15. Daisy
DAISY
The noise in the arena reaches a deafening level that vibrates inside of me. Valley just scored another goal, and it’s impossible not to get caught up in the excitement. Or almost impossible.
“Ouch!” Violet yelps as the person on the other side of her jumps up and down, stomping on her foot in the process. “Watch it.”
“Sorry,” the guy apologizes, yelling over the roar of the crowd as it starts to die down. His face is painted—half yellow and half blue—and he waves his beefy arms around. “We scored!”
He turns back to the ice, and Violet’s annoyed glare softens when she sees my expression.
“You’re enjoying this?”
Shrugging, I smile. “It’s kind of amazing.”
I’ve been to sporting events before. Admittedly it’s been a few years, but I saw a football game or two in high school. I think I even went to a swim meet. However, the number of people crammed into this arena to cheer on the Valley hockey team is double or triple anything I’ve ever attended.
Hockey is fast and fierce. Watching the players race up and down the ice makes my heart gallop like I’m out there with them. I feel like I’m a part of something.
Violet would roll her eyes, and I get it; I will leave here tonight and never speak or see some of these people again. But as someone who is always watching from a distance, it’s nice to be one of many sitting on the sidelines for a few hours.
The Valley bench is all smiles and high-fives as the buzzer sounds. It’s the end of the second period, and Violet bounces beside me, ready to flee. She doesn’t say that, though. She might not want to be here, but she’s committed to seeing it through for me.
I was shocked when she suggested we go to the game tonight. Honestly, I thought she was joking at first and laughed in her face. When she confirmed that I had heard her correctly, and no, she wasn’t kidding, I didn’t ask any more questions.
Dahlia is still at her golf tournament, and Jane went over to her friend Eric’s house to hang out and play some music.
“Do you want to get something to drink?” I ask. People around us are filing out of their seats to the concessions and bathrooms.
“Sure.”
We fall into a slow-moving line with the rest of the crowd, moving up to the nearest mezzanine.
“Thank you for coming tonight.”
She attempts a smile that looks more like a grimace. “It’s nothing. If the roles were reversed, you’d have done it for me.”
“I’m surprised that you even knew there was a game tonight.”
Her brows lift, and her mouth presses into a thin line. The response only lasts for a second, but it’s long enough for me to realize she isn’t telling me something.
“How did you know?”
She lifts onto her toes to peer over the line in front of us. The smell of burnt popcorn is stronger the higher we climb up the stairs. “I think Liam or Jordan must have mentioned it at bowling. Or maybe I heard it around campus.”
The line is at a complete standstill, and eventually, she has to look at me.
“Okay, fine. I ran into Jordan this morning at University Hall.”
My stomach lurches. “And?”
“He told me that Liam’s been inviting you to home games but that you wouldn’t go unless I did.”
Flames tickle my cheeks. It’s a lot to process. Jordan and Violet were talking about me? Vi felt guilty for something as ridiculous as my insecurity to attend an event without a friendly face?
She tilts her head to the side and smiles at me as if she can read the thoughts spiraling in my head. “I should have offered before. And it isn’t… that bad.”
I can’t think of what to say, so I hug her. “Thank you.”
We grab sodas, and Violet gets popcorn, then we go back to our seats. The Valley players are near our end of the arena. Jordan skates behind the net to retrieve a puck, spotting us as he does. He juts his chin in acknowledgment and smiles.
I wave and then feel silly because he’s around the net so fast, facing the other direction, that he doesn’t even see it.
But Liam does and waves back. Then I wave again.
A few people look my way to see who is getting attention from the players.
So I wave again like I’m just a waving kind of gal.
Oh my gosh. I’m going to duct tape my hands to my legs.
Violet offers me some popcorn. I take it to keep my hands busy. Thankfully the third period starts, and I no longer have to worry about Jordan or Liam noticing me.
They’re both on the ice, and they play so differently, like everything else about them.
Even the way they skate. Liam has this slower, unassuming way he moves from one end to the other.
He’s fast, don’t get me wrong, but he doesn’t really look like it.
In contrast, Jordan seems to be everywhere at once.
He’s quick and aggressive, darting one way and then the next. I’m exhausted just watching him.
I would have sworn I preferred Liam’s style of play better before seeing it in person, but it’s Jordan I can’t stop watching.
His dark hair curls around his helmet and the wet strands stick to his skin. His dark eyes blaze with an intensity that makes my stomach flip. He never seems to let up or relax. Even when he’s on the bench, he tracks the action on the ice with complete focus.
I’m so enthralled that it catches me by surprise when the game is over.
“It’s over already?” I ask, pulse racing with excitement.
Violet laughs, then stands and stretches. “Already? We’ve been here for almost three hours.”
I take one last glimpse at the Valley bench where the guys disappear down the tunnel. I don’t see Jordan, but Liam stands where he can fist bump each guy as they go.
“Thank you again for coming,” I say to Violet as we push outside.
I breathe in the cool air and try to hang on to the thrill of tonight.
