“There goes what’s left of our ice time,” Olivia says.
Josie laughs. “Hey, I think we should continue to share. It’s some serious motivation to land a jump when a group of hot hockey players are watching. It’s been the best week of practice ever for me.”
I snort. “I doubt Coach is going to find your reasoning solid.”
The final minute has us sitting shoulder to shoulder in front of Josie’s laptop, holding hands. If they win, I have a great excuse to text Rhett later.
Prescott has the puck. They pass it around looking for opportunities. Valley uniforms are everywhere trying to cover every inch to block any shot attempt. Still, Prescott manages to get it within a foot of the net. There are too many bodies in front of the goal to keep track of the puck. They hack at it looking for an opening.
I hold my breath as another shot’s fired. This one gets by everyone but the goalie. He keeps his pad down on the ice protecting it until the final buzzer sounds.
“They won!” Josie screeches and bounces up and down, still clutching my hand. “They did it. Oh my god.”
We jump around our room and squeal with happiness. I send Rhett a text before I talk myself out of it. Congratulations!!!
“This is crazy,” Olivia says. “I think I can hear people yelling outside.” She moves to the window and we follow.
Sure enough, people are screaming and dancing around in the grassy area outside of our dorm.
“Let’s go down there!” Josie rushes to the door. The hallway is filled with people who had the same idea.
Outside music is playing and one guy even has his face painted blue and yellow. People are hugging and high-fiving as if they’d been the ones to win tonight. It’s insane and absolutely amazing.
I snap a couple of selfies with the chaos in the background and send those to Rhett too. The mood mellows, but people hang around. Olivia eventually leaves to finish studying and Josie and I take a seat on the grass with a hundred or more people wanting to enjoy this crazy moment together.
“This is incredible,” I say, looking around the darkened campus. The glow of street lamps is the only light.
“It’s a shame the hockey team missed this.”
“I’m sure they went out to a bar or something. The bus doesn’t come back until tomorrow morning.” My stomach sinks as I imagine a drunk, charming Rhett pulling women into dirty, bar bathrooms to celebrate.
“Still. It isn’t the same.”
“Isn’t it? Girls and booze are interchangeable.” I check my phone to see if he’s texted back yet. He hasn’t.
“Do you really think that Rhett believes that?”
“I don’t know,” I admit. “It would be easier if I did.”
“And way less fun.” She pulls her hair back into a low ponytail. “I don’t think he’s this player you’re making him out to be. Nothing I’ve heard about him backs it up. Seriously, I don’t know a single person who has hooked up with him, and I’ve been asking around.”
“You have?” A smile tugs at my lips, partly in relief and partly because it’s just like Josie to dig for dirt without my asking.
“I might have been poking for my own purposes. There are some seriously cute guys on the team that I needed more information on, but, yes, I asked around.” She shrugs. “If he’s hooking up with an endless stream of chicks, they’re not talking about it.”
My phone pings and I glance down to see Rhett’s face in a sweaty selfie with Maverick. They must have taken it just after the game because I can see lockers in the background and they’re in a state of being half undressed. They’re smiles are giant, though, and I feel a new surge of excitement for them. Laughing, I hold the screen out for Josie to see.
“Your smile is as big as his, friend. No matter your reservations, you like him.”
“You’re right. I like him. I do.”
“But?”
“I just hope he doesn’t crush me.”
“I think you have to go for it. If you do and he breaks your heart, then you’ve got me to pet your hair and tell you how wonderful you are.”
I snort laugh.
“I would! I would do whatever I had to until you were over him. But if you don’t see where this could go, you’ll regret it, and I can’t fix that one so easily.”
12
Sienna
After my Tuesday afternoon yoga class leaves, I turn on my own music to do some fun poses and basically just play around a little before I go back to my dorm room. I place my hands on the floor and go up into a handstand. I’m upside down when he walks into the studio.
I wobble and bring a leg down, then the other to stand upright. “Hey.”
“You made that look too easy.”
My stomach dips at the sight of Rhett. He’s in his blue Valley hockey T-shirt and jeans, with a white Bruins hat low on his eyes.
“You’re back.”
“Got in about twenty minutes ago.”
“You just missed yoga class.”
“Thank god.” He laughs softly. “Are you teaching another one this afternoon?”
“No, I was just messing around a little.”
“Don’t let me interrupt.” He drops to the floor next to the wall and leans his back against it.
“Oh no, you have to participate or I’ll feel awkward.”
He kicks off his shoes and goes up into a handstand. His shirt rides up giving me a view of his chest and abs. He walks around the room on his hands, circling the entire perimeter before jumping back to his feet in front of me.
“Not bad.” I think for a second. “What about this one?”
I go into crow’s pose and hold it for a few seconds.
He looks apprehensive, so I come out of it. “It isn’t that hard.”
“Oh no, I’m not making that mistake again. I ate my words last time I had that thought about yoga.”
“Squat on the mat.”
Reluctantly, he moves onto the mat and does as I requested.
“Little lower.”
His lips twist into a smirk, but he does it.
“Now put your hands onto the mat in front of you under your shoulders and spread out your fingers.” I walk around him, checking out his form. “Your knees should rest on your arms. Good.”
I crouch down beside him. “Come up onto your toes and shift your weight.”
His forearms and biceps flex. “Now what?”
“If you can, shift your weight forward until your feet come off the floor. Don’t jump or hop. It’ll throw you off balance.” I move in front of him and place my hands on his upper shoulders in case he falls forward.
He gets up and holds it for a second. He lets out a whoop of excitement and then loses his balance and drops back into a squat.
“That was good for your first try. Give it another shot.”
“I think I better keep my day job.” He rests on the mat. “Speaking of jobs, how’d your interview go?”
I sit in front of him and cross my legs. “Good. Really good, actually. They sent an offer over this morning.”
“No way.” His mouth pulls into a wide smile. “Congratulations. I missed so much in a day. Tell me everything.”