Chapter Four
A llison stepped into her building's lobby after work, juggling her laptop bag and an armful of children's books she needed to review for next week's story time. The moment she crossed the threshold, Mrs. Peterson from 2B descended on her like a hawk spotting prey.
"Are you bringing it to Friday’s game?" The elderly woman clutched her ever-present knitting needles. A Charm City Chill scarf was wrapped around her neck despite the building's warm temperature.
"Bring what?" Allison tried to shift past her, but Mrs. Peterson was surprisingly agile for someone in her seventies.
"The puck, dear. Kane's hat trick was incredible. Three goals in one period." She leaned in closer, lowering her voice. "I heard it was because you had Michael Warrant's lucky puck."
The story had spread through New Haven like wildfire. Nowhere was safe. "I really need to—"
"Is it true you're dating Kane?" This from Jenny, the college student from 3A, who'd materialized from the stairwell. She wore a Chill jersey over black leggings. "You two would make such a cute couple. Did you see his interview this week? He kept smiling when they asked about the team's luck changing."
"We're just neighbors." The words came out automatically, even as her mind flashed to their kiss in his kitchen. The way his hands had tangled in her hair, how solid his chest had felt against hers, the little groan he'd made when—
"You’ve stayed overnight at his place," Jenny said with a knowing smirk.
“That was the night we lost power last month. I was new in the building.”
But no one wanted to hear the truth.
Mrs. Peterson gasped in delight. "I knew it. Harold, didn't I tell you?" She called to her husband, who was shuffling through his mail nearby. "The puck brought them together. Just like magic."
"He didn’t know about the puck then.” Allison made another attempt to escape, but now Mr. Collins from 5C had joined the growing crowd.
"Speaking of the puck," he said, adjusting his Chill ballcap. I've got a bet riding on the boys. One more win and it’ll be a streak. You’re going to the game right?"
"I'll think about it." Allison finally managed to edge toward the elevator, only to find it occupied by the entire Martinez family, all wearing Chill gear.
Mrs. Martinez beamed. "We're heading to the arena store. The children want Kane’s jersey. He’s such a nice boy, always helping with groceries. You two make a beautiful couple."
Allison took the stairs.
By the time she reached her floor, she was out of breath and wondering if she could convince the library to let her work remotely. Forever. She fumbled with her keys, almost dropping them when a familiar voice spoke behind her.
"Rough crowd down there?"
Kane leaned against his doorframe, fresh from practice by the look of his damp hair and team workout clothes. His eyes sparkled with amusement.
"This is your fault," she accused, finally getting her door open. "You had to go and score three goals and get everyone excited."
"Actually, I think it's your fault." He followed her into her apartment uninvited, but she found she didn't mind. "You're the one who brought the lucky puck."
"It's not lucky." She set her bags down with more force than necessary. "You're just playing better. The whole team is."
"Maybe." He moved closer, and her heart did that stupid flutter thing it had started doing around him. "But you have to admit, the timing is interesting. We were on a fifteen-game losing streak. You show up with the puck, and suddenly we won."
"Correlation doesn't equal causation." She backed up until she hit the kitchen counter, but Kane kept advancing.
"Big words, librarian." His hands settled on either side of her, caging her in. "But you can't deny there's something magical happening."
"The only magic happening is how fast this building has turned into a hockey fan club." But she was smiling despite herself, tilting her head back to meet his gaze. "Mrs. Peterson bought a scarf."
"I saw." He grinned. "She's been sitting in the lobby knitting good luck charms for the whole team. I've got a pair of socks from her."
"That's ridiculous."
"Hockey players are superstitious." He shrugged, the movement bringing him even closer. "Some guys won't shave during playoffs. Others have to tape their sticks exactly the same way before every game."
"And you?" She shouldn't ask. Shouldn't encourage this. Shouldn't be hyperaware of how good he smelled..
"I believe in taking advantage of lucky chances." His voice dropped lower, and one hand came up to brush a strand of hair from her face. "Like moving trucks getting canceled during snowstorms."
"That wasn't lucky. That was inconvenient and exhausting." But she leaned into his touch despite her words.
"Brought you to my door, didn't it?"
She wanted to argue, but then he was kissing her, and all thoughts of luck and superstition fled her mind. His lips were soft but insistent, and she found herself rising on her tiptoes to get closer, her hands fisting in his shirt. He made that sound again, the one from his kitchen, a mix between a groan and a growl that shot straight through her.
A loud bang from outside made them jump apart. Kane looked as dazed as she felt, his pupils dilated and his breathing uneven. The cool granite countertop pressed against Allison's back as she caught her breath, Kane's warmth still lingering on her lips. His piercing blue eyes held her gaze, a mix of desire and uncertainty swirling in their depths. The faint scent of his cologne teased her senses.
Allison's fingers brushed her tingling lips. "Kane, I..."
He stepped closer, his broad shoulders blocking out the kitchen light. "Was that too much?" A furrow creased his brow.
"No, it's just..." Allison's voice trailed off as memories of Jesse's betrayal flashed through her mind. The sting of humiliation. The crushed dreams. The whispers and pitying glances that had driven her from Boston.
Kane's calloused hand cupped her cheek, his touch impossibly gentle for a man who commanded the ice with such authority. "Talk to me. What's going on in that beautiful head of yours?"
Allison leaned into his touch for a moment before pulling away. "It's complicated. I want to trust this, to trust you, but..." She wrapped her arms around herself, suddenly cold despite the warmth of the kitchen.
