Chapter Twenty-Six
Matt
I woke up the next morning to an empty space beside me and lipstick kisses all over my face. Honestly? I didn’t want to wash them off. Ever. I was fully content with going the rest of my life like this.
Her words were replaying in my head like a song on repeat. “I wanna be with you.” My favorite song.
Hopping out of El’s bed, she was nowhere to be seen. Even without the note she left, I would’ve put the pieces together that she’d woken up at the crack ass of dawn just to go grab coffee and hit the library before class.
Got my day started early. See you later tonight at your game, boyfriend <3
Boyfriend. She called me her boyfriend.
I couldn’t even fucking believe it. The whole thing felt way too good to be true.
My day went by quickly, and before I knew it, six o’clock had rolled around and we hit the ice for warmups.
We were seventeen and six in the season so far. It wasn’t terrible, but considering we were twenty and three at this point last year, it wasn’t great either.
We’d definitely found our stride over the past few months as a starting line, but our recent three games had been away games, and we lost two of them.
In other words, we needed a win tonight. Bad.
Everyone was aware that the chances of us winning back-to-back championships were fading as the season progressed, but that wasn’t stopping us from trying. And it sure as hell wasn’t going to stop us from getting as far in the tournament as possible come March.
Our first obstacle was making the tournament in the first place though.
Currently, we were ranked seventh in the nation. The top sixteen teams went to the tournament every year. Winning conference would get us an automatic bid, so we were hoping for that.
If we couldn’t win the national title again, we most definitely wanted to keep the conference title.
St. Cloud State, our rivals, would be out for blood.
They’d want revenge for last year’s title game, along with the bloodbath that ensued at the bar.
But we were determined to keep the title in Stallion territory.
UMass was a great team, but with the way we were playing so far tonight, they didn’t stand a chance.
For what seemed like the first time this season, I wasn’t focused on the scoreboard or the pressure of a thousand people chanting at us. I was focused on the puck and the ice and that was it.
El had sparked something in me that I hadn’t felt in a long time, and knowing she was in the crowd, wearing my name and number, fueled something in me that I couldn’t describe.
My girlfriend was here watching me play. God, I’d never get tired of calling her my girlfriend.
The ice felt good beneath my skates, and I was having so much more fun than I thought I would tonight.
Over the last few years, hockey had become so business-like, so competitive, so serious. My passion for the sport had faded under the immense pressure of trophies and spectators, and I hadn’t even realized it until this game.
I had all the energy in the world, yet I had no idea where it came from. Flying across the ice to catch up with the puck, controlled by UMass’s leading scorer, I rushed into him, pining both of us against the wall.
He had the puck, but I had the strength, and my drive was so high tonight that I easily snagged it away from his stick, sending it around the bend of the arena. By the grace of God, it landed perfectly in Jett’s possession, and he took off, weaving through defenseman like they were amateurs.
We were already up by two, and another goal would seal the deal.
After two missed shots on goal, our line fled to the bench, swapping out with our second string.
The most magical part about our team was that we were known for having lines that could score. Every line had chemistry, working together effortlessly to drive that puck into the net. Sports reporters always commented on it because it was rare to find.
So, when our second string set the goal buzzer off, I wasn’t surprised. The team rose to our feet, pounding our sticks into the ground as we cheered.
That would be game. We left little to no time for UMass to catch back up.
With our first win in a couple weeks secured under our belts, the air in the locker room was electric.
“Stal-li-ons!” was getting chanted on repeat, and it was perfect considering it was the name of the bar we’d be piling into in just a few hours.
Our post-game celebrations were always one of my favorite parts about this team. We worked hard, day in and day out, and celebrating our accomplishments as a group made every moment more special.
To my dismay, I didn’t get to see El in my jersey before leaving the arena. She left right after the game to go home and get ready quickly for our night out.
I sure as hell was making her put it back on later though in the bedroom.
I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t burst into our house this morning when I got home from El’s and announced our new relationship status to everyone.
I also announced it to the whole locker room. And a few people in passing.
I’d probably be screaming it from the rooftops by tonight.
It was only ten o’clock by the time we got to Stallions, so the night was just getting started. More people were trickling in by the minute.
