Chapter 27
TWENTY-SEVEN
LIAM
The music. The lights. The arena. The game.
Ruby.
Perfect.
My life has never been more perfect than it is in this exact moment. I thought my life was complete when I was signed to the Lonestars.
How could it get better than hockey and women?
But it did.
Because a sweet treat cupcake girl walked into my world and changed everything. Every single fucking thing. She’s made me want more out of life. I didn’t know there could be more for me. I didn’t think marriage and babies were something that I wanted. They weren’t even on my radar.
Then Cupcake Girl walked into my life
Ruby Bennett changed everything.
“You ready?” Logan asks as he walks up beside me.
We’re getting ready to warm up. I know she’s going to be out there. She texted me a few minutes ago to let me know that she made it to her seat. I’m more than fucking ready. I want this to be my best game ever. Mainly so I can show off for my woman.
“More than,” I state.
There is a moment of silence, and then he chuckles. “She’s out there, isn’t she?”
“Sitting right behind the players’ box.”
“In the girlfriends, wives, and family area?” he asks, his lips twitching into a smirk. He’s asking me a question without actually saying the words. And I know exactly what he’s asking.
“She’s my girlfriend, so it seems appropriate.”
Logan whistles, then I feel his meaty palm clap down against my shoulder before he shakes it a couple of times. The coach walks into the room and announces that it’s time to warm up before Logan can respond to my announcement.
We skate out onto the ice, warming up the way we always do, but I make it a little flashier than normal. My gaze scans the family seating area and locks onto her. She’s watching me. Wearing my jersey. I make a mental note to fuck her tonight—in nothing but that jersey—when we win.
Because we will win.
There is no way we won’t. I am going to make sure that we do. I can’t have this game, the first game Ruby comes to, be a loss. I refuse. That’s all I can think about as I warm up.
We will win.
She waves at me once I’m finished warming up, the team heading back to the locker room. I stop in the middle of the ice, turning to face her. Lifting my hand, I grin as I give her a wave.
Ruby stands, waving her arm back and forth, a gorgeously huge smile playing on her lips. I fill with pride instantly. She’s mine. My woman. My girlfriend. Mine. I cannot believe that this is my life.
Once we make it to the locker room, I hear the coach call us all over. He starts to give us our usual pregame speech, but I can’t focus on him or anything else. She’s out there, and I need to give it everything I have.
“Let’s fucking do this,” we all roar in unison.
We line up and make our way to the ice, the announcer calling each one of us out by name. Logan stands behind me in our usual order. The longer I wait for my name, the more anxious I feel.
“Don’t worry,” Logan calls out.
Turning my head, I look over my shoulder, and he’s smiling huge. I don’t know what the fuck he finds so funny, and I’m about to ask him when he beats me to it.
“I’ll make sure you look good in front of your girl.”
I snort. “I don’t need help. I already know I’m going to look good. We’re going to win this fucking thing.”
Moving forward, I hear my name blast over the loudspeaker, and I skate out into the roaring arena.
We’re going to win this game.
I’m going to win this game.