Chapter FIFTEEN Lexi
The chill from the ice rink seeps into my bones at morning practice, but it's nothing against the warmth that spreads through me when I think of Wes. As I watch him skate across the ice, a rebel in skates, my heart does that familiar leap-and-twirl. It's like he's performing just for me, each pivot and glide a secret dance we share.
I lean against the cold barrier, scribbling notes on my clipboard, pretending to focus on the players, injuries, but my mind wanders back to the late-night conversations, the cozy coffee dates, the way he listens, really listens, when I talk about my fears and hopes. And the way he’d calmed his mom down the night she’d called, feeling sick and panicked. He might not be the med student, but he’s definitely a caregiver—a side of him he doesn’t show many.
"Turner!" Coach yells, snapping me back to reality. "Stay sharp!"
"Got it, Coach," I call back, forcing my gaze away from Wes and back to the task at hand. Coach Thomspon makes me nervous now, and as I monitor the players, checking for signs of strain or injury, my pulse races with adrenaline. Drew and Thomspon had…words at practice, and Drew stormed off. I haven’t seen him in two days.
My phone buzzes in my jacket pocket, an email alert. I turn my back on Coach Thompson and swipe to read it, and suddenly, my chest tightens. Another internship offer—at an Illinois hospital, one known for its cutting-edge sports medicine program.
No way. I’d applied to this program a year ago, and had heard crickets. It’s why I’d ended up with the Aces, though I now believed that this was where fate had placed me. But the hospital position, it’s an opportunity that could catapult me straight into the career I've been dreaming of since I traded my own skates for textbooks and physiotherapy bands.
I picture myself walking those sterile corridors, learning from the best, helping athletes recover and return to the sports they love. It's everything I've worked toward, every extra credit, every volunteer hour spent shadowing tired yet passionate professionals—it's all led to this moment. Excitement bubbles up like a well-aimed slap shot, making me want to shout my news to the world. This is big—bigger than any game-winning goal or championship title. This is my future calling.
Isn’t it?
"Lexi!" Wes skates over now, practice finished, helmet off, revealing that trademark tousled hair. I bite my lip, anticipation mingling with nerves. How will he react? Will he be proud? Or will the distance this internship puts between us cool the heat we've kindled?
"Great practice, huh?" he says, grinning, unaware of the storm of emotions behind my smile.
"Absolutely," I agree, because right now, in this frozen moment, everything is perfect. We're just Lexi and Wes, two college kids laughing on an ice rink, blissfully ignorant of the choices looming ahead.
"Can't wait to take you to lunch," he adds, leaning on the barrier close enough for me to catch the scent of his cologne mixed with the freshness of the ice. “You have a break around one?”
"I do," I say, the words heavy. I need advice—stat.
***
I stride into the dorm I share with Jenna, my heart thrumming faster than my feet on the pavement after a long run. The lingering chill from the rink still clings to my skin, but it's the heat of opportunity that has me all fired up inside.
"Guess who just got an internship offer at one of the top hospitals?" I announce before Jenna can even get a word in edgewise.
She looks up from her biology textbook, eyebrows hitting the ceiling. "No way! That's amazing, Lexi!" She tosses his highlighter onto the table and leans back. "Tell me everything!"
As I recount the details, her grin mirrors the excitement I feel bubbling in my chest. But as quickly as it comes, a shadow passes over me, dimming the brightness of the moment. It's the same shadow that's been following me around since I got the offer.
"Hey, what's up?" Jenna senses the shift in my mood. "You look like you just lost your favorite finger splint."
I sigh and drop onto the couch beside her, tucking my feet under me. "It's Wes," I confess, the words tumbling out like loose pucks on ice. "This internship is in Chicago. If I take it, it means long distance... and Wes and I—"
"Are pretty hot and heavy right now," Jenna finishes for me, waggling her eyebrows comically. "But come on, Lexi. This is your dream we're talking about."
"Exactly." I run a hand through my hair, feeling the familiar tug of my ponytail. "I've wanted this forever. But falling for Wes wasn't part of the plan. I'm scared that choosing the internship means losing him."
"Look, I might not be the expert on romances," Jenna says, scratching her head, "but isn't Wes Mr. 'Live-for-the-moment'? Maybe he'd understand more than you think."
"Maybe," I murmur, though doubt gnaws at me. Wes lives for the adrenaline rush, the here and now; I'm not sure if our relationship can survive the test of time and distance.
"Besides, Lexi, you can't make career choices based on a guy." Jenna’s tone is gentle but firm. "Especially a rebellious hockey player who probably has half his life planned out on napkins."
"Harsh," I shoot back half-heartedly, knowing there's truth in her words. Wes has always been a wild card, but isn't that part of his allure?
"Think about it," she continues. "You're smart, ambitious, and you've got a killer slap shot with medical jargon. You can't give up on your dreams for someone else—no matter how chiseled his jawline is."
"Or how deep his blue eyes are," I add with a weak smile.
"Exactly. You need to do what's best for you, Lexi. Besides, who knows? Maybe a little distance will bring you closer together in the end. Or maybe it'll clear the rink for something else that's meant to be."
"Thanks, Jenna," I say, a genuine smile breaking through. I stand up, feeling a little lighter but still carrying the weight of the decision.
"Anytime," she replies, picking up her highlighter. "Now go talk to Wes. See where he stands."
"Right." My stomach does a nervous loop-de-loop. Talking to Wes. That's the next move. And suddenly, I feel like I'm facing a shootout with the stakes higher than any game I've ever played.