Page 42 of No Rhyme or Roughing (The Golden Guardians Hockey Hearts #1)
CHAPTER FORTY-ONE
RYDER
“What are you doing here?”
I couldn’t keep the bite out of my tone. Sydney was interrupting my peace, my arena. She didn’t belong here. She didn’t belong with me. She’d made that clear.
I stopped skating, focusing on the pattern of cuts my skates had carved into the ice. Still, she didn’t speak.
I hadn’t heard the door to the ice open, hadn’t noticed her walking toward me, but when I turned, there she was.
She looked nervous, an unsure version of herself. I hated the people who had instilled that doubt in her. Sydney deserved so much more than the years of emotional trauma her parents had left her with. But I couldn’t be there for her, not right now.
Not when every part of me screamed to reach out to her. To comfort her. To tell her how much I loved her.
Her eyes lifted to meet mine, and for once, I didn’t see the usual sadness. Instead, there was something… bright.
“Ryder,” she breathed. “I missed you.”
I skated back a few paces, putting some space between us. “I won’t say I didn’t miss you because you’d know I was lying.” My arms folded across my chest, like they were trying to hold the pieces of my heart together.
“I…” Her lips pressed shut, and she drew a deep breath through her nose. “I’m moving to San Jose.”
“Good for you.” I meant it. If that would make her happy, I wanted it for her. “I heard about the job.”
She lifted a shoulder in a half-shrug. “I figured it was time to give you your room back.”
“It’ll be nice to get off the couch.”
She flinched and looked away.
I sighed. “Syd, look at me.”
She did.
“Why did you come here today? Can you just be honest with me for once?”
“I’ve never lied to you, Ryder. Not once.
From the beginning, I told you what I was capable of—that I didn’t fall.
But you pushed and pushed.” She stepped closer, shoving me back.
“You just wouldn’t stop. And then, you confess these feelings without giving me any time to process.
I…” She drew in another breath. “I didn’t want to love you.
I didn’t want to need you so badly that when you’re gone, it’s like part of me is too .
“Fuck you, Ryder.” She poked my chest. “Fuck you and your feelings.”
All I heard was that she loved me.
The next time she tried to poke me, I grabbed her finger. “Sydney Valentine, please shut up.”
“What—”
“Because I’m going to kiss you right now. I think I need to, because kissing you is my lifeline. Touching you brings me life. Just being near you fills me.”
She yanked her hand away, staring at me. “Well, what are you waiting for?”
“Nothing.” I leaned in, our breaths mingling. “Not anymore.”
I kissed her, pulling her onto her tiptoes until her body pressed flush against mine.
“I’d give it all up for you,” I whispered.
“I don’t want you to.” She bit down on my bottom lip, drawing a groan from me. “I’d never want to change who you are, Ry.”
My hands traced down her back. “I’m going to need you to say it.”
“Say what?”
I raised a brow, and she smiled, pressing another kiss to my lips.
“Oh, that,” she teased. Another kiss. “Well… I may, kind of, sort of, have some kind of feelings where you’re concerned.”
“You’re in love with me.” I buried my face in her neck, trailing my tongue along her skin. “You. Love. Me.”
“Maybe.”
“You do. ”
“Fine. I do.”
“Do what?”
Closing her eyes, she whispered, “I love you.”
Before I could respond, a throat cleared near the Zamboni tunnel.
I laughed into Sydney’s shoulder, already knowing who it was. Lifting my head, I locked eyes with Mr. Macintosh.
He stood with his hands on his hips, an impish grin on his lips. “Sorry to interrupt, kids. Didn’t realize I was running a brothel.”
“Those are illegal,” Sydney stammered nervously, “but I don’t think they’re necessarily bad, and?—”
I clapped a hand over her mouth. “Need something, Mr. Mac?”
He frowned. “Come to my office. Now. Miss Brothel-Lover can join you. Don’t make me wait.”
He walked back the way he’d come, and I couldn’t stop laughing.
Sydney pushed away from me, nearly slipping on the ice. I caught her around the middle, hauling her back.
“He’s really just a puppy,” I said. “An old, grouchy one.”
