Page 20 of Searching for Sadie (Mystic Falls #5)

SADIE

A fter Sadie had gotten off work, she made her way home and showered and got ready. Seeing Lucas at the diner today had thrown her, not to mention meeting his parents. She'd talked to them before at the market, but never like that. Then they'd invited her to a hockey game.

Now she was even more nervous. She grew up in Tennessee, hockey wasn't really a thing in her life.

Go to a football game, she could hold her own.

Hell, even a baseball game would have been better.

But hockey? She knew nothing about hockey besides get little puck thing into the net.

Well, that and there was fighting. Although surely there wouldn't be any fighting here.

She didn't think she would like to see Lucas in a fight or getting slammed into the glass or whatever.

She wasn't even sure what to wear. It was summer so it was warm out, but she would be in a building with ice... So, it would be cold right? Why did she say yes? This was completely out of her comfort zone. Not only that, but she would be sitting with Lucas's parents. His parents.

Why did she say yes?

She decided on a t-shirt and leggings with a flannel tied around her waist. She stopped and looked in the mirror. She had her hair in a high ponytail. She was a grown woman, but as she fixed her lip gloss, she couldn't help but feel like a teenager again.

The school wasn’t too far away, and it might be nice to walk off some of the nerves she was feeling. That was once thing she liked about Mystic Falls, nothing was more than a fifteen-minute walk.

As she got closer, she was surprised at the number of cars in the parking lot and the crowd that seemed to be gathering at the ticket window.

After waiting in line, she got in and the temperature dropped.

She was glad she'd brought her flannel. Before she entered the rink she crossed over to the side and slipped it on.

After straightening her ponytail, she opened the big glass door, and the temperature dropped even lower.

The sound of the chattering crowd and the skates scraping across the ice was punctuated by the random hit of the puck on the glass.

Glancing around she took in the crowd on the bleachers. They were filling up pretty quickly. She hadn't really expected a crowd this big for a rec league game. But this was Mystic Falls, they all seemed to show up for things.

Then she saw a familiar face with a large grin spread across it waving her over. She made her way over to the Fipps. Not only were Lucas's parents there, but it looked like his brother and his family were there also.

"Sadie, I'm so glad you could make it," she said, scooting closer to her husband so Sadie could join them.

"I'm excited, this is my first hockey game," Sadie said as she sat on the metal bleachers next to her. The cold metal almost made her jump right back up. It would appear thin leggings were not the right choice.

"Would you like to share my blanket? These games can get cold." She pulled the blanket over her a bit and Sadie.

Sadie took the soft warm blanket and pulled it over her lap. While the metal under her butt was still cold, this seemed like it would help at least a little.

As she was settled, she looked out onto the ice. It looked like she'd gotten here just in time for puck drop.

"Where's Lucas?" Sadie asked as she scanned the skaters on ice looking for her tall broad handsome neighbor.

"There, number 91, he's playing right winger today," said Mr. Fipp pointing to him on the ice.

Sadie found him by the blue line. He looked almost recognizable, like a giant.

As the whistle blew and the puck dropped, the game was on.

It wasn't like anything she'd ever seen before.

She couldn't take her eyes off Lucas. The ideas of this giant man in padding towering on ice skates skating gracefully around the ice was hard to wrap her mind around.

In football, it was more big guy run hard and fast and knock you down.

Here is, more big guy skate gracefully across the ice stopping on a dime and sprint the other way, but all on skates.

She didn't really know how to deal with that. But she sure did love to watch it.

Before long Lucas was on the bench huffing and puffing and squirting water into his mouth. Even with the game going on, her eyes were still glued to him. She hadn’t expected to be this turned on...but damn.

As the game went on no one scored a goal. Kate was an incredible goalie from what Sadie could tell, but I guess when you were from a hockey family like she was it made sense. She was engaged to an NHL player for crying out loud. But soon the buzzer sounded, and they were done with the first period.

"What do you think of the game?" Mr. Fipp asked.

"It's incredible. I've never been to a hockey game before."

"We'll have to see about getting you tickets for a Magic game when the season starts back up."

"Oh, that would be fun," Sadie said with a polite smile.

"Hey Wes," Mr. Fipp said loudly. "What do ya think, this is Sadie here's first hockey game. Don't you think we should get her to a Magic game in the fall?"

A muscular man with a disarming smile turned and ran his hand through his blond hair. "Of course, name the date and I'll get you guys a block of tickets."

"Good man."

"This is your first game?" he asked Sadie.

"Yeah, it is."

"What do you think?"

"Not quite as violent as I thought it would be, but much faster than I thought it would be.”

The Wes nodded. "Yeah, the fights and heavy hits don't happen in rec leagues. What brought you out today?"

