17. Noah
CHAPTER 17
NOAH
Coming into the final period, I’m wiped. It’s been one of the most physically and mentally challenging games so far. Refs, or zebras as we call them, who aren’t catching penalties from the Lumberjacks, are chasing us and the puck up and down the ice.
As Scotty put it when we huddled only moments ago, we’ve got a lot to make up for. I can see Coach Strickland staring at the ground, thinking, as I get back on the ice. He lifts his hands, motioning for Scotty to come over. Scotty himself pulled me aside before the game, talking to me about how I’m made for coaching, reminding me that for a few of the games, I’ve been the one talking strategy in the locker room, digging in with the guys after he’s planted the seed.
I’ve heard him say it enough the last six weeks that I have to admit, it sounds nice. Like something I can do. Something I want to do. Another missing part of the life puzzle I’m currently attempting to put together.
While they huddle, I let my eyes scan the seats, looking for the one person I really want to be sitting there. The one person I need to see. I’ve already seen that Cecilia is here; she made sure to wave earlier. These days, I hate being a jerk, so I dipped my head in acknowledgement. Easier than starting any beef.
A loud cheer erupts, my eyes flicking back to where Scotty steps out onto the ice. Pumping the air with my fist, I’m stoked I get to play with my old friend again. I look back up in the stands, the area that’s reserved for our families. Everyone’s on their feet, cheering.
That’s when I see her . Standing next to Harlow with Charlie and her parents right behind her. My heart slams into my chest, and the world around me goes silent for a brief moment. My Willa.
Wearing my jersey.
Sparkling green eyes meet mine, and she jumps up and down, spinning around so I can see my name on her back. When she turns around to face me, I skate to the edge of the ice and, placing my hand to my mouth, I blow a kiss to her. She throws her head back and laughs, grabbing it from the air and placing it on her heart.
Honestly, I want us to win, but it’s the moment that makes me realize I’ve got everything I need right here, with Willa.
Everyone scrambles to get into position as the buzzer sounds, and play resumes. Scotty is on fire, and it’s all I can do to keep up with him, although I make a great run at it. We’re tied at deuces all and it’s crazy-making, but the feeling in this arena right now matches what’s happening inside my body.
It’s all electric. It’s all happening. It’s all coming together.
“We’ve worked hard for this, Ice Breakers!” Coach Strickland shouts from the side. “Come on!”
In seconds, we’re all back at it, me dealing with one of the Jacks trying to slam me as hard as he can against the wall. I push back, staying focused, looking for an opening. But these guys are like honey buns from the farmers’ market … sticky. I can’t shake them.
We’ve got thirty seconds left, literally down to the wire, when Scotty gets a hold of the puck. I see him looking around for someone, anyone he can get it to, and Dan’s right there, ready. Scotty slaps it toward his mark, with Dan delivering. He takes it and flies down the ice, seeing an opening, and delivering the goal we need as the buzzer sounds.
The whole arena could probably combust with the energy and cacophony of sounds that erupts from everyone in the stands.
We did it. The Ice Breakers won.
Slamming my locker door closed, I take a big breath, starting to make my way into the green room reserved for our friends, families, and of course, VIPs. I’m conscious that even though I managed to run through a shower, I could still have some kind of stink on me.
“Not bad,” I murmur to myself after lifting my arm and giving it a generous sniff.
“You need to work on finding some friends.” Murray’s voice pulls me out of my thoughts as I spin around and find him leaning against the lockers, laughing at me. “Seriously. Has anyone ever told you that you talk to yourself a lot?”
“You’re the only person who has ever caught me,” I manage, snickering. “I’m glad you’re here. I wanted to say goodbye before we clear out.”
“Actually, I wanted you to meet someone,” he says, grinning wickedly as he nods toward the exit. I follow him out the door and into the hallway. Leaning against a wall is a petite older woman, dressed in an Ice Breakers jersey, and one that looks like it’s been signed by all of us. She has short hair and glasses she’s pushing up her nose as she nervously looks around. She appears to be unhappy until she sees Murray, at which point her whole face lights up.
“Mary-Ellen,” Murray says, taking her hand, “this is Noah. He’s the one I told about the crush I have on you.”
“Oh, stop it, Murray!” She giggles, smacking his chest playfully as she looks me up and down. “I didn’t believe him when he told me he liked me. Then he said you arranged for my ticket to come tonight. Is that true?”
