20. Luke
CHAPTER 20
LUKE
“ T hat game was epic, y’all!” A bare-chested Wade struts around the locker room, high-fiving anyone willing to smack his sweaty hand.
And so was that kiss with Sophie. I’m not normally a PDA kind of guy, but the rush of scoring like we did—as a team in sync—fueled something in me. So I went for it.
But when she hesitated, everything surrounding us faded—the chanting of the crowd, the faces of the fans lit with expectation, the sounds of skates and sticks on the ice behind me. Nothing existed but her, me, and a moment that would define the trajectory of whatever was growing between us.
I literally held my breath until she leaned down and met my lips with hers.
Wade stops where I’m sitting on the bench in front of my locker. “You, my friend, were a force to be reckoned with tonight. And I’m not just talking about scoring the first goal.” He holds his hand up, waiting for my slap as he wags his eyebrows in a comical fashion.
Seeing as how I have plenty of sweat of my own, I use the bottom of my water bottle to smack his waiting hand. “Ethan brought it home. ”
Ethan pulls a skate off and grins. “Team effort.”
My chest must be expanding with the surge of pride filling it—Wade’s right. Tonight’s game felt like the Sun Kings stepped up a level. We’re gelling as a team, and it shows on the ice. Jayce may have scored the winning point tonight, but he also set a new personal record for assists.
Blows my mind to think I’ve gone from wanting to dropkick the guy to another team to valuing him not only as a teammate but also as an integral part of what we’re turning into. I tried to get out of captaining the team that first week, and now, weeks later, I’ve found my groove, and it feels…almost natural. I certainly don’t miss that pregame anxiety that plagued me in the beginning.
Maybe this means?—
No. I know it means the past is finally staying where it belongs. Even Kinsley is thriving better than ever. She always texts me before a game to wish me luck, but this time, she mentioned she had a date—with Brandon. I’m guessing their road trip proved she was more his type than she thought.
I may have to plan a surprise visit to make sure this guy is worthy of my kid sister. She deserves the best. Mom would want that, and I intend to make certain of it.
Jayce tosses his sweaty towel at me, but I swat it away with a grunt. “Where’s your head, old man? You look like you left us for the clouds.”
I give him as evil a grin as I can muster. “A place you can only dream about.”
He dons a cocky expression in reaction to my ribbing. “That’s my reality. Welcome to the club. And that sweet sna?—”
“Don’t push it, Jayce,” I growl at him.
His Adam’s apple bobs as he swallows. “Sorry, Cap. Just happy for ya.”
I reward him with a tight grin. “Thanks.”
With a brief nod, he walks off to chat with some of the guys at the other end of the room.
At record speed, I get cleaned up and back into my suit. I sent Sophie a text, asking her to be there when I walk out. I want—need to see her because she needs to know that wasn’t a show for the crowd. That was me asking for something more. Something lasting. And I need to know if she feels the same.
My gut tightens as I reach for the door leading to the back hallway where wives, girlfriends, and sometimes family will wait for us. I can only compare this feeling to the time I was in the presence of the Stanley Cup, but you don’t touch the cup until you’re a winner.
I stored that moment away as a promise to myself—one I thought was lost after I left hockey. But whatever this is with Sophie feels bigger. More promising.
The thing is, I already feel like a winner when it comes to Sophie. Even though we’ve only been involved a short time, she’s helped me believe in myself again. But I need to know she didn’t just kiss me through that camera hole because she felt she had to.
Takes me a moment to find her, and then our eyes lock. The rose-colored shirt she’s wearing reveals the soft skin of her shoulders to perfection, and all I want to do is put my hands on them.
She smiles—that’s a good sign—and takes a step toward me as I rush to close the gap between us. And then she’s in my arms, with her head lifted and those gorgeous eyes of hers swallowing me whole.
I don’t think. At all. And I don’t care who’s watching. As if what happened on the ice wasn’t enough, my teammates are about to get solid proof that Sophie and I are officially more than friends.
But the moment my lips touch hers, I forget all about that. I cup her beautiful face as her arms wrap around my waist underneath my jacket. The warmth of her hands seeps through my shirt and sends an ache through me that makes me realize she’s my missing piece .
I lift my head and stare down into her eyes, trying to convey some of what I’m feeling right now. The guys whistling and making catcalls as they walk by isn’t helping, though. This would be a lot easier if we were alone.
“Thank you.”
“For what?” She leans her head back to look up at me with those big eyes that envelop my soul.
“For being here. For kissing me through the camera hole.” I chuckle, and…I think I may be the one blushing this time because heat is rising up my neck, making its way to my face. “I didn’t do that for the crowd.”
She blinks twice, and those sweet lips I want to kiss again part to say something. Doubt flashes in her eyes.
