Page 88 of Rival Season
A heavy sigh leaves my lips. “Yep.”
“Bastard.” He shakes his head. “Tell me about the new guy. You have a thing for hockey players, huh?”
Smiling, I take a deep breath, unsure how to explain how I ended up with Penn. “He lives in the loft above mine and was always making a racket. The first several interactions we had were me asking him to be quiet.” I roll my lips together, trying to subdue my grin. “But then there was a spark, and I gave him a chance. He’s pretty amazing, actually.”
Cory nudges me. “You’re blushing.”
I nudge him back. “Stop, I am not.”I definitely am.
We make it to the dressing room doors at the end of a wide hallway and stop outside along with several other family members and friends waiting for their players. One door has asign that saysGuestsand the other door has the Fire Cats’ logo on it.
I’ve stood in this exact spot many times before, the only difference is today I’m watching the guest team’s door—and I’m here because I want to be, not because I was guilted into it.
My mother steps toward my brother and me with a bright smile on her face. “So, once Chadwick is ready, we’re going to go out and celebrate.”
Cory releases my arm and drapes his across my shoulders. “Sounds fun,” he says, his tone casual. “Hazel, you should invite your new guy”
I glance at him, and he winks at me.
Mom laughs but it sounds stilted and awkward. “Oh, honey. We haven’t seen you in so long, maybe we should keep it just family tonight?”
I’d point out that the Weatherbys aren’t family, but logic is futile here.
Instead, I turn to Cory. “Yeah, I’ll ask Penn to come, I think it’d be nice for everyone to meet him.”
Mom opens her mouth to argue, but the dressing room doors open and players start to file out one by one.
My gaze locks in, watching for Penn. I just saw him this morning but sitting between my dad and Mr. Weatherby during the game has me tightly wound. Penn has a calming effect on me, always making me feel good in my own skin…confident in who I am. With Chadwick, I felt self-conscious, always wishing I was more like the other player’s girlfriends; more glamorous, more outgoing, more confident.
When I’m in Penn’s orbit, I don’t want to be anyone but myself.
Finally, his head of dark hair appears, and my whole body seems to levitate. I'm weightless when his eyes meet mine. Penn grins, making his way toward me. My anxiety melts away ashe picks me up off my feet and kisses me like he just won the Stanley Cup. You’d never know his team lost.
He pulls back to look at me but keeps me in his arms. “You okay, Bubbles?” He whispers, eyes locking on mine.
I nod. “I am now,” I say the words softly so only he can hear. “I didn’t know they were all going to be there; Chadwick set me up.”
Penn’s expression is unreadable, but his eyes are soft and trusting as he nods. “I figured.”
His trust in me has the rest of my anxiety evaporating, and I feel better than I have in hours as he kisses the tip of my nose, then sets me back down. We turn to find my parents watching us aghast, like we just had sex in public or something.
I clear my throat. “This is Penn,” I begin, feeling suddenly nervous.
Penn thrusts his hand out in front of my father. “Penn Matthews, Hazel’s boyfriend, sir. Pleasure to finally meet you guys.”
Boyfriend.
Heat rushes to my cheeks, and I look at Penn. He winks.
My father shakes Penn’s hand with a limp handshake and my mother stares at him like she’s never seen a tattoo before.
Cory reaches out to shake Penn’s hand next. “I’m Hazel’s brother, nice to meet you, Penn.”
Penn doesn’t hesitate before giving him a firm handshake and then the two of them begin an amicable conversation about hockey. My mother grabs my wrist, dragging me closer to her and Dad. She opens her mouth to say something, but then Chadwick strides out of his dressing room and the commotion his parents make fawning over him draws my parents’ attention away from me.
My mom releases my arm and rushes to give my ex a big hug. My father does the same, both congratulating him on the win.
“We want to take you out to celebrate,” Mr. Weatherby tells his son, wrapping an arm around him and giving him a good-hearted shake.
