“Hey, what’s the matter?” Dad brushed his thumbs over my cheeks.
“Asher.”
Understanding washed over Dad’s face. “Do I need to get involved? Did he hurt you?”
I shook my head. “No, this one’s on me, I’m afraid.”
Dad lifted one brow. “Well, you’ll make it right.”
I only hoped he was right.
I barely remembered changing in the locker room. I waited for Dad to give me the signal to enter the guy’s locker room for the pre-game pep talk. I walked in to find the only open seat between Leo and Asher. My excitement over getting to start couldn’t quite dispel the awkwardness of having to sit beside my recent ex boyfriend who also happened to be my biggest competition on the team.
But not anymore. Tonight we both got to start. We’d be on the ice at the same time. Playing to win.
Asher
She made me crazy. I missed her so much. I wanted to blow off this game and fix everything broken between us, but of course, I wouldn’t. Tonight Jordan’s goal became a reality. I found myself grinning like a fool when I spotted her name on the starting roster earlier. I didn’t even mind Coach bumping me from winger to defense if it meant Jordan would get to play.
She entered the locker room with her lip tucked between her teeth. She had to be excited, but nervous, too. She sat beside me on the bench and I clenched my fists to keep my hands from reaching out to her. I wondered if she could hear my heart pounding in my chest.
Coach went through his pre-game spiel. Once he finished, we made our way into the tunnel where Joe got everyone fired up. The announcer called the names of the starters for the opposing team.
“Let’s go!” Joe shouted. He turned to Jordan and slapped the top of her helmet. “You got this!”
“JOE PARKS!” the announcer called and Joe skated out onto the ice, his arms raised.
Once again, I couldn’t take my eyes off Jordan. She glanced at me and found me watching her. Our eyes held. “Good luck,” I said.
She nodded.
“JORDAN PARKS!”
Jordan grinned and with one last look, followed her brother.
We won. We’d only lost two games so far this season and were on track to make it into the post season, but that wouldn’t be until after New Year’s.
I hurried to shower and change in the locker room. I was the first one done, and hopefully, I’d gotten out before Jordan.
Standing outside the women’s locker room, I waited. After a few minutes, a locker door slammed from within and I pushed away from the wall to stand up straight. I still had no idea what to say to her, I just knew it had to be something.
Footsteps. A shadow. And suddenly, she stood before me. Her pretty mouth dropped open and my lips tingled.
“Hi.” Brilliant opening line.
Jordan blinked. “Hi.”
Think fast, Asher!
“I, um- good game. I just wanted to say good game.” So lame.
Jordan bit her lip. “Thanks. I guess I owe it to you.”
“You don’t owe me anything.” Hadn’t I come here to take her place on the team?
She nodded. “I do. Dad said the speed training helped. I think he might even add it into our regular practices.”
I shrugged. “I just showed you how to do it. You did all the work.”
“Still.”
I hated this. But I didn’t know what to do. I couldn’t make Jordan trust me. I could spend all my time and energy reassuring her but I didn’t want a relationship like that. She had to decide if it was worth the risk. If I was.
“Are you coming to the talent show?” I asked.
A small smile tipped her lips. “Yeah, I’ll be there.”
“Good. So, I’ll see you then?” Gah, I’m an idiot.
“I’ll see you then.”
“Okay.” I nodded. Good grief. I needed to get out of there. “Bye.”
She grinned. “Bye.”
I left before I lost all self control and begged her to give us a second chance. I wanted to be with her. I cared about her. I might even love her. All I knew, I was miserable without her.
“Hey, um, can I talk to you about something?” Payton asked. We had about thirty minutes before he would take the stage in the talent show. We’d gone over his song twice and practiced our duet once. Payton sounded awesome. I knew he was ready.