Just Pucking Money [COMPLETED]

Chapter 16 - How not to fight

Ethan

She's not here. I've scanned every face in the audience and she's not here. Every chance I get, I try to spot her. She said she's come. So I looked for her at warm-ups, thinking she might come early. I even had a jersey for her. Now, I feel stupid for thinking she'd care enough to watch me play.

I kept looking for her until after the second period. That's when I knew she stood me up.

"She's not here," I tell Liam as we sit in the locker room, waiting to get back out on the ice.

"What? Who?"

"Lily. She's not here. She said she'd come."

"Is that why you've been so distracted? You need to get your head in the game."

I huff. "We're playing Rivers. They can barely find the ice while standing on it. We could beat them while blindfolded and on fire. I'm not worried about that. I want to know why she isn't here. She said she was looking forward to it when I texted her last night."

Liam shrugs. "Maybe something came up?"

"Yeah, maybe."

I grab my phone and send her a text, asking her if she's here. Coach is going over something I'm supposed to be listening, too, but he's in a good mood so I keep glancing at my phone. There's no reply.

"Why isn't she answering?" I ask Liam when we get up to go back out there.

"Didn't you say she'd be working tonight? Maybe she had to go in early?"

Relief comes over me. "Yeah, that's got to be it. And she said she can't check her phone when she's working. She keeps it in a locker." That has to be it. It makes sense. Maybe someone really needed her to cover for them.

We win the game, of course. And I celebrate with the others, but the victory is slightly marred knowing that Lily isn't here to see it. I thought maybe if she saw me on the ice, she'd... well, fall for me, I guess.

The atmosphere is high after the game and as usual, someone just has to mention Lucky's and everyone is onboard. I know some of the Rivers guys will be joining us as well. The rivalry is friendly enough that we can hang out off the ice, and JD has gotten to know some of them better through his girlfriend Morgan, who was best friends with one of them in high school.

They're good guys, even if they suck at hockey.

But tonight, I couldn't give a shit about any of that. As soon as someone mentions Lucky's, there's only one thought in my head.

We get changed and head on over. As soon as we step inside, we're greeted by cheers. Normally, they would carry my mood even higher and I'd indulge in the feeling, but not tonight. Tonight, my eyes scan the dimly lit bar for one face only.

All I want is to see her, to know she's ok, and that work was the reason she didn't come to the game. And that she's... what? Still interested?

I push past people wanting to congratulate me until I finally spot her. My shoulders relax until I notice how tense she is. She's talking to some guy.

From my angle, all I can see is his crisp blue shirt with rolled-up sleeves that reveal arms on the skinny side, and styled dark blond hair. He's taller than Lily, maybe 6 foot 1, and he's standing way too close to her.

I hesitate for a moment, then I notice the fire in her eyes. The guy takes a step forward, and she steps back, right into a wall. Nobody around them seems to notice what's going on, but my heart picks up and something red hot stirs inside me.

When the guy places a hand on the wall, caging Lily in, I stop breathing. The way she's looking at him makes it clear they know each other. And know each other well.