Sidelined Love: A Hockey Romance (The Crestwood University Series Book 1)

A few weeks later, Jade and I are standing next to Levi’s parents as we’re watching the Red Wolves play another match. The game is close and with the time ticking down, we are all hoping that this game goes the way we want it.

I rub my fingers down the number nineteen on my chest, praying that this brings the Red Wolves luck.

“Look at you, you have no issue rocking his jersey now!” Jade elbows me playfully.

“Shut it.” I laugh, rolling my eyes, but secretly loving the heavy fabric draped over my shoulders. But it’s more than that. I’m loving the fact that his last name and number are on my back.

The crowd erupts into cheers as Levi breaks away with the puck, his powerful strides carrying him down the ice. He maneuvers around defenders and the more he pushes, the more I find myself leaning toward Jade with my hands clasped together.

He shoots and the puck sails past the goalie’s outstretched glove into the top corner of the net. The arena explodes with celebration. I’m on my feet, screaming and clapping along with everyone. Beside me, Levi’s parents are beaming with pride.

“That’s my boy!” his dad shouts over the noise as his mother breaks out into a grin.

Jade playfully shakes my shoulders in excitement. “Looks like your good luck charm is working!”

I grin and smooth my hand over his number again. Win or lose, I know Levi has given his all today and he should be proud of himself, no matter what the score says.

I quickly glance at the bench and notice something I haven’t seen before. A young woman is hunched over with a professional looking camera, taking pictures. Who is she?

“Ever seen her before?” I nod toward the photographer, shifting Jade’s attention away from the ice.

“Nope,” she says and doesn’t elaborate.Content bel0ngs to Nôvel(D)r/a/ma.Org.

“Given how close she is to the team, I assume she was hired by them to take photos.” The girl is wearing a Red Wolves hoodie and a pair of jeans. A white bow is tying part of her blonde hair back, keeping it out of her face.

“Wait a minute, that must be Coach Johnson’s daughter. She transferred here a couple of weeks ago and I guess she got a job with the team.”

“His daughter?” My eyebrows shoot up. “I don’t know if I’d want to work with my dad.”

“Never mind that. Check out Asher.”

I follow her gaze and spot Asher stealing glances at the photographer while he’s resting on the bench.

“I wonder what that’s all about,” Jade says before turning her attention back to the game.

“You’re guess is as good as mine,” I admit.

As the game continues, I find myself being more curious about the dynamics off the ice than on it. Coach Johnson’s daughter is focused on doing her job, seemingly oblivious to Asher’s attention when he’s not on the ice.

The rest of the game is a blur of fast-paced action with the Red Wolves dominating the game. The tension in the arena builds as the clock ticks down, everyone on edge as we wait for the final buzzer.

When it sounds, the arena erupts in a deafening roar. The Red Wolves won the game. I turn to Jade, and we jump up and down, hugging each other in celebration. Looking over at Levi’s parents, his dad has a proud smile on his face as he hugs Levi’s mom.

Down on the ice, the team crowds around each other, helmets and gloves flying as high fives are exchanged as they congratulate one another. I catch a glimpse of Levi’s grinning face before he’s dragged into the huddle. When he manages to escape, his eyes find mine in the stands and he gives me a little wink that sets my body ablaze.

Or it could have been because I just saw Levi crush it and now, I wish that he would fuck me silly. Either or.

“Damn,” Jade chuckles as we make our way out of our seats to join the crowd filing out of the stadium, “you have it bad for him, don’t you?”

“Yep, and it’s because I love him.”

Jade scoffs as she rolls her eyes. “You two are disgusting. I’m only kidding by the way.”

“You act like I care,” I tease and bump her hip with mine as we join Levi’s parents and make our way to the hallway near the locker rooms.

We wait for what feels like forever before Levi, now showered and changed, emerges with the rest of the team. They are all smiles as they head over to their families and significant others.

I wait patiently as Levi hugs his parents. Levi’s relationship with his father has slowly been mending since the day Frank Jamison apologized. Ironically, I learned what his first name was when we were finally introduced to one another while he was still in the hospital. The heart attack was a wakeup call that Frank needed to try to fix things with his son, and based on what Levi tells me, things are going much better.

As I wait for Levi to finish talking with his parents, I spot the team photographer slipping out of an office nearby. She has a camera bag slung over her shoulder and looks eager to leave. Before I can point her out to Jade, Asher emerges from the crowd and touches her arm.

I can’t tell what they are saying to each other, but it looks pretty tense. I’m not much for getting into people’s drama, or being around