Chapter 16 #2
If Maddox cares that we’re having a very PDA moment right now, he doesn’t show it.
In fact, his arms are around my waist, holding me tight, as our kiss deepens into one that’s about to become not family friendly.
I’m about to run my hands through his curly hair when I hear the tell-tale sound of one of the most iconic Prince songs of all time.
And I can’t help but wonder if they’re playing this song because the name of it is exactly what we’re doing right now.
“Ladies and gentlemen! Looks like the Nashville Fury’s Maddox Gallagher is going to start off our Kiss Cam for this evening!”
We pull away and I immediately bury my face into Maddox’s neck.
But him? He’s not shying away from it. I catch him out of the corner of his eye waving for all to see, a smile on his face from ear to ear.
I turn my eyes a little more, which gives me a view of the Jumbotron directly above the ice.
I see the two of us enclosed in a pink glitter heart as the song continues to blast through the arena.
“What do you say, Gabrielle? One more for the fans?”
I slowly pick my embarrassed face up from the hole I was trying to dig into his shoulder. “How do you do it?”
“Do what?”
“Make me do things I didn’t think I’d never ever do.”
He puts his hand on the back of my head. “I guess I’m a bad influence.”
Maddox pulls me in for another kiss, which gets a huge round of applause from the fans.
When it quiets down, I have a feeling the camera has panned off us, but that isn’t stopping us.
It should. We’re in an arena with seventeen-thousand people.
I’m sure there are videos being taken of us that will be all over social media before we leave tonight.
But like I told Maddox, the best revenge is thriving. Being happy.
And that’s what I am. For the first time in a very long time, I’m happy. And that’s because of this man right here.
“I think we have a habit of creating public spectacles,” I say as I pull away enough to catch my breath.
“I think there’s worse things we could be known for.”
Maddox gives me one more kiss before I reluctantly move from his lap and go back to sitting in my actual seat.
I don’t know what I expected from the game—I’ve watched less than five minutes of hockey in my entire life—but I’m enjoying it.
It’s fast paced. A little violent. Blink and you could miss something.
“I don’t know how they do it,” I say as a shot goes flying toward the goalie.
“How do who do what?”
I point to the goalie. “The goalies. The pucks are coming so fast. And they’re wearing so many pads. How do they move their bodies like that?”
My observation makes Maddox smile. “I’m not sure. I never thought about it. But I can ask Finn for you.”
“You know the goalie?”
“Yeah, he’s a good guy. Solid karaoke singer. A little crazy, but from what I’ve heard that’s the standard trait of goalies. It’s why they’re the ones who signed up for getting pucks blasted at them.”
It’s like he could hear us talking about him, because at that moment, Finn makes another crazy save. I don’t know how he did it, but he went from a near split to all but leaping to his opposite side to make a save with his glove.
“Is he also part of the Nashville Professional Athletes Club?” I tease.
“If that’s what we’re called, being signed to West Athletes, then yes,” Maddox says.
“Let’s see… there’s him… oh, and Asher Reed.
Number 18. He’s there on the right. Good guy.
Pretty grumpy so I don’t talk to him much.
He’s got a kid, so he doesn’t come to a lot of the functions that the other athletes signed with West have to, but he gets a pass. ”
“A kid pass?”
Maddox shakes his head. “He’s a widow. Lost his wife a few years ago in a car accident. Was fucking tragic.”
“Oh dear,” I say as I look back onto the ice to find number eighteen.
He’s expertly skating backward, tracking the puck and the player coming toward him.
I don’t know how he does it, but somehow out of nowhere Asher stops on a dime, intercepts the pass, and somehow shoots it ahead for his teammates. It’s quite impressive.
“I can’t skate for anything,” I say as Asher slams another player into the boards. And not just slam. The guy crumbles to the ground. “Oh my God! He just…”
Play on the ice stops, but that’s because the guy that Asher hit into the wall isn’t getting up. Before I can tell what’s going on, referees are blowing whistles and I think everyone on the ice is fighting someone.
“My first hockey fight!” I squeal, clapping my hands. I’m locked in. Not blinking. Punches are being thrown. Refs are trying to break it up. Gloves are flying. Sticks are scattered on the ice. Fans are shouting “let them fight!” while I’m watching in awe.
“Are you okay?” Maddox asks.
His question takes me by surprise. “Yeah? Why?”
“You yawned like this is the most boring thing you’ve ever witnessed.”
I did? “Oh, no. I love this. I really yawned?”
“A big one. Are you tired? Do you want to go home?”
“Yeah, I guess I’m tired, but no I don’t want to leave,” I say as I fight off another. “I guess this is the price to pay for a busy business.”
“But you have tomorrow off, right?”
“I do,” I say as I lean into him, his arm around my shoulders as the fight starts to calm down. “My big plans for the day are to not leave the couch and have every meal delivered to me.”
“My perfect Sunday Funday,” Maddox says. “Maybe you’ll want some company?”
I wonder if that company is because our date is still going, or it’s going to be part two. Either way, I’m a fan. “Only if that company includes a binge watch of that fantasy show you were appalled I’d never seen an episode of?”
“Another check off the Best Friend Activity to-do list?”
“Technically yes. But I think the list needs a new name.”
Maddox couldn’t hide his smile if he tried. “Yeah? Have any suggestions?”
I lean in, just far enough away that our lips aren’t touching, but so close I feel as if I can taste him. “Maybe something like Date Night Ideas?”
“Girlfriend-Boyfriend Activities?”
Now it’s my turn to smile. “I didn’t realize I was your girlfriend.”
“You’re not. Yet,” Maddox says before leaning in, brushing his lips against mine ever so slightly. “But I hope that changes very, very soon.”
We lean back in, our lips seemingly unable to stay away from the others. This time there’s no song to interrupt our moment. No crowd cheering us on. Just two people who can’t wait anymore.
“Maddox?”
He pulls away, but leaves his forehead tapped to mine. “Yes , Gabrielle?”
“I’m ready to leave.”