The girl of my dreams looked like a walking fantasy.
El’s white sweater draped down on one side, exposing the smooth skin of her shoulder. Pencil skirt and black tights clutching onto her body, I couldn’t help the lewd thoughts filling every centimeter of my brain. Her side braid was the cherry on top.
No doubt she’d have eyes on her tonight. And no doubt I’d be on guard, making sure no horny assholes tested their limits.
The only table in the bar that was unoccupied had six chairs. Our starting line took dibs, and I gave up my seat for El, opting to stand beside her.
“You think we’ll get a waiter?” Cody asked, seated across from El and me.
Scoffing lightly, I replied, “If you wanna be waiting for a drink until we’re fifty.”
He sighed, standing. “Bar, it is.”
I turned to El. “What would you like, Princess?”
The sweet grin she flashed was permanently embroidered on my heart. “Surprise me.”
Planting a kiss on her forehead, Cody and I set off for the bar, reappearing at the table with five drinks. Two beers for Cody. Two beers for me. And a sex on the beach for El.
TJ teleported to my side as I slid El’s drink in front of her. “I’m gonna go put in some song requests. Any suggestions?”
“Oh!” Cody exclaimed. “‘A Bar Song (Tipsy)’.”
TJ made a face. “Um, no, no. Taylor Swift only.”
Of course. Cody should’ve known that was coming.
A gruff sigh came from Cody, surrendering. “‘Love Story’,” he grumbled. ‘
TJ pointed at him. “That’s a great choice.”
“‘Blank Space’,” El suggested.
With TJ’s remarkable approval, he ran off, and for the next twenty minutes, Taylor Swift was the only thing playing.
We watched with utter amusement as TJ and El lit up the dance floor. When he gave her a playful spin, eyes landed on me, gauging my reaction, but the only thing I gave was a smile.
It didn’t bother me at all.
I’d known TJ long enough to know his true intentions. He wasn’t a threat to my relationship, and I held our friendship on a high enough pedestal to know he would never stab me in the back that cruelly.
Everyone probably expected me to jump out of my seat and go kick his ass. In fact, it was the opposite. I enjoyed watching my best friends and El get along so well.
I knew that when it came down to it, she was safe around them.
After my two beers were empty, I made a trip to the bathroom, stopping at the bar on my way back to grab another drink. El still had half of hers left, and I instructed Jett to keep an eye on it.
The first thing I saw as I weaved through people was Cody leading El back to our table. She looked a little flustered, distraught. He said something to her, and she nodded, but unfortunately, I couldn’t read lips.
I didn’t hesitate to ask. “What happened?”
El took a long gulp of her drink, eyes on the table as Cody explained for them both. He shrugged. “Some guy was trying to hit on her, I don’t know.”
Spine straightening, I glanced around with the eyes of a sharpshooter. “Where? Who?”
El shook her head. “It doesn’t matter. He just tried talking to me for a minute when TJ and I were leaving the dance floor and Cody showed up. I’m fine.”
Either they were downplaying the encounter, or I was overreacting. Probably the latter.
But there was something unsettling about the way she’d trudged back to the table, head down, chest pumping. There was a strange sense of fire sitting at the bottom of my spine, and my instinct was to ask for more answers to ensure she really was okay.
When El excused herself from the table to head to the ladies’ room, I offered to walk with her.
“I don’t need a bodyguard, Matt,” she said gently, the ghost of a smile touching her lips. Rising on the balls of her feet, she left a kiss on my cheek, leaving the sticky residue of her lip gloss behind.
I didn’t wipe it off. I didn’t want to.
She said she didn’t need a bodyguard, yet I couldn’t help but play the role, my gaze following her all the way there as if I was afraid someone would kidnap her right in front of me.
That feeling of protection that I’d had for her since we were kids was eternal. I’d get cuffed for that girl. Again. I’d take a bullet for her. No sacrifice was great enough to ensure she was safe and happy.
As El disappeared, I turned back to Cody. “Who was he?”
“Quite frankly, I’m not sure. I think he’s a football player, but I can’t say for certain.”
“She seemed uncomfortable,” I pointed out.