment, but then I relax when I see Mr. Ford take Carter’s face in his hands and lean forward to kiss his forehead before drawing him into a manly hug.
Carter slaps him on the back, a happy smile on his perfect face.
He catches my eye, and I give him the thumbs up.
He chuckles and looks away as Jason says, “We gotta bounce. See you after.”
“Good luck,” I call out, even though I know they don’t need it. They are so fired up, there is no way they won’t win this.
Watching them disappear, I head up to the seats that are reserved for us. Rushing up the steps, I shuffle down the row with a big grin and hug Shannon fiercely.
“Hi,” she says. “This is so exciting!”
When she lets me go, I grab Simone’s hand and squeeze it tightly. Carter’s mom is the best. She is so down to earth and accepted our unconventional relationship without a bat of her eye.
Seeing Carter’s dad move in beside his wife, he catches my eye and smiles before he yells out some encouragement to the few teammates already hitting the ice for a pre warm up.
Turning as Patty and Steve shuffle in on my other side, I smile. “So glad you’re here. I’m nervous as fuck.”
“Don’t be. They’ve got this.”
“How do you feel?” I ask, squeezing her hand.
“Like I’m the size of a house already,” she says with a loud laugh.
“Oh, please. You’re barely showing,” I snort, placing my hand lightly on her tiny baby bump. “I’m so happy for you guys.”
“Well, about to be happier,” Patty says, looking over her shoulder at Steve before facing me again with a big smile. She holds up her left hand to show me a nice-sized rock glinting under the arena lights.
“Ah!” I scream and drag her into a stifling hug. “Oh, my God! Congratulations!” I hold my hand up for Steve to slap his palm against mine, his cute face split into a grin so wide, it looks comical.
“Thanks,” Patty says, her cheeks a light shade of pink from all the attention.
“You guys are going to be so happy. Your little family.” I press my hand to my heart but then drop it quickly before she notices. I don’t want to steal Patty’s thunder. This is her moment, and my news can wait.
We sit as the rest of the team takes to the ice, and we giggle as they start their very sexy groin warm-ups, which will never not entertain me, especially as I know what three of them can do with that area, and it makes my toes tingle.
Waiting for the start of the game, I look up as I notice someone waving at me from a short distance away.
Waving back at June and Holly with a smile, I elbow Patty so she can see as well. She waves enthusiastically as they take their seats and then turns to me.
“I’m glad they saw the light.”
“Yeah, me too. Fucking Mae and her jealousy.”
“She’s here, you know. Me and Steve saw her on the way in.”
“Where?” I ask, looking around.
She indicates to a group of women some way down from us.
“Ugh. She’s found new followers.”
“More fool them.”
“Maybe we should tell them what she’s like?”
“Or maybe you forget about those nasty bitches and wave to one of your guys instead.”
Turning to the rink, I see Steele trying to get my attention. Waving back, I blow him a kiss, and he grins before slamming his helmet on and skating off.
Soon, the buzzer goes, signifying the start of the game.
As the players start to move, I feel a knot form in my stomach. This is it—the championship game. The tension in the arena is electric, and everyone is on edge, waiting to see who will be crowned the winner.
The first few minutes of the game fly by in a blur of fast-paced action. The Coe Bay Titans team is playing with a kind of ferocity that takes my breath away. Their passes are precise, their shots on target, and their defense impenetrable.
Despite this, the opposing team manages to score a goal. The crowd lets out a collective groan, and I feel Patty’s hand grip mine tightly. But the Titans don’t let it get them down. They keep pushing forward, determined to win.
Jason is all over the ice, which sends my panic into a tailspin. Praying that he doesn’t hurt himself any more than he already has, before I know it, he’s scored two goals in quick succession. The arena erupts in cheers as the players high-five each other and pump their fists in the air.
Watching from the stands, I’m filled with pride and admiration for these amazing athletes, especially for my three guys.
Carter is playing like a man possessed, his focus unbreakable.
Steele is fighting with everyone who even gets within touching distance, landing him in the penalty box several times amidst cheers from the crowd, who are behind him every step of the way, and Jason is like a god on ice.
Every time he skates past our section, he looks up at me and smiles as if to say, “we’ve got this”.
As the game progresses, tensions on the ice mount. There are fights breaking out left and right, and players getting sent to the penalty box for unsportsmanlike conduct. But through it all, the Titans remain steady and focused.
With only a few minutes left on the clock, they’re up by two points. The arena is deafening as the spectators chant their team’s name, and the players fight with every ounce of energy they have left.
Suddenly, one of the opposing team’s players makes a run for the goal, skating past the defense and taking a shot. Everyone holds their breath as it looks like it’s going to be a surefire goal, but out of nowhere, Steele appears, diving in front of the puck and blocking it with his body.
The stadium erupts in cheers as the Titans rush Steele, patting him on the back as they skate by.
I feel my heart swell with joy as I watch them play their hearts out, and it’s then that I realize something.
I don’t need anything else in life as long as I have moments like this, where I’m surrounded by love, watching something beautiful unfold right before my eyes.
As the final buzzer sounds, the Titans are declared the champions of the Stanley Cup.
We all jump up, cheering and clapping as they skate around the rink, glorious in their triumph. Watching Jason, the Captain, and his team celebrate together, I realize that anything truly is possible when you have a team who believes in each other, even when things seem impossible.
Jason has somehow managed to play out the season injured and still come out as the successor.
He has landed a new job that still allows him to be on the ice.
Steele is taking over as Captain, and Carter and his dad seem to have come to an understanding as Mr. Ford is going wild with the rest of the crowd, shouting, “That’s my boy! ”
Tears prick my eyes as I sit back and take it all in, knowing I’m the luckiest woman on earth to have face planted into Jason Edwards’ cock that night so many weeks ago. Fate might have been out to screw me, but I showed her. No one messes with Lucky Lucy.
As I brush the tears aside, knowing that the future is bright, I smile, feeling grateful, feeling lucky.
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