Chapter Thirty-One
Millie
"Millie, are you Rowan's girlfriend?" the girl whose name I think is Tessa asks. She's beautiful with long red hair and kind blue eyes. She was at the diner that first time I met his friends, but there were so many of them I'm having trouble keeping everyone straight.
I think about our conversation after dinner last night.
About how offended Rowan looked and how he reacted to the implication of us being just friends.
So, I really don't know what we are, but I wouldn't consider myself his girlfriend either.
"No," I smile to soften my answer because I don't know what else to say.
This is more complicated than I ever intended it to be.
"Oh." Tessa looks about as confused as I feel.
"Rowan has never invited a girl to come sit with us during a game." Stella jumps in to try to explain Tessa's confusion.
"Really?" I ask, surprised. How is that possible? I can't be the only girl he's ever invited.
"Really," Lily confirms. "He's never invited a girl. Luka confirmed it. Sure, he's had girls show up on their own to watch him, but he's never asked one to come."
My mouth falls open, dumbfounded. Wow.
Stella chuckles at my expression and then says, "We aren't that surprised though. Not after the way he looked at you the other night at the diner. Figured he would pull his head out of his ass eventually."
"Hmmm." Is all I say in response because what else am I supposed to say? Do I think it's weird? Yes. Am I kind of excited that I'm the first? Also yes. "Are there usually this many people that come to the games?"
I don't remember it being this packed when he took me to the game before.
Lily looks up to what I assume are box seats that sit above the arena. "It's because he's here tonight."
I follow her gaze and see a man standing in front of the floor-to-ceiling glass windows that overlook the entire arena. "Who's he?"
Stella huffs, "Aiden's dad."
Lennon shifts in her seat to look. She seems as surprised as I am. "Wow, he's even hotter in person."
"Don't let Aiden hear you say that," Lily warns.
"What? I'm purely stating a fact," Lennon sasses as she continues to watch the older man.
Objectively, I can see why she would say he's hot, but something about him turns my stomach. Maybe it's the air of arrogance that practically permeates from the man, all the way down here. Or maybe it's because he hasn't stopped leering at a pretty young girl that's in the box with him.
"Is he famous or something?" I ask, not quite able to put my finger on what it is about him that screams money. Because he's dressed casually in jeans and Hart U's hockey jersey, but I get the feeling that he's a rich man.
Stella snorts, "You could say that."
Lily sighs as she turns around to look at me, finally taking her gaze off the man in the box. "He's a famous hockey player."
"Famous for a lot of different reasons," Stella adds cryptically.
"Isn't that Olivia in there with him?" Lennon asks.
"She's doing a story on him to keep him happy and in the box for the night," Stella answers.
Lily shivers, "I don't know how she does it. My skin would be crawling if I had to stay in there with that creep all night."
"He doesn't look so bad," Tessa says as she tilts her head, watching Aiden's dad.
"He's a total prick and womanizer," Stella sneers. "But Olivia can handle herself. Plus, some of the bigwigs of the college are supposed to be in there too, so she isn't alone with him."
"Aiden asked last night if we would sit up in the box with her so she had some other girls around, but Luka and Rowan about lost their crap when he asked," Lily giggles. "It was kind of cute actually, how protective they were." She looks over at me with a knowing look in her eye.
I have no idea what she's trying to imply, but surely he didn't get upset because of me. "If they are that worried about him, why send her into the lion's den?" I ask.
"Because they need to keep him contained, and Olivia is a bulldog. She won't take any shit from anyone," Stella replies.
I finally tear my eyes away from the man in question. A shiver runs up my spine. Not like the one I've been feeling with the voice, but one of self-preservation. A warning to stay away from him.
"Just because his reputation is shit doesn't mean he isn't pretty to look at. That's all I'm saying. Like man candy, but you're on a strict diet of no sugar or dicks."
I laugh at her analogy. Lennon seems fun, even a little crazy, but the good kind of crazy. "That's one way to put it."
Lennon simply nods her head and goes back to snacking on some popcorn from the concession stand.
"Whatever, I'll be glad when this is all over and he's gone. The boys have been rather stressed out about it all," Lily says.
My eyebrows pull together. If Rowan's been stressed, he hasn't shown it. But it does make me feel like crap to know he's been dealing with all this and my stuff too. I never meant to add more to his plate.
Suddenly, a bullhorn sounds, signaling the start of the game. Lily sits up straighter, searching the ice for her man. Stella sits with a warm smile on her face the entire time, her eyes never straying from Wyatt, and I find myself looking for Rowan.
When I finally find him, number fourteen, I'm a little more than shocked to realize he's watching me.
He tilts his helmet back and smiles, then winks.
Heat instantly floods my core, spreading rapidly throughout my body.
My cheeks turn red, and I squirm in my seat from the intensity of his stare, but I manage to give him a small smile back.
