41. Alana
ALANA
Iwas sure the last person Eden wanted to see after a huge loss like this was me.
While I didn’t understand a thing about ice hockey, I still knew that the Frozen Four was the NCAA’s hockey holy grail. Every team wanted to win it.
It must’ve felt awful to have had this very win within reach, and then someone else snatched it before they could.
Over these past months, I’d noticed that Eden was big on family and he loved spending time with his.
He’d called his parents after every game, and when they lost, he’d sometimes spend the night back at home with his family.
So, when I said that I was the last person he wanted to see, I truly believed it.
Eden’s parents wouldn’t get back home until the next evening, though, so instead of them picking Eden up from the arena when the team got back at three in the morning, he’d find me waiting for him.
It was slightly past three already, and still, the bus wasn’t in sight just yet.
I stood there, shivering in the cold night air, not knowing what to say once Eden stepped off the bus. Congratulations were far off the table, but saying “Sorry for your loss” seemed like I was ripping open a wound the guys were trying to close for hours.
Louisa stood beside me, surprisingly chatty for such a huge loss. She hooked her arm into mine, smiling at me. “Are you okay?” Louisa asked, her breath misting in the frigid air. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
I managed a weak smile. “Just worried about Eden. I know he’s hurting right now.” At least, I assumed he was. Surely, the loss affected him.
Louisa nodded in understanding. “Yeah, it’s tough.” She glanced at her watch and then back toward the road, squinting to see if she could spot the team bus in the distance. “Is Eden your first hockey boyfriend?”
I sighed. “Yeah.”
“So, this is the first major loss you experience?”
“Yup.” And the last. Honestly, I wasn’t sure I wanted there to be a second. Each loss was painful, and I was sure of that, but again, losing the Frozen Four must’ve hurt a whole lot more.
Louisa leaned her head on my shoulder. “Lucky and I never talk about it,” she told me.
“Once he gets here, it’s like the game never happened.
I mean, I can always tell when he’s upset about the loss, but he still never lets it out on me.
Thankfully. Tonight will be slightly different, though.
I’ll have to cheer him up a little bit more than usual, but we still won’t talk about the game itself.
I’m really glad that he doesn’t ever want to talk about it and insists that his hockey career should never interfere with our relationship. ”
I nodded. It must’ve been a relief to have that boundary set in place. No matter what someone does for a living, it should never gain so much importance that it stands above their relationships.
“Well, it’s good to have rules, I guess,” I said, unsure of what else to say. While Lousia and I got along just fine, I was still a little hesitant about how to navigate my sort of friendship with her.
I didn’t want to get too close, knowing she wouldn’t stay my friend forever. Once Eden graduated and our relationship ended, Louisa would’ve left with everyone else. There was no doubt in my mind that Lucky and Eden would’ve stayed friends even after college, but Lousia had no loyalty to me.
“Definitely,” she replied, lifting her head off my shoulder. “Oh, are you coming to the post-season banquet on the first?”
My eyebrows rose as I turned to look at her. “Banquet?” Eden hadn’t once mentioned a banquet, no less one that was hockey-related.
“Yeah, well, you know? They always get together after a season to celebrate and reflect on their achievements. It’s super cool.
They usually hand out fun ‘awards’ too, like…
best locker room DJ, or best dressed, and much more.
Obviously, they’re gonna have dinner, too, which is usually a formal dinner.
Super fancy and so delicious. As far as I know, they’re going to Rêverie this year.
They booked out the entire restaurant months, if not a year ago.
The team always goes all out for this post-season banquet.
They book the best restaurants for a once-in-a-lifetime kind of experience.
Two years ago, they even managed to get some NHL players to stop by and say a few words.
I think they’ll do it again this year. Lucky said something about Grey Davis and someone else showing up. ”
“Isn’t that Eden’s dad’s restaurant?” It seemed kind of rude to me to host the team’s banquet at one of the player’s parents’ restaurants. It wasn’t anything special to them, was it? “And isn’t this Grey Davis guy Eden’s dad’s best friend?”
Louisa nodded. “Oh, yeah. I guess so.”
“But then it’s not a once-in-a-lifetime experience for Eden, is it?
I mean, he literally grew up inside that restaurant.
He’d probably seen Grey Davis daily since the day he was born.
He could call him up any time he wants. It’s not special.
Shouldn’t the team consider making it a special experience for everyone before setting the plans in stone? ”
At this point, I wouldn’t be surprised if she told me that whoever was planning this banquet even asked Eden for his help.
Bet if he asked his dad to keep the restaurant closed for everyone but the team for that day, he would do it in a heartbeat.
Perhaps the team even got a discount or something.
And let’s face it, if Eden asked Grey to show up to this banquet and say a few nice things, he’d also do it.
