Total pages in book: 101
Estimated words: 97037 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 485(@200wpm)___ 388(@250wpm)___ 323(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 97037 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 485(@200wpm)___ 388(@250wpm)___ 323(@300wpm)
I used to make all the excuses in the world to go over to the east rink, where he’d practice with his school’s team when we were younger. I’d sit at the top of the bleachers and watch, hoping no one noticed me. Even then, he towered over everyone and dominated the ice. He was so lean and fast, but now, he’s huge and mouthwatering. The pink of his jersey and helmet makes his dark hair look darker. His shoulders are wide, massive, as he shoots with ease, leaning more on his right leg than his left. I know it’s the one he hurt back in college, and he relearned to shoot from his other leg. Grandpa was so proud of him when he did.
I was too, not that I got to tell him.
So many times in my life, I wanted to reach out to him but never could. I couldn’t decide why that was, but as I watch him now, I wonder if it would have made the distance between us worse.
Because being here, watching him, I find that I’ve missed him.
Desperately.
Never the wiser, Jett plays effortlessly with the puck, as if he is meant to do nothing but that. His blade moves along the ice, shifting the puck side to side before shooting and scoring on the empty net. He tucks his glove in his arm and then runs his free hand along his jaw as he nods to a fellow player. His dark eyes have a glint of excitement in them, and I miss that look.
As I watch him skate, I notice that he still moves with the grace that caught the eye of the coaches who had come to find someone for me to skate with. I don’t know why everyone was so dead set on me skating with a partner. I did just fine as a solo skater. It’s not as if I ever asked, though, probably because I really wanted to skate with Jett.
Since it’s on my mind, I ask, “Why did you have me skate pairs, Kitty?”
Everyone looks up from where they’re stabbing fabric with a needle. These four women went everywhere with us, supported us. Wore our faces on shirts. Kitty doesn’t seem surprised by my question, probably because I usually just ask random things whenever they pop into my head.
“The competition for individual had a bunch of veterans, so we figured your first time at the Games should be with a partner.”
“Makes sense,” I say, remembering being told I wouldn’t be able to hang with some of the seasoned pros. I think everyone knew that my anxiety was too much, too. I don’t think I would have made it those four years if it hadn’t been for Jett. He calmed my mind and helped me focus only on him and the feel of the ice beneath our skates.
“Jett and you skated so beautifully together,” Maggie muses, giving me a small, sweet smile. “I wish it hadn’t ended.”
“Me too,” Hazel says, watching her grandson. “He smiled more then.”
Now, all of us are watching him, and he has a gruff look on his face. It wasn’t like that when we were younger. He was always quick to flash anyone a smile. Especially me. While I don’t know what they’re thinking, I only have one thing on my mind.
I’ve missed his smile.
CHAPTER
TEN
Jett
“Well, hot damn, is that Fable Winthrop?”
I glance over at my buddy Liam Cutler and then follow his gaze to where Fable sits with the Belles. My girls and Kitty have their cross-stitching projects out in front of them as they all stare at me. Even Fable is watching me. Heat courses through my body, and I stand a bit taller. I don’t know why they’re staring at me, but I sure do enjoy my ice princess’s eyes on me. Her fingers are picking at the label of her beer as she watches me thoughtfully.
What the hell are you thinking, ice princess?
And why do I have the need to yank off my jersey, have her wear it while I play shirtless?
Would she like that?
God, she drives me insane.
Swallowing hard, I tear my gaze from my fan club to look at Liam. He’s been my buddy for years; we went to school together and always kept in touch. He went off to play for Alabama but didn’t make it to the NHL. Instead, he came home and took a job with the Ice Thistle as our AAA manager and the 16U coach. He’s been working for us for over ten years, and I’m proud of how hard he works to make our teams successful.
He’s a good dude, around 6’2” and built like an ox. He’s good-looking, I guess, and a catch, but he hasn’t been in a relationship since Chelsea’s mom. Jaime, his ex, is a great co-parent, and I always wonder if he regrets breaking it off with her. They got pregnant with Chelsea at sixteen, and thankfully, Jaime was super supportive of his dream to play hockey and moved with him to Alabama. While he got his degree in sport management, Jaime got hers in accounting at night school, so someone was always with Chelsea. They tried to make it work, but they were too young and ended up parting ways when Chelsea was around ten. Jaime is happily married, while Liam is happily coaching and living his best life.