More than Friends

Chapter 1

Freshman Year

Dean

For the first time in my life, I am afraid to talk to a girl. And not just any girl. Kat is the daughter of Nick Baldwin, the professional hockey player I have idolized for most of my life. I still have NHL posters of her dad on the walls in my bedroom back home. Her father is the reason I wanted to become a hockey player, and now, I am stalking her.

My teammates laughed at me, told me I was crazy for seeking out Kat. When I’d heard that Nick’s daughter made the women’s ice hockey team at Strickland University, I had to see for myself if she lives up to the Baldwin name. She doesn’t disappoint, not even a little bit. In fact, Kat might be a faster skater than her dad.

Kat skates down the ice, with a few girls in tow, switching the puck to her right, as she the winger comes up on her left side. They collide against the boards, scrambling for the puck. With a front-row seat to the action, I get up from my chair and lean into the Plexiglas, watching Kat fight to keep possession of the puck. She elbows one of the girls in the jaw, but the official doesn’t catch it.

I laugh. While Kat has her father’s skating and puck-handling abilities, she has her older brother’s scrappiness. Duke and Austin Baldwin are two of the best defensive players in the NHL. I see a lot of her brothers in Kat. Even from the stands, I am in awe of her, smiling at the thought of meeting her.

After the game ends, I wait by the rink entrance for Kat as the Strickland Senators smack the hands of their opponents. Kat was the sole reason for this win at home. She dominated every second she was on the ice.

Wiping my sweaty palms down the front of my jeans, I call out to Kat, who narrows her eyes at me. I hold up my index finger and gesture for her to come over to me.

She rolls her eyes but follows my request.

“Hey,” I manage to say before she interrupts my train of thought.

“Did you just beckon me?” She rips off her gloves and holds them against her navy-and-white jersey.

“Umm…I guess so.” I shove my hands into my pockets to dry them off.

Why is she making me so damn anxious? I wasn’t even this nervous when I tried out for the varsity hockey team.

“I’m not a puck bunny or your beckon call girl. You don’t point your finger at me and expect me to come running over.”

The corners of my mouth turn up into a wicked grin. “But you did.”

“No, don’t do that.” She shakes her head. “Does that smirk normally work for you?”

Thrown off by her question and the awful turn that this conversation is taking, I have no idea how to respond. From watching her play, I knew she would be a no bullshit kind of girl, yet I treated her as if she were some puck bunny hanging out after one of my games.

Total dick move.

“Yeah, I guess it does,” I admit, holding out my less sweaty hand. “I’m Dean Crawford, the starting center for the men’s team.”

“I know who you are, Dean. Your reputation precedes you.”

“Is that a good or bad thing?”

She shrugs. “Depends if we’re talking about hockey or your extracurricular activities.”

“This is not how I was hoping this would go,” I confess.

She chuckles. “You had this all planned out? I thought you were a ladies man. I have to say I’m not that impressed.”

“Oh, yeah. Why is that?” I try to hide my smile and fail.

“You’re not as smooth as I thought you would be.”

“At least you know who I am.”

“C’mon, Baldwin,” her coach yells from behind her on her way into the locker room. “Let’s get a move on.”

Kat glances over her shoulder and says okay, before turning her focus back to me. “I have to go. Is there something you wanted?”

I’ve never had this issue with women. Most of the girls on campus throw themselves at my teammates and me. “I wanted to meet you.”

She huffs. “Are you one of my dad’s fanboys? I don’t have time for that shit. Do you know how many guys talk to me every week because of my dad and brothers?”

“I won’t lie to you. Your dad is the reason I came here today, but your talent is what kept me watching.”

Her face lights up with a genuine smile. “Now, you’re just trying to flatter me.”

“Is it working?” I wiggle my eyebrows at her.

“I don’t know,” she groans. “Maybe.”

“What are you doing later?”

“I might hang out with my friend at the SAC.” She bites down on her bottom lip as if I’m the one who is making her nervous. “We play air hockey up on the third floor if you want to come.”

Then, it hits me that she thinks I’m asking her on a date when that wasn’t my intention. Kat is beautiful that much

I can tell beneath the helmet that covers her blonde hair and the layers of gear that fill out her frame. But I wasn’t even thinking that far ahead. Despite my reputation, I don’t sleep around as much as everyone thinks. I don’t correct the people spreading the rumors either. So, I suppose that is my fault.

“Well, I guess I will see you in the game room.”