Kane ran a hand through his tousled brown hair, his trademark crooked smile absent. "But you've been hurt before." It wasn't a question.
Allison nodded, her throat tight. She turned to make herself a cup of coffee, needing something to do with her hands. As the Keurig gurgled, the comforting aroma filled her nostrils as she breathed deeply, trying to center herself.
"I get it," Kane said softly. "The ice isn't the only place where people can get blindsided."
Allison's hand trembled slightly as she handed him a cup of coffee. She wanted to fall into Kane's arms, to believe that he was different. But Jesse's betrayal had shattered her trust, leaving her wary of letting anyone close again.
Kane leaned against the opposite counter, giving her space. His blue eyes were soft with understanding, not pushing, just... there. Patient. Present.
She made herself a cup and took a sip of it. The bitter warmth grounded her. "I'm sorry, Kane. You deserve better than my baggage."
He shook his head, a hint of his usual charm returning. "Hey now, I'm the king of lucky charms and superstitions. A little baggage doesn't scare me." His smile faded into something more serious. "I'm not going anywhere. Not unless you want me to."
Her heart ached with longing and fear. Kane was kind, driven, thoughtful. But the scars left by Jesse's betrayal ran deep. She set down her mug, the clink of ceramic on granite echoing in the charged silence between them.
Allison's fingers traced the cool edge of the countertop as she gathered her courage. "I used to love hockey, you know," she said softly, her gaze fixed on the swirling patterns in the granite. "When I got involved with an up-and-coming player, my grandfather was over the moon."
Kane shifted, his broad shoulders relaxing slightly as he listened.
"Jesse seemed perfect at first," Allison continued. "He was talented, ambitious. I thought we were building something real."
The kitchen suddenly felt too small, too warm. Allison moved to the window, pushing it open. A frigid blast of winter air was enough to clear her head.
"But I was just a stepping stone," she said, staring out at the city below. "Once he got called up to the NHL, he..." Her voice caught.
Kane's presence behind her was a tangible thing, solid and reassuring without crowding her. "He dumped you," he finished quietly.
Allison nodded, wrapping her arms around herself. "For his social media planner, Vanessa. It became this whole spectacle in Boston. It seemed like everyone knew. Everyone pitied me." She turned, meeting Kane's intense blue gaze. "That's why I left. Why I came here."
The silence stretched between them, heavy with unspoken emotions. Kane's hand twitched at his side, as if he wanted to reach out but was holding himself back.
Allison took a deep breath, the crisp air from the open window filling her lungs. She studied Kane's face, the way his brow furrowed with concern, the gentle curve of his lips. Her fingers itched to trace the scar on his chin, to feel the story etched into his skin.
"But you're not like him," she said softly. "Jesse only ever thought about himself, his career, his image." She stepped closer, close enough to catch the faint scent of his aftershave. "You go out of your way for others."
Kane's eyes widened slightly, a mix of surprise and something warmer flickering in their depths.
"I've seen how you are with your neighbors," Allison continued. "Mrs. Donovan told me how you shovel out her car every snowfall. And last week, when Mr. Chen's car wouldn't start..."
She trailed off, remembering how Kane had spent an hour in the frigid morning air, helping to jump-start the elderly man's ancient sedan. The memory of Kane's easy smile, his patience, warmed her from the inside out.
"That's just being a decent person," Kane murmured, running a hand through his tousled hair. A faint blush colored his cheeks.
Allison shook her head, a small smile tugging at her lips. "It's more than that. You care, truly care, about the people around you. It's refreshing."
The air between them seemed to thicken, charged with an electric tension that made Allison's skin tingle. She found herself swaying slightly towards him, drawn by some invisible force.
They were interrupted by a frenzied tattoo of knocking on her door. Feeling self-conscious, Allison pushed by Kane and answered the door. Ethan Reeves, the team's rookie sensation, stood there, looking like he might throw up.
"Kane, I was hoping to find you here." Ethan's normally styled blonde hair stuck up in wild tufts. "I really messed up. Like, really messed up."
Kane was already moving. "What happened?"
"Coach's car... I was just trying to parallel park and..." Ethan's face had gone ghostly pale. "There's this huge scratch and dent in her driver's side door and she has that meeting with management in twenty minutes and—"
"Breathe, kid." Kane grabbed his jacket. "We'll figure it out." He turned to Allison, regret written across his features. "I'm sorry, I have to—"
"Go," she said softly. "Handle it."
Kane hesitated for just a moment, then squeezed her hand before hurrying down the hallway.
Ethan lingered in the doorway, shifting from foot to foot. "Um, Ms. Warrant?" His voice cracked slightly. "You're coming to Friday's game, right? With the puck?" He glanced down the hall where Kane had disappeared. "The whole team's counting on you. We really need this winning streak and..." He trailed off, looking young and vulnerable in his rumpled Charm City Chill hoodie.
Allison's stomach clenched. Just neighbors, she'd told Jenny. But neighbors didn't feel this weight of responsibility, this pressure to be the team's good luck charm. She forced a smile. "Sure, Ethan. Go help Kane with Coach Vicky's car."
As she closed the door, she couldn't tell if the sick feeling in her gut was from Ethan's pleading look or the way Kane had run off to help without hesitation—exactly the kind of caring that made her want to trust him, even with the shadow of Jesse and Vanessa’s wedding looming over her social media feed.