Page 37 of Stay (Stay #1)

CASSIDY

I t feels amazing to fly down the ice with the puck before snapping it into the net with a flick of my wrist. When I’m out here, I can shut off everything in my head, and lose myself in the physical exertion.

“You suck, Cassidy!”

Our goalie shakes her head, irritated that I was able to slip another puck past her. I grin around my neon-pink mouth guard before skating to center ice. Sammy glides over before slapping me on the shoulder. I wince from the impact of it. The girl doesn’t know her own strength.

“Nice goal. The team really seems to be shaping up. I think we’re going to have an awesome season this year. I’m glad you decided to join us.”

That makes two of us. Playing with this group of girls has quickly become everything to me. I never thought I’d enjoy hockey again. I wasn’t even sure if I’d skate. And I owe it to Cole. He figured it out and found a way to give it to me.

I huff out a tired breath as both of us glide to center ice for another face-off. We scrimmage for another forty minutes. Halfway through the practice, I glance at the bleachers and almost stumble as my gaze zeros in on a lone figure sitting in the stands.

Squinting, I try to get a better look. It can’t be who I think it is.

It just can’t be.

A thin shiver of unease slithers down my spine. It feels as if Luke’s gaze is focused on me. I spin away, thankful there’s a number plastered across the back of my practice jersey and not my name.

Why is he here?

Is he actually watching me?

Brooklyn’s words from earlier echo throughout my head. The last thing I want is for him to cause problems with Cole.

Seeing him here at practice and running into him on campus earlier…

it can’t be a coincidence. Gulping down my fear, I try to force him from my mind, but that turns out to be impossible.

For the remainder of practice, I can’t stop wondering about what he wants from me.

The question circles through my head, shooting my focus to hell.

It causes me to miss shots I could easily make in my sleep, or misjudge the edge of my skate, which sends me crashing onto the ice.

Every few minutes, I find myself glancing over my shoulder, checking to see if he’s still there.

Each time I do, my gaze catches his.

As soon as the buzzer sounds, I jump off the ice and race to the locker room where I quickly shower and change. I’m almost afraid to return to the rink. I’m terrified he’ll be waiting for me.

How did he know I was playing hockey again?

Is he following me?

Nausea blooms to life at the bottom of my belly.

Sammy is yanking up her skinny jeans when I ask, “Did you notice the guy in the stands?” Even though I strive for nonchalant, a slight tremble threads its way through my voice.

Not picking up on my anxiety, she shrugs. “Sometimes people like to watch practice. It’s not a big deal.” Her gaze settles on me with more interest. “Do you know who it was?”

I glance away as my teeth sink into my lower lip. I’m not sure if I should tell her. It’s always possible I’m overreacting, right ?

“I think it was one of the guys from the men’s hockey team.” I clear my throat and force out the rest. “Luke something or other.”

With a nod, she finishes tying her shoes.

“I know who he is. He just transferred in. I think he went to a big school out East. From what I heard, he wasn’t getting enough playing time, so he left.

” She flashes me a sly smile. “I got the lowdown from Cole cause that boy is smoking hot with a capital H.”

“Does he have a girlfriend?” For all I know, he was here watching someone else. Maybe he’s here watching someone else and I’m just a paranoid freak.

“Not that I know of.” Her smile fades as her eyes narrow. “Why? Are you interested?”

I shake my head. As much as I like Sammy, I’m not about to bring up my past with her. “No, not at all.”

After shoving gear into her locker, she slams the door shut with a resounding thud. “Good, because my cousin really likes you and,” she pauses to flex her pipes, “I’d have to kick your ass if you hurt him. Cole is like a brother to me.”

There’s no doubt in my mind that Sammy could wipe the floor with me. Even though she’s a total hard ass, she’s a likable one.

As long as you stay on her good side, that is.

“I won’t hurt him.” Even as the words spill from my lips, I pray they’re true.

“Good, because that guy has been through enough.” She gives me a bit of side-eye before packing up her bag. “Has he told you anything about Jackie?”

Jackie?

I would have remembered if Cole brought up another girl.

“No, he hasn’t mentioned her.”

My mind tumbles over our previous conversations and I wonder if she’s the one he’d alluded to after the party when we’d been sitting in his car outside the dorm. I’d gotten the feeling he’d been cheated on.

