Page 104 of Ice Queen

His laugh is loud as it bounces around the room. “Who would have thought we’d see the day Sammy fell in love?”

The door to the locker room opens, and both coaches walk in. Coach Stevens, with a proud dad look on his face, Sterling, however, looks like he just bit into a sour lemon. I’d literally hate to be any part of that man's personal life. He looks miserable ninety percent of the time.

“Listen up, men.” Coach Stevens claps, setting his whiteboard down on the table. “This is our home turf, let's wrap this up for the fans with a pretty navy bow.”

A chorus of chuckles sounds from around the room. Coach Stevens looks relaxed, but Sterling glowers at the lot of us from his spot in the corner. I don’t understand him, truly. The team he “coaches” is one game from winning the Stanley Cup, and he’s not happy about it? Maybe his girl finally left him.

Serves him right, asshole.

“I know this season hasn’t been without trials.” Coach Stevens' eyes find mine, and he gives me a curt nod. “But despite the media's best efforts to bring down one of our best, you guys have banded together and busted your asses for each other. On and off the ice.”

Oh boy, he’s getting sentimental. “It’s been my greatest honor, as it has been for the last six years, to be your coach.

“If you’re telling us you're retiring,” Monroe grumbles from his spot next to me. “I’ll throw my retirement into the hat too. I’m not going through another coaching change. The last one was bad enough.”

Well, that gets Sterling’s attention. His eyes narrow on Monroe, his shoulders straightening. Intent on saying some bullshit that I’m sure will, as Monroe puts it, deflate his tires.

“I wouldn’t open your mouth if I were you,” I say, arms crossing over my chest. “You’ve done not a damn thing to help improve this team. And trust me, none of us have been quiet when it comes to telling Collins we don’t think you’re the guy.”

I nod my head in the direction of the office entrance where Mr. Collins snuck in a few seconds ago.

“No one is retiring,” Coach Stevens says, giving a pointed look to both Monroe and me.

I just shrug, pulling on the rest of my gear while he runs through his speech. Mr. Collins adds his two cents at the end, completely ignoring the fit Sterling is throwing in the corner. Labored sighs, tapping of his toes, like being here, in this room with his team, is a bloody hardship.

I’d love nothing more than to have an excuse to break my stick over his head.

“Show time!” Monroe sings sometime later.

We file out of the locker room, my eyes immediately searching for her the second I step on the ice. My heart stops in its tracks when I see her. Her hair is pulled half up, a big navy bow sits in front of her ponytail, and my jersey swallows her frame. Except it isn’t the jersey she had on in the picture Monroe showed me, this one is bedazzled, reflecting the light from the arena off every ridiculous bead.

But even with a jersey covered in rhinestones, my woman shines brighter than them all. Skating to the glass by the bench, I bang on the glass with my stick. She shrieks, her hand flying to her chest as she turns away from the conversation she was having with Amy, Wilder's mom. Her widened eyes soften the second they land on me. I toss her a wink, and she blows me a kiss back.

I pretend to catch it, placing it over my heart, before Hannah’s ridiculously loud “aww” makes me roll my eyes and skate away. She’s here, my girl is here. It’s time to show her what I can do.

CHAPTER 34

Kaitlyn

I’ve learned multiple things during warmups. One, Markus looks absolutely delicious in hockey gear. Two, Amy Wilder is hilarious. Three, I’m going to need to see the stretches Markus contorts himself into at home, up close and personal. And four, it’s really not as cold as I thought it would be.

“You know,” an unfamiliar voice calls from behind us. “I now understand why they call it a boy aquarium.”

I turn just in time to see a tiny woman with pink hair walking down the steps with Miller, Monroe’s dad.

“Rory!” Lettie cries. “You made it. It’s been so long since I’ve seen you.”

The tiny pink-haired woman snorts. “I was just here, dude.”

I step into the aisle, letting the two of them into our row. Lettie wraps her up in a hug before doing the same to Miller, like we didn’t just see him an hour ago.

“Kait,” Lettie says as the woman settles in the seat next to her. “This is Rory. Lucas’ cousin.”

Oh yeah, I remember him saying something about that when they were in New York. “You took them to get tattoos?”

She nods. “Yup!” She pops the p harder than necessary, smiling as she stretches out her hand. “Your friendly neighborhood chaos dealer.”

I feel my smile grow across my face until a laugh falls from me. I slide my hand in hers, shaking my head as I sit down. I like her, she’s fun. Definitely related to Monroe.