"She's Lucas's neighbor," Mrs. Fipp provided.

"I am," Sadie agreed. "Kate’s pretty good out there..."

"She's incredible, isn't she?" Wes said grinning from ear to ear.

"She's something else," Sadie agreed.

"I'm going to get some hot chocolate. Do you want any dear?" asked Mrs. Fipp.

"Oh sure," Sadie said, reaching for her purse.

"My treat," Mrs. Fipp said, patting her on the leg.

Mr. Fipp stood and walked over to talk to a distinguished looking older gentleman with red hair, Sadie would wager he was related to Kate as Mrs. Fipp got up and made her way to the concession stand.

It really was like being in high school all over again.

That was particularly apparent as Lucas took the ice again and skated by the glass where she was sitting.

He stopped and smiled and waved at her. Her stupid heart skipped a beat.

"I think I saw you at the book club the other night, right?" asked Wes.

"Yeah, you did."

"How are you liking Mystic Falls?"

"I love it," she said plainly, because it was the simple truth. Mystic Falls had been a good place to get back on her feet and figure out who she was after everything that happened in Nashville.

"It's great, isn't it? I love the off season, and I get to spend more time here."

"Are you not from here?"

"No, I grew up in Detroit. I came to help Conner with a hockey workshop for the team here and met Kate...and here I am. During the season I split my time, but during the summer I just get to live the small-town life, besides training."

As they were chatting Mrs. Fipp made her way back with two giant soft pretzels and two large hot chocolate. "Do you like pretzels, dear?"

"Oh, thank you," she said as she took the food and drinks from her and helped her to get situated.

"So, what do you think of your first hockey game?" she asked.

Sadie took her drink and her pretzel from her as Lucas caught her eye again and gave her a wink. "I think I'm a fan."

The woman leaned over to her and said softly in her ear, "And I think my son is smitten with you."

Sadie just took a sip of her hot chocolate unsure of what else to say.

Because the truth of it was, she was finding herself just as smitten with him.

But she had a whole mess to deal with before she would be ready for a relationship.

Yet as she watched him on the ice, she was feeling closer to ready than she had been in a long time.

As the game went on the other team scored, and Sam Smith had scored making it a tie game.

Sadie was surprised at how invested in this game she was, but as Lucas got the puck on his stick and started making his way down the ice, she found herself on her feet cheering just as loudly as his mother next to her.

Then she held her breath as Lucas sent the puck to the net. When it made it past the goalie and the light flashed, she was cheering louder than she ever thought she would at a sporting event.

The rest of the game passed in a blur, the time wound down and Lucas's team won.

When the game was over the crowd started filtering out, but Sadie was still there.

She was anxious to see Lucas. The more time she spent with him and even just in this town she was starting to see a real home for herself, and she was anxious to move things a little further along with Lucas.

After a while he came down a hallway. His hair was slicked back from his shower and even though he was only wearing a t-shirt and jeans, she thought he was quite possibly the most attractive man she'd ever seen.

His mother hugged him close and kissed his cheek before telling him how good he did.

His father clapped in on the back and congratulated him on the goal before they left.

Sadie politely said goodbye, but all her attention was still on the handsome man in front of her.

He turned to her fully and their eyes connected. It was as if everything else fell away and all that existed was them. It was a feeling she could get lost in. And as he got closer and the fresh scent of shampoo and cologne hit her, she was hoping to get lost with him somewhere else.

"You came," he finally said.

"I did. You’re a hockey player."

"I don't know about all that," he said with a shrug.

"You got a goal."

"I did," he said, stepping closer.

Someone pushed past her, reminding her she was still in a public place. Lucas reached out and steadied her, and her body shivered with desire. She was wound tight. She needed him.

"You okay?" he asked.

She nodded.

"We're headed to Smoky's, should I save you a seat?" Sam asked as he was on his way to the door.

"No,” Lucas said.

"No?" Sam said, turning to look at him, but Lucas's eyes stayed trained on Sadie.

"I think I'm going to go home."

Sam gave the two of them a knowing glance, but right now Sadie was far from caring. "Okay, I'll see ya next week," Sam said as he turned and pushed open the door to the parking lot.

"Did you walk here?" he asked.

Sadie could only nod.

"Do you want a ride home?"

"Yeah, that'd be nice."

They turned and made their way to the door.

Lucas held it open for her as he slung his hockey/murder bag over his shoulder.

Then with his other hand he took hers and guided her to the car.

He was holding her hand. It was such a small gesture, yet somehow it melted her right there in the summer sun.

He was claiming her right there in front of everyone, and she didn't know just how much she needed that until now.