Sammy nods as if she’s not surprised. “He doesn’t like to talk about her. ”

It feels wrong to pump Sammy for information about her cousin when I haven’t been forthcoming with my own background. I resist for a handful of seconds before the question shoots out of my mouth.

“Were they together long?”

Sammy remains quiet for a long stretch of moment. Just when I think she’ll ignore me, she says, “Yeah. They were friends for most of their lives before dating in high school. They ended up splitting last year. It got pretty ugly.”

I sink onto the wooden bench in surprise. “Oh.”

I have no idea what I’d been expecting, but that hadn’t been it. I’m almost sorry I asked.

They’d been friends their entire lives and dated in high school?

That sounds serious.

Really serious.

“What happened?”

“Never mind. I shouldn’t have mentioned anything.

” She pulls her long blonde hair up into a high ponytail.

“If you have questions, you should talk to Cole. I just wanted you to know that he hasn’t dated anyone seriously since Jackie, and he really seems into you.

After that bitch put him through the wringer last year, he deserves a nice girl.

” Her lips quirk at the corners as if to soften the heaviness that permeates the air. “And I think that girl is you.”

My insides twist painfully as I nod.

She hauls her bag onto her shoulder before asking, “Are you ready to head out? Do you need a ride home?”

The thought of getting into the deathtrap that Sammy calls a car is enough to unsettle my stomach even more than it already is. “No, Cole is picking me up.”

I can’t stop thinking about what she just revealed.

I guess we both have our secrets.

Oblivious to my inner turmoil, a smile spreads across her face. “Come on, let’s get the hell out of here.”

As we push out of the locker room door and into the ice arena, my gaze goes to the bleachers. Air gets trapped in my lungs as I scan them. Another team is warming up and skating through drills. A few people dot the stands, but there’s no sign of Luke.

Once we push through another set of doors into the lobby, tension leaks from my muscles.

When there’s still no sign of Luke, I begin to wonder if it was just a figment of my imagination.

Instead of dwelling on my paranoia, I shake it off and head to the parking lot with Sammy where we find Cole’s Mustang idling at the curb.

He pops open the trunk so I can throw my bag inside before closing it. I give Sammy a wave and slide onto the front seat. As soon as my ass hits the leather, Cole pulls me to him before greeting me with a kiss.

After a heated moment, he whispers, “I missed you.”

Not giving me a chance to respond, his mouth crashes onto mine again. As much as I want to lose myself in him, I can’t. It feels like my past and future are on a collision course. I need to get everything out before this goes any further.

My palms settle on his chest as I push against him. It takes a moment for Cole to pull back and meet my gaze.

“We need to talk,” I say.

“All right, what do you want to talk about?” His attention falls to my mouth as his tongue darts out to lick at his bottom lip.

I glance around the semi-crowded parking lot. “Is there somewhere more private we can go?”

His gaze snaps to mine before he searches my eyes with more care as if only now realizing that what I need to tell him is important.

“Sure.” He reaches over and slides the seatbelt across my chest. “This sounds kind of serious.”

I draw a deep breath as the familiar feelings of anxiety prickle along my skin, and a thick ball of tension settles in my belly. “I promised to tell you what happened last year and that’s what I’m going to do.”

The heat filling his eyes moments ago dissipates as he pulls my hand onto his lap and holds it there.

A heavy silence falls over us as we drive.

By the time he pulls into a gravel parking lot that faces a small lake, I’m so tightly strung with nerves that my stomach is queasy.

He cuts the engine before releasing his seatbelt and then doing the same to mine.

Silvery moonlight filters in through the windshield, illuminating his eyes as they settle on mine.

My heart riots painfully as if it’ll beat right out of my chest.

I need to get this over with.

Cole tightens his grip on my fingers like he will never let me go, as the other hand slides across my cheek until he can cradle it in his palm. Not wanting to see the questions that flood his eyes, I squeeze mine shut.

“Cassidy.”

It’s only when I open them to meet his steady gaze that he says, “Whatever you have to tell me doesn’t matter. All right?” There’s a pause. “It doesn’t matter at all.”

“It does.” He needs to understand how the past has shaped me into the person I am today.

“I’ve already told you that I’m falling for you. Whatever you have to tell me won’t change that. I promise.”

“Just let me get this out, okay? I want you to understand what happened last year and then you can decide if it matters.”