I could also imagine that “someone else” who was going to show up was one of the other two famous players Eden saw daily.
It just wasn’t fair.
Each player on the team was going to have an unforgettable night, while it was basically just an everyday dinner for Eden.
“I suppose Eden will still enjoy the banquet regardless. It’s always a fun time to celebrate with the team, even if it’s at a familiar place for him,” she tried to reassure me. “And who knows? Maybe Grey Davis will say something that’ll make it more special for Eden.”
Like what?
Seriously, what could he possibly say that he hadn’t already told him?
Whatever, there was no use getting upset about it now.
As the team bus finally pulled up to the arena, my heart raced, and my stomach dropped.
I was excited to see Eden but so afraid that I couldn’t cheer him up at all. There had never been any too awkward silences between us before, and what if this loss was going to change that? I still had no idea what I was going to say to him once he stepped out of that bus.
I scanned the crowd of exhausted and disappointed players exiting the bus, searching for a glimpse of Eden. When he finally stepped off, his normally bright eyes were clouded with a mix of frustration and exhaustion. He barely looked in my direction as he trudged past me, his shoulders slumped.
My heart instantly dropped at the sight of him. His gaze was on the floor in front of him, refusing to look up. He didn’t smile, which was to be expected, yet it was still unusual. He appeared so upset that even I could feel it in my body.
All I wanted to do was run up to him, wrap my arms around him, and tell him anything that could’ve possibly cheered him up even a little bit.
But there was nothing to say. It was his last ever Frozen Four game.
It was his very last game with his college team—and perhaps even his last game ever.
That was if he really wasn’t going to pursue an NHL career.
Louisa gave me an apologetic smile before hurrying to catch up with her boyfriend.
I stood frozen in place, unsure of how to approach Eden. Did he even see me? He’d never ignored my presence before.
What if he just wanted to be alone tonight?
To my surprise, Eden paused about ten feet away and turned back to look at me. His expression softened ever so slightly, and he motioned for me to follow him.
I was quick to catch up with him, falling into step beside him as we walked toward the parking lot. Maybe he spotted my car when the bus got here.
We hadn’t exchanged a single word the entire way over to my car, but as soon as we reached it, Eden leaned against it, his gaze fixed on the ground for barely a second before his eyes moved up my body to meet mine.
“Hey,” he finally spoke. “Sorry I’m not more… talkative right now. It’s been a long day.”
I nodded understandingly, not wanting to push him to talk if he didn’t feel like it. I was about to unlock my car, ready to head inside when Eden reached for my wrist and pulled me closer to him.
“I appreciate you being here,” he said softly, the look on his face making me melt on the inside. “Today was really tough, but having you here means a lot to me.”
My heart skipped a beat at his words, a rush of warmth flooding through my body. I reached up to place my hand on the middle of his chest, patting the spot a couple of times, then wrapped my arms around him in a tight hug, feeling his tense muscles relax against me.
“I thought you wouldn’t want to be alone tonight… but I can just drop you off at home and leave if you want.”
Eden hugged me back tightly and a part of me wanted to laugh when his embrace tightened even more.
It was so strange to be able to feel the weight of his exhaustion and disappointment in the way he held onto me.
But it was also such a unique feeling. He must’ve really trusted me in order for me to feel his emotions through a hug.
“No, I need you,” he spoke against my hair, softly and sincere.
I leaned back slightly to look up at him, noticing a vulnerability in his eyes that I’d never seen before. “Okay. Then let’s get you and your stuff inside the car and go home, shall we?”
For just a second, he looked at his bag, then rolled his eyes. “I have to put my stuff back.”
“What do you mean?”
“I don’t take my hockey bag back home. God, I must’ve been so out of it to forget to take it inside.”
I shrugged. “No problem. We’ll take it back inside and then we’ll go home.”
A small, grateful smile tugged at the corners of his lips before he leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to my forehead. “Your home or mine?”
“Where would you rather be?”
“Wherever you are.”
Despite the fact that my heart wanted to jump right out of my body, I managed to keep my composure. Cocking my head, I said, “Well, I’m right in front of you, Mister King. So, we might as well keep standing right here all night long.”
His soft smile widened slightly, giving me a glimpse of the Eden I’d gotten to know—the one who seemed like nothing could’ve ever shaken him. “As long as you’re here with me, I wouldn’t even mind it.”
Almost immediately, I felt all the blood in my body rush to my cheeks. God, I hated how good he was with his stupid words.
Taking a deep breath to steady my racing heart, I reached for his hand and intertwined our fingers. “Could you give me your mother’s number so I can complain to her about all the sweet things you’re saying to me? It’s not fair to sweettalk a girl without meaning it.”
Eden chuckled, amusement filling his eyes. “Oh, Ally-Bear, you know I always mean it.”