She looked skeptical. “We should go.”
For a moment, I worried she regretted everything we’d just admitted to each other. But at the tunnel, she reached back, lacing her fingers through mine.
We’d done plenty of more risqué things, but somehow, nothing felt as good as this.
Sydney’s leg bounced rapidly as we sat on the couch across from Mr. Mac in his office.
Mr. Mac, seemingly oblivious to her nervousness, leaned back in his chair, crossing one leg over the other. “You know, I was a little taken aback by the dancing. I’ve known you a long time, Ryder, and I never would’ve imagined you’d come up with such a… creative way to save the team.”
I shrugged. “It was Sydney’s idea.”
“Oh, I know all about Miss Valentine’s involvement. And her new employment with the Sharks.” He smiled at her. “Congratulations.”
“Thanks,” she squeaked out. I reached over, placing a hand on her leg to still it.
Mr. Mac steepled his fingers, studying us.
“Are we in trouble?” Sydney practically screamed.
He raised a single gray brow. “Have you done something wrong?” His tone was calm, almost fatherly.
“Well, you caught us kissing on the ice. Not to mention the locker room incident. I really hope you guys clean the showers and?—”
I pulled her to my side. “Sydy, you might want to stop now.”
Her body shook with nervous energy.
Mr. Mac glanced at me, his expression a silent question. I shrugged, unwilling to elaborate.
After a moment that felt like an eternity, he put us out of our misery. “Ryder, what you’ve done is remarkable. We’re sold out for the rest of the season. Every local news outlet has applied for press credentials. Your jersey and Teddy’s are flying off the shelves.”
My face heated. “Just trying to help the team, sir. ”
His smile started small but widened. “The team’s investors haven’t changed their minds.”
My chest hollowed.
Sydney leaned forward. “You look happy about that.”
“Oh, I am,” he said with a laugh. “With the numbers we’re seeing right now, I’ve been working the phones and visiting old friends and colleagues over the past two weeks.
” He paused, clearly for dramatic effect.
“I’ve secured enough investors to buy out the minority shareholders.
We’re keeping the team in San Francisco. ”
Breath flooded my lungs, and I had no words.
“We did it?” Sydney asked, her voice high with hope.
Mr. Mac nodded. “You did.”
She let out a screech—one she’d definitely be embarrassed about later—and lunged forward to hug a startled Mr. Mac. I joined them seconds later, wrapping them both in a tight squeeze.
This team— my team—was staying right where it belonged.
“I can’t wait to tell Guardian,” Sydney cried.
Mr. Mac pushed us both back and straightened his suit with a huff. “Who the hell is Guardian?”
“Oh, Teddy didn’t tell you?” I flushed. “He’s the team’s new dog.”
Mr. Mac rolled his eyes. “Get out of my office, you two. Go have fun. You’ve earned it.”
He didn’t have to tell us twice. Sydney grabbed my hand and practically dragged me to the door. Once we were alone in the hallway, I pressed her up against the wall, capturing her lips in a bruising kiss before letting my mouth trail over her cheek.
“I love you,” I whispered, kissing the corner of her mouth. “I love you.” The other corner. “I fucking love you.”
She buried her face in my chest, her arms wrapping tightly around my waist. “I love you so much it physically hurts.”
“I—”
“Get away from my office door,” Mr. Mac called through the door. “We get it—you love each other. Just keep it away from the locker room, please. Those showers are for getting clean, for god’s sake.”
I laughed, pressing a kiss to the top of Sydney’s head as her skin flushed from the tops of her ears down to her neck.
Turning her away from the wall, I draped an arm around her shoulders. “I really need to get you somewhere no one can hear you,” I murmured, my lips brushing her ear.
“That doesn’t sound serial killer-y at all,” she teased.
“I just really need to taste you.”
“Oh, well…”
“I can still hear you!” Mr. Mac’s voice thundered, followed by the slam of his door.
We sprinted down the hallway to the elevators, laughing, her fingers never letting go of mine.
We’d saved the team. We’d broken each other.
Now, we could figure out how to heal—together.