Page 45

Luka

“ How’s Lily?” Rowan asks as he finishes putting his pads on. We’re in the locker room getting dressed to play the last game of our college career. It’s bittersweet. It’s been one hell of a ride.

“Better every day. Thanks for checking on her, man. We truly appreciate it,” I say sincerely. He never fails to ask how she’s doing now.

“That’s good. I’m happy for her.” He turns away from me before throwing his jersey over his head.

What Rowan and Lily experienced together during the accident has forever changed them. Lily’s grandmother gave up her life in exchange for that of her granddaughter, and that’s something that weighs heavily on Lily still. I can’t begin to understand the level of grief she feels, but she’s a damn trooper. Not only did she push through and finish her last year with flying colors, but she’s also been accepted into Hart U’s medical school.

Saying I’m proud of her is the understatement of the century.

Rowan, on the other hand, has struggled in ways that I don’t think any of us understand yet. I’ll be forever grateful to him for saving Lily, for risking his own life to save the woman I love, but he lost a piece of himself in the process. My best friend isn’t the happy-go-lucky guy he was before, and it kills me. He’s so serious now. There are only glimpses of the man he used to be.

I’m ready to have my friend back .

“How are you holding up?” I’ve asked every day since the accident, and it’s always the same answer, so when he repeats it today, I don’t know why I feel disappointed.

His smile doesn’t reach his eyes anymore. “I’m good. Don’t worry about me.”

That’s the problem, though. We are all worried about him, but we don’t know how to help him, either. Not when he won’t admit he isn’t okay or what he needs.

“Boys! It’s go time!” Coach yells from the locker room entrance. We gather our stuff and form a circle around the benches in the middle of the room. I eye Wyatt from across the room, still fucking pissed he’s here. That was another thing that threw all of us for a loop.

After we returned from winter break, Coach announced that Wyatt Thatcher would be transferring from our rival team to play for the Kings of Hart U. Wyatt was the captain of his team, and nobody could figure out why the hell he’d give that up to come here. It’s still a mystery. We’re playing his old team tonight for the championship, which should make things more interesting.

All the guys are on edge, waiting to see if Wyatt Thatcher fucks us over tonight.

It's been a challenge not to beat the shit out of him for what he did to my sister every time we’re on the ice together. If he messes this up for us tonight, nothing will stop me from taking out all the pent-up anger I’ve had toward him since he broke my sister’s heart.

We’ve managed to keep our distance for the most part, but it was hard when he first transferred. There were quite a few words exchanged, and maybe a fist or two as well. Wyatt has been surprisingly quiet and respectful for the past few weeks, and that shit has me on edge.

I don’t know what the play is here or what the hell he thinks he’s doing, but he isn’t going to screw this up for us. I’ve worked too damn hard to get here, and nothing is going to get in my way—including Wyatt Thatcher.

Coach Cunningham stands in the middle and gives us a short but fired-up speech to kick off the last game most of these guys will ever play. “This one is for the seniors who have worked damn hard to get us here. Get out there and give it your all because this is it. Your last shot to bring it home to Hart U. Don’t screw it up. ”

We all lean in to put our hands together before Coach counts us off, and we chant in unison.

It’s time to bring home the championship. After the game, I have a big surprise for my girl. I’ve kept it quiet because of everything that happened. It never felt like the right time or place to tell her.

But tonight feels perfect.

We’re in the last period of the game, and if we don’t get our shit together, we’ll lose. I can’t fucking believe it. Rowan still has control of the puck, but he’s quickly losing his advantage and needs help. I work to clear myself so I can get into a position where Rowan can use me, but two of the other team’s defensive players have me boxed in.

I tap my twig on the ice and shift left, using my speed and power to get around them only to come face to face with one of their forwards—but I’m not worried about him. He’s slow as fuck, so it takes me no time to get around him and set up my position for Rowan to pass.

I shout to Rowan, “Clear!” It only takes him a split second to register my position and shoot the puck straight to my twig. I waste no time with my breakaway, aiming directly for the five-hole, or the opening directly between the goalie’s leg pads.

