Chapter 33
Chapter Thirty-Three
Ashton
“You've got this. You’ve come a long way, don't get distracted, lock it in,” Coach Miles said to us as we prepared to go back out on the ice.
The first team to score won.
It was so close that we could taste it, feel it. At the same time, we couldn’t get cocky.
The puck dropped. The Panthers took off with it, and we fought to keep it out of our net.
Focus. That asshole was on the ice, the same guy from earlier that Steven had to slam into the boards. He got the puck, heading right towards us. I tripped him as he went for the goal, accidentally of course. Luckily the ref didn’t see it.
He missed. Rhett swept up the puck and got it away from the net, back towards their goal. The lines changed. I watched from the bench as the puck went back and forth across the ice, both teams desperate to score.
Coach sent Deacon and Beckett in. They scrambled over the boards. The game was fast and furious as Beckett put someone face down on the ice. The Panthers split, going after Levon who had the puck, the other going after Deacon.
Beckett stole the puck as Deacon went right for the Panther going after Levon, distracting him long enough for Beckett to get Levon the puck. The Panthers noticed and were on his heels.
Levon took the shot, the puck sailing across the ice…
…and right past the goalie.
For a moment we all held our collective breaths. The horns sounded.
Goal!
Cheers burst through the arena. “In the upset of the year, the Scented Scorpions win the playoffs 4-3 over the Puck Panthers.”
We’d won. We fucking won.
The rest of the team climbed over the boards to celebrate on the ice with us.
Steven barreled toward me, hugging me to him. “We did it. We actually did it.”
“We did it.” I hugged him back, practically dancing with joy on the ice.
I saw one of the trainers, Javier, run over to Beckett and say something to him. With a slightly panicked look, Beckett ran off the ice and went over the boards.
Shit. Hopefully everything was okay.
If only Kai was here. They weren’t even watching because of class. I looked for the cameras, when one caught me, I flashed a heart with my hands–just in case Kai caught our game later.
When we finally went into the locker room, energy was still high, everyone buzzing with excitement and adrenaline.
“You did a good job out there. Have a good time tonight. You earned it–just don’t get caught with your dicks out,” Coach Miles told us.
I showered and checked my phone. It was blowing up with texts from my family and friends. There were even pictures from the watch party at the local bar.
Kai had also texted.
Kai
You won! Congratulations.
Me
Thanks. Lab done?
Kai
Score check. Have fun celebrating. You earned it.
Everyone was making plans, some headed to Slapshots, others headed home for a little celebratory something-something. While I had Steven, I wished Kai was here with us.
Rhett looked over at me as we got dressed. “If you leave now, you could probably make it to Hawai’i by morning.”
I blinked as I looked at Rhett. “Why would I fly to Hawai’i?”
“Come on, you know you want to be with them. What’s keeping you?” Rhett added.
“Keeping you from what?” Steven joined us, half dressed.
“We just won the finals, and he thinks we should fly to Hawai’i.” Could we just do that? I mean, in theory we could. But what?
Kai wasn’t expecting us. What if they didn’t want us there? The mere thought made my belly twist.
“Oooh, that’s such a good idea. We should do it,” Steven replied. “We can let Kai know how we feel.”
I stared at the two of them, trying to wrap my head around their suggestion. “We should show up at Kai’s college and be like, Hi, we love you?”
“Yes.” Steven nodded.
“What if they don’t love us the way we love them?” My heart squeezed. I wasn’t sure I could handle the rejection.
“They like you just fine.” Rhett rolled his eyes.
“I think you and Kai are scent matches,” Steven blurted.
I stared at my half-dressed boyfriend. “Why?”
He thought we were what now?
“I was wondering about that,” Rhett agreed.
“How would we even make this work?” I frowned. It was so far.
“Maybe we should establish that we all like each other first before we figure everything out? We could do it if we all want to do it, but we’re not going to know unless we have a fucking conversation,” Steven said. “I think the best time to have that conversation is now.”
“I think you should go,” Rhett added.
Should we? The idea of just getting on a plane and flying to Hawai’i was wild.
I looked at Steven and took his hands in mine. “Do you really want to do this?
He was my everything.
“Yes. I want to be with the both of you, now and forever,” he confessed.
“Me, too. Do you really think we’re scent matches?” Wouldn’t I have noticed? Not that I really knew what to look for.
“I’ve never seen you react to anybody the way you react to her. I’m here for it,” Steven said. “I think she’s the one. But then I’ve been enamored with Kai from the moment we found her at the bar.”
Was I really going to fly across the country–and an ocean–just to tell someone I loved them?
I think I was.
“Okay, let’s do this, then. Should we warn Kai?” I frowned at the phone, a little worried about just showing up there. What if we interrupted something? What if we were reading everything wrong?
“Stop.” Steven hugged me tight. “Put on your fucking clothes and I’ll see if I can get us a flight. The finals are over. Let’s go to Hawai’i and tell Kai we love her.”