Uh oh… Did I misread her? Maybe she did just kiss me out there because she didn’t think she had a choice. The thought makes me sick inside.
“Luke, I need to tell you something.” Her gaze darts back and forth as she searches mine.
I glance at the mix of players, girlfriends, and a couple of wives milling around us. Ethan and Mia are lip-locked, as per usual. I gesture down the hall toward the exit. “Let’s go outside.”
As soon as we step out of the door, a small crowd surges toward us. All young women, and they’re heading toward me.
“Luke!” Several female voices call out, but one rushes forward. She holds out something to me and lowers her voice to a sultry tone. “Sign it to Ella…with love…please?”
An image of me fills the front page of the paper. Other smaller pictures of me with the team intermingle with the article. But the main image is just me. No gear. Full detail. Sitting in Sophie’s office on that bench with the pink rose pillow.
I dart my gaze to Sophie.
“That’s what I needed to tell you.” Her voice shakes with her whisper.
Something primal surges up in me that makes me want to either run or beat the crap out of that newspaper. But I know that won’t fix what just happened. I force a grin and take the woman’s pen.
“Sure. To Ella.” But I finish it with ‘thank you for your support’ because love has nothing to do with what’s going down here, and I think that’s what’s wrecking me right now. I trusted Sophie to keep my full face out of this.
After a few more signatures and passing glances of curiosity from some of the guys walking out, I grab Sophie’s hand and stride toward the parking area. At the sound of her frantic steps to keep up, I slow down.
When we reach my car, I drop her hand, pinching the bridge of my nose with my other one, and pace back and forth. I’m not even sure what to say at this point. I asked her not to show my face like that for a reason.
Just before Gabe reached out and asked me to join the team, I received a notice that my father was released from prison on good behavior. I requested that I not be contacted again. I don’t want to see him. I don’t want him to know anything about me. Or Kinsley, for that matter. We’ve dealt with enough, and our lives are finally getting back on track.
Rather, they were…until now.
Sophie’s panicked voice breaks into my internal rant. “I’m sorry, Luke. I didn’t intend for that picture to be used in the article. I didn’t realize I’d uploaded it to the paper until I saw it tonight. I’m so sorry.”
I stop pacing and stare at her. Do I believe her? I want to, but I’m struggling. I know how much she wants her own column. And that image of me is powerful—even I can see that, regardless of how uncomfortable it makes me to be so exposed.
Amazing how one pivotal moment can shift into another in a blink. A moment ago, I thought my life was finally turning into something good again. And now, I’m not so sure.
I run my hands through my damp hair. “What’s the reach of this article?”
Confusion flashes across her face. “Less than thirty thousand. Why?”
“And only Florida?” The notification I received about my father mentioned he would be in a halfway house up north somewhere.
“Southwest Florida.” She looks like a terrified kitten ready to bolt for cover.
And I feel awful for making her feel that way. It was an honest mistake. And she even said she needed to tell me something when I first walked out. It wasn’t her fault that a fan beat her to the punch.
I exhale with a noisy breath and hold out my arms. “Come here.”
She walks into my arms, pressing her face against my chest between my suit lapels, mumbling against the fabric of my shirt.
A low chuckle rumbles through me. “I didn’t catch anything you just said.”
Her head falls back, but her eyes are closed as if she’s trying to hide her deepest self. But what she doesn’t realize is she’s given me full access to her neck, and I’d like nothing more than to nuzzle the area behind her ear down to the gentle curve of her collarbone. Then I’d brush my lips over the soft skin of her shoulders, left bare by that enchanting rose-pink shirt she’s wearing.
I take a deep breath to clear my head and wait for her to speak first.
“I can’t believe I screwed that up, Luke. I mean, how could I do something so stupid? I promised you I wouldn’t let your full face be shown, and I blew it.” Her eyes pop open. “And why aren’t you mad? I thought you’d be livid, but instead, you’re being so…so…”
I can’t contain the grin spreading on my face. “So…?”
She looks down, her voice barely a whisper. “Nice.”
I hook my finger under her chin so she’ll lift her face. “It’s okay. Crisis averted.”
That’s what I’m choosing to believe, anyway. As long as those photos stay in Florida, I don’t have to think about the possibility of my father deciding to make contact. He made the choice to leave his family for a life of crime a long time ago, and we did just fine without him, thanks to my mother. Kinsley and I don’t need him in our lives.
“Aren’t you going to beat me up about it? Just a little bit?”
I grunt. “I think you’ve done a good job doing that all on your own.”
Her eyes turn watery, her voice a husky whisper. “I really am sorry.”
I nod. “I know. It’s okay. Now let it go.”
“Are you sure?”
A slow smile spreads across my face because I’ve never been more sure about anyone like I am about her. “Surer than sure.”