Dipping my head, I nod. “Yes, ma’am.” As I smile her way, I’m hit with a wave of recognition. I can remember her being at our team table at Maple Fest.
“Well, I read about grand gestures in romance books all the time—in my book club, you know—but to be on the receiving end of one?” She leans her head on Murray’s shoulder. “Feels good.”
“She’s a fan of hockey after tonight,” Murray says with a grin. “Heck, I think anyone would be after seeing that game. What a night!”
Movement from over Murray’s shoulder pulls my attention. A gorgeous woman wearing my jersey stands, waiting for me.
“I’m glad you had a good time,” I say, slapping him on the back as I start to walk away. “If you’ll excuse me …”
Murray cuts his eyes to where I’m staring and he nudges his date. “C’mon, Mary-Ellen. We need to give these two a moment.”
I don’t see them leave. I only have eyes for one woman and one woman only.
“Hi,” she says, her voice hushed. “That was some game, Mr. Beaumont.”
“Yeah?” I lean against the wall, trying to be cool.
She chuckles. “It was good.”
I take a step toward her. “How good was it? ”
“Good enough I may finally tell you where my other tattoos are,” she says with a wink.
I slip my finger into a belt loop of her jeans and tug her toward me as her arms snake their way around my neck. “Maybe I need to find a spot where it’s a little more private?”
Willa’s eyes, the ones that were gleeful only a moment before, suddenly cloud over. She nods her head toward something behind me I can’t see. “I vote for privacy, but you have a fan waiting.”
The sound of someone clearing their throat makes my stomach turn.
“I am not a fan.”
Sighing, I turn around. “Cecilia.”
“Don’t worry.” She rolls her eyes. “I get it, Noah, you don’t want me here. Fine. I just wanted to say congrats, but also let your girlfriend here know I called her boss at Athletic Edge and made sure they knew about her and you.”
My eyes bug out so far I know I resemble an actual cartoon character. But, Willa steps in, literally, standing between me and Cecilia and puts her hands on her hips.
“Yes, I know you did,” she says, her voice light. Not filled with worry, that’s for sure. “Thanks for trying, but I spoke to them about it and your attempt to sabotage me didn’t do any good. In fact, I got a promotion.”
Cecilia’s once joyful expression slides away, morphing into irritated disdain. “What?”
Willa leans against me. “Karma’s a queen, Cecilia. Just know that.”
I don’t think Cecilia has ever been confronted like this before. Her lack of reaction is almost comical. She’s a woman who is used to getting her way, only this time it’s not happening.
“Well …” She looks down at her feet before suddenly grabbing her phone out of her pocket. “I need to go anyway. My ride is waiting. I’ve got a plane to catch, I need to get out of this podunk little town. ”
“What?” Willa cocks her head to the side, a dose of ironic confusion clouding her features. “I thought when someone comes to Maple Falls, they never want to … leave?”
It takes me a minute, but when I realize she’s referencing the town motto I bend over and crack up, a deep chortle filling my belly as we share the moment—and Cecilia slinks away.
“Congratulations!” I grab Willa and spin around in a circle. “What does it mean?”
“I’m heading back to Harper’s Ferry for a little bit. I’ve been trying to get a loan to help Mom, but I can’t, so I hope that going back we can work together to get the business and her finances figured out. We’ll see.”
“But you have to be in New York?”
“Some. I can do video meetings with everyone, and I’ll come to the city for a three-day stint once a month. After I’m more settled, Frank said I can probably reduce that to every other month.” She laughs, clapping her hands together. “But I did it. It was all part of my master plan and it’s come to fruition.”
“Am I part of your master plan?”
She nods. “You bet you are.”
Her hand reaches out, and in a flash, she’s grabbed me by my jersey and is pulling my mouth onto hers. My breath hitches as she sighs, my fingers tangling in her hair as I clutch onto her like she’s the only lifeline I’ve ever known or needed.
The way my body responds to this woman whenever she’s near is like playing with matches. I never know when the fire could accidentally be ignited. This woman has the power to get anything and everything she ever wanted from me with a kiss like this. I hope she uses me and abuses me with them in the near future, if not forever.
For me, this kiss is laying a claim. Mine . She is all mine, and in return I’m hers. She is all the things I’ve always wanted, and there’s no way I’m letting her go. Not now. Not this time. I’m better with her, and as I pull her tighter and feel the rising of her breath against my chest, it hits me: I needed to do what I went through to be a better man. For me. For my future.