He gives me my favorite smile, one that has my heart fluttering.
He slides his helmet back on and skates to the middle of the rink. I watch in rapid fascination as Rowan dominates the game. He scores the first goal and doesn't let up. I'm on my feet screaming and clapping right along with the rest of the girls.
He scores two more times just in the first period. He's an absolute rockstar out there. Even with how little hockey knowledge I have, it's apparent Rowan is damn good.
When we reach the first intermission, Lily leans over, her mouth right by my ear so I can hear her. "Gosh! That was amazing! I haven't seen him play like that since the accident."
"What do you mean?" I ask, confused.
"I mean— well, it doesn't matter." She shakes her head and continues, "He's back. That's all that's important." Pride and relief radiate from her smile.
I don't think I realized just how much the accident was affecting him until this moment because it's not just Lily. All of the girls stand in awe, watching the rink as the boys file off the ice, one by one. Each one showing their own level of pride and relief.
Lily clears moisture from her eyes before turning to me and grabbing me around my shoulders. "That settles that. You're his good luck charm."
I tilt my head, surprised that Lily, the premed brainiac, would believe in superstitions. "You believe in that kind of thing?"
Lily smiles. "I believe in a lot of different things."
Then I remember our conversation about omens and ghosts, instantly feeling silly.
Maybe superstitions aren't that far-fetched.
"Oh," is all I can manage to come up with because I'm dying from embarrassment.
Of course she would believe in something like that.
Why wouldn't she, after everything she's been through?
Lily's answering smile is patient and kind. "Want to get something to eat or drink?"
Maybe it's a good idea to get something to keep my mouth occupied with, that way I won't be inclined to ask stupid questions. "Sure."
We stand and make our way to the concession stand, making small talk along the way.
Suddenly, I feel someone standing just to my left, a hulking figure that has my eyes darting over to take them in.
My eyes widen in surprise as my brain registers who it is.
Rowan.
"What are you—" My lips continue to move, but no sound comes out. I am so damn surprised to see him.
At first, I notice his skates, the ones he still has on out here in the middle of the arena on concrete floors. Then I notice the little plastic protectors on the blades.
My eyes travel up, over his ice-blue hockey pants. They keep going up until they reach his jersey, lingering a second longer on his broad shoulders before finally my eyes reach his handsome face.
He smirks as my eyes snag on his lips before quickly darting to his eyes. He steps forward and casually wraps his arm around my neck to pull me close. "Getting something to eat?" he asks, like it's a perfectly normal question to ask when he's supposed to be in the middle of a hockey game.
I finally get my question out. "What are you doing out here?" I look behind him to see if any of the other players are out here, but there's no one.
"Came to see you," he smiles, like that's also perfectly normal.
"Are you even supposed to be out here?" I ask, truly perplexed.
"No, I had to fake diarrhea with the coach to be able to escape for a minute."
I laugh so hard that I snort. "Why would you do something like that?"
"I told you— so I could see you," he smiles sheepishly.
"Rowan," I chastise. "You're going to get in trouble!" I playfully swat at his chest, but he catches my hand right before I make contact.
His warm hand engulfs mine as he leans down to whisper in my ear. "Totally worth it just to be able to do this." Before I can ask what he means, his lips graze across my cheek before he gives me the sweetest, most gentle kiss on my cheek that I've ever experienced.
He pulls back all too soon. "I have to get back." His smile has my heart pounding in my chest, my cheek still tingling from where he just kissed me.
Just as he starts to walk away, he turns around and says, "I would go with the hotdog. It's the best." He winks, and then he's gone, just as quickly as he appeared.
"Oh my goodness, girl. He is so smitten," Lily gushes. She stayed perfectly quiet the whole time he was here, so much so that I forgot she was standing next to me.
"That's not normal, right? Like, they don't just come out in the middle of intermission, right?" I ask, needing confirmation because it feels like I just imagined the whole thing.
"No, that's not normal. At all. Actually, I'm not sure I've ever seen one of them come out between periods. They usually are strategizing about the next period or taping their hands or feet."
"Never?"
"Never. He really risked his neck coming out here. If the coach finds out, he'll be doing laps until he passes out."
"Oh shit! I don't want him to get into trouble over me!" I'm suddenly worried and anxious that his coach is going to find out.
"He knew the risks and still came out here anyway. I wouldn't worry too much about it. I told you, you were special."
I don't have a chance to respond because it's our turn to order.
Lily smiles slyly as I order the hotdog.
She is gracious enough to not say a word to the other girls when we get back to our seats.
I spend the rest of the game transfixed on one man. Every point he scores, he makes a point to find me in the stands. Every time our eyes connect, I feel an electric zap up my spine that makes the most tantalizing warmth spread throughout my body.
It's addictive. And so is Rowan Pierce.