“You’re welcome.” She stares down at her phone. “Jane is still at Eric’s house. They’re playing games and drinking. Could be fun.”
“Yeah. It could be.” Eric is Jane’s friend. He’s a business major but also plays in a local nineties cover band. He’s nice, but nights at his place always end up with him and his friends super drunk and jamming out or talking about the stock market. And he lives kind of far from campus.
Since Dahlia is gone, my options are: go to Eric’s, knowing I might be bored, but at least I’ll be with Violet and Jane, or go home by myself.
Violet looks to me with a hopeful smile. She came here tonight for me. I can suffer through some drunken singing and guitar.
“Let’s go to Eric’s,” I agree. “But can we stop at the house first? I want to change.”
She gives me a once-over in my blue Valley Hockey T-shirt, her eyebrows lifting. “Definitely.”
At home, I send Jordan a congrats text. Then do the same for Liam. My crush has waned a little after hanging out with him at the bowling alley. Liam and I make sense on paper, but in reality, I think we might be better as friends.
“Daisy,” Violet calls from downstairs.
“Coming,” I call back. I change into a dress and add another swipe of mascara on my lashes, then grab my phone and purse. Liam texts back, and that small part of me that still wants him to notice me, feels a blast of happiness as I read his words, Thanks. So glad you made it to a game!
“I’m ready.” I shove my phone in my purse and start down the stairs. I lift my gaze from the steps to the person hovering at the end of the stairway. Jordan’s appearance throws me off balance, and I stumble down the rest of the way.
“Whoa.” He steps forward and steadies me.
I wish I were graceful enough to extract myself and recover quickly, but I basically faceplant into his chest, breathing in his freshly showered scent. One hand goes around him, and the other braces on his stomach—his very hard, defined stomach.
My fingers have a mind of their own, stretching to cover as much surface area as possible and then gliding along his abs.
His laughter eventually snaps the remaining, sane brain cells back to life, and I jump back. My face is on fire as I smooth a hand down my dress and then over my hair.
“I am so sorry.”
“For copping a feel?” He shrugs. “I can hardly blame you.”
His mouth lifts in a cocky smirk.
“For falling into you,” I clarify. I’ll die before admitting I was enjoying exploring his muscles. “What are you doing here?”
“You came to the game,” he says as if that explains his presence.
I look around the living room and kitchen for Violet.
“She’s out front yelling at Gavin because someone parked her in.”
“Ah.”
“I take it that’s a usual occurrence?”
“Something like that.”
“Meaning?”
“Let’s just say, our yard and driveway see a lot of action on big party nights.”
“People park in your yard?”
“No, but they do dump trash—beer cups, bottles, and one time we found two used condoms.”
“Two?” His brows lift. “Impressive action for a front yard.”
“They were in the back yard.”
He looks past me. “Oh right. Your back yard butts up against the action.”
I nod. “You still didn’t say why you’re here.”
“To bring you to the party.”
“The party?” Anticipation bubbles up inside of me.
He nods. “It isn’t the full home game experience without celebrating after a win.”
“We were just about to go to a friend’s house.”
“Invite your friends to The White House. That’s where everyone will be tonight anyway.”
“Violet will never go.”
My roommate storms through the front door with a scowl. “I’m completely blocked in!”
“I heard. I’m sorry.”
She looks between Jordan and me. “Are you going with him or me?”
“You don’t want to come?” I ask hopefully.
“No chance, but you should go. I’m sure Liam will be there.”
The displeasure on Jordan’s face at the mention of Liam is only there a second, but I catch it, and my stomach dips at what it might mean. If he didn’t come here for Liam, then he’s here for himself. And wait, Jordan Thatcher wants to hang out with me?
“Definitely,” Jordan says. “Liam will be there.”
There’s a knock on our door, and Violet must be expecting him because she grunts and rolls her eyes before opening it for Gavin.
“I’m sorry. I will send a freshman out to watch your driveway next time.” He waves at me and Jordan.
“Creepy,” she retorts. “And that doesn’t help me right now.”
He takes two steps backward. “I’ll figure out whose car that is, or I’ll call and have it towed.”
She rolls her eyes. “Okay, let’s not be dramatic.”
I stifle a laugh. Jordan doesn’t, but his laughter is friendly.
“I can give you a ride,” he offers.
“It’s fine. I already called an Uber.”
Gavin wisely retreats to his house with another apology.
“Ready?” Jordan asks me.
“I don’t know.”
“Uber’s here,” Violet says. “Do you want to come with me?”
They’re both looking at me expectantly.
Violet takes the decision out of my hands with a smile. “Go. If it’s awful or you just decide you want to come to Eric’s, text me, and I’ll find you a ride.”
“Okay.” My heart races.
She looks to Jordan. “If you ditch her, I will cut off your nipples.”
She rushes out to meet the waiting car, leaving me with Jordan, who’s covering his nips with both hands. “She’s violent.”
He drops his hands and motions with his head toward the door. “Ready for this, sweet Daisy?”