For Willa.
My heart is still racing when she slows things down, pulling away and kissing the corners of my mouth as I let my fingertips tap dance across the flesh of her forearm. Releasing a giant sigh, I rest my forehead against hers.
She giggles. “You are quite the charmer, you know that?”
“Like a snake charmer?”
“You calling me the snake?”
“Never.” My lips press against her forehead. “Not that you asked, but I have a master plan, too, you know.”
“Oh?” she says, angling her head to one side. “Spill.”
I hold my shoulders high as I say, “I think this could be my last season on the ice. Playing defense.”
“Why’s that?”
“I’m going to talk to Travis about taking the assistant coach position on the team if he hasn’t filled it yet. I’m ready to step back and do something different. Find a new challenge.”
She treats me to a wicked grin. “I’m not challenging enough?”
“Oh, you’re plenty, that’s for sure,” I say, threading my arms tight around her waist. “When I arrived here six weeks ago, I was on the fence about everything. I wasn’t sure where I was going, why I was doing it. I’ve only known the ice and being out there, playing. However, it wasn’t feeling the same and it hasn’t been, and that was confusing me. Then I saw you. Again. And I had another chance to set things right.”
“Stop.” She wags a finger at me. “You can’t say you’re making these changes for me.”
“It’s not just for you, it’s also for me. You’re one facet. I see a future and it’s with you, Willa. I saw how the Arnolds beamed with pride when they looked at Charlie, and I realized that night I wanted to have the works.”
“A family? ”
“With you,” I confirm.
Her brow furrows slightly, eyes squinting, but the corners of her lips are still turned upward. “Are we getting ahead of ourselves?”
“I’m just making you aware that at some point in the future,” I say, picking up her left hand and bringing the back of it to my lips, “I’m going to make sure that it’s more than my name on a jersey that you wear. I want you to have my name, to have me, and wear a ring that tells the world you’re mine.”
Willa’s face turns the softest shade of pink I think I’ve ever seen. “How am I so lucky to have this happen?”
“I still need to offer you a grand gesture,” I murmur, kissing the tip of her nose. “And this one, you can’t say no to.”
“It’s enough that I get you,” she says, rubbing her nose against mine, the heat of her breath hitting my cheeks.
“Well, I want to make sure you’re not worried about your mother,” I say, pulling back a few inches so I can look her in the eyes. “I want to help, Willa. Whatever it takes. If I need to give your mom’s business the money so she’s not stressed, I’m in the position to do it.”
“No, Noah.” Willa steps back and shakes her head. “I cannot ask you to do that. That’s bigger than a simple gesture.”
“Exactly,” I say, clapping my hands together. “It’s like in the movies, or the books, it’s the grand gesture. Let me do this.”
She eyes me warily, placing a hand on her hip. Surprisingly, I’m holding my breath, but I know that this is a big ask for someone as prideful as she is. When she begins to slowly nod her head, I grab her arms and pull her back tight against my chest.
“Yes?”
She laughs, burying her face in my shoulder as I pick her up and hold her close, her legs wrapping around my waist. “Yes. Yes!”
Laughing, I spin us around in a circle until we’re both dizzy, kissing her and letting her feet slide to the floor. As we step away, my eyes are pulled into hers like never before. We’re saying so much right now without saying anything at all.
She’s mine and I’m hers. And we’re going to make this work.
Holding my hand out, I invite her to put hers in mine. Tilting my head toward the green room door, I wink. “Are you ready to go in there, make this official?”
“There are a lot of people in that room,” she says. “I think a member of the press snuck in, too.”
I bounce my still-empty hand in front of her. “Together?”
She stares at my hand, then looks back at me. “Together.”
“This time, I’m not letting go.”
She stares at me for what feels like a lifetime before I feel the soft warmth of her hand sliding into mine.
“You promise?” she says, standing on her tiptoes, kissing my lips softly.
“Promise.” Keeping her hand tight in mine, I kiss her back. “I’m yours, Willa. Only yours. It took me a long time to find you again. You’re not escaping me this time.”
Grinning at her, I can see my tomorrow. My future. All the things I’ve been missing are right here, wrapped up in this. Us.
And I am never letting go of this woman again.
Ever.