I shoot a clapper directly where I intend the puck to go. The swish of the net meets my ears before I see the red lights behind the goal go off. The arena erupts in cheers on our side as my team quickly surrounds me for a celly, or celebration after scoring. It feels good, but there is still work to do to clinch the game. We still have three minutes left on the clock.

My blood pressure skyrockets when I see Wyatt go in for what’s most likely the last faceoff of the game.

“What the fuck is he doing?” I growl at Rowan .

“Coach made the call, man. Nothing I can do.”

“If he fucks this up for us...”

Too much rides on this. We’re only up by one, and nobody trusts him. He’s the last person any of us want up there.

“Calm down. Even if he fucks up, we can save it. Just stay on his ass.” Rowan gets into position, and I do the same. We’re all exhausted and ready to claim our narrow victory.

When the puck drops, it’s a madhouse as players bash into each other, fighting for dominance over the puck, but Wyatt manages to keep control of it. We use every bit of strength left in our bodies to work the puck back to the opposing team’s goal.

Wyatt still hasn’t passed the puck, even with every offensive player on his ass. He’s dangling the puck. If he doesn’t hurry up and pass it, we’re screwed. “One, three, and six are fucking open!” I shout in frustration, but Wyatt just ignores me, pushing his way down the line.

“Pass the fucking puck!” I order as I race to keep the offensive team off his ass.

It’s a challenge, but I manage to widen the gap for him to come around the side of the goal. In a play that surprises the shit out of me, he shoots the puck straight to my twig. I can now go in with an assist because I have a better shot.

And I don’t hesitate to take it just before the buzzer goes off.

The crowd goes wild, and just like that, we win the Division I hockey championship for the first time in my college career. The guys go wild, helmets hitting the ice in unison as they celebrate. I push through the backslaps and hugs because all I want to do is get to my Lily .

I find her in the stands, sitting next to my sister and my parents. She wears my jersey with the proudest, most beautiful smile on her face. Without her, I wouldn’t be here on this ice, playing the game of a lifetime.

I race up to the dasher board in front of her seat. I pull my helmet off and place my gloved hand on the acrylic board separating the two of us. She leans down and places her hand over mine on the other side of the glass.

I haven’t seen her smile like this in months, and I almost tear up from relief at the sight. My Lily is back .

“I’m so freaking proud of you, Luka! I love you!”

“Not as much as I love you, Angel.”

I settled on the nickname Angel after her accident because it was the closest word I could think of to describe how damn important she is to me and how lucky I am to still have her with me. She was touched by an angel in heaven and sent back to Earth.

And after all that, she still chose me.

Fate decided to spare us that day on the bridge, and for that, I will be eternally fucking grateful.

“Come around.” I point to the exit, just to her left.

She stands, waiting for me by the time I get to her. I push open the divider door, and before I can steady my feet, she jumps into my arms. I laugh as I catch her, steadying my footing so we don’t bust our asses on the ice.

“That was a great freaking game! Did you see that assist?”

She’s so damn cute.

I laugh again, “I’m pretty sure I saw it, considering I was a part of it,” I joke.

She giggles. “You know what I mean, ya jerk.” I chuckle as she playfully swats at me with a light hand before continuing. “It was epic! I love watching you play so freaking much. It’s like watching a master painter create his art. I can’t look away.”

I beam at her praise. “I’m glad you like watching me play because I’ve got season tickets to the Wolverines with your name on them.”

Lily’s mouth twists, and her nose scrunches in confusion. “ What? ” I smile as my words sink in one by one. Her eyes widen as it settles. “ What?! Luka Russo, does that mean what I think it means?”

“Yep! You’re looking at the Wolverines’ newest forward. I start in three weeks.”

“Oh my God! I can’t believe it!” she squeals. “I’m so proud of you!”

When I officially got the call that the Wolverines wanted to draft me, I was ecstatic that I could keep doing the thing I love most at a professional level while also staying close to Lily. The Wolverines play nearby in Albany, and with Lily staying here at Hart U for the next four years for medical school, it’s the ideal scenario.

“I love you,” she says as she leans in for a kiss. I meet her in the middle .

“I love you always.”

She places her forehead against mine. “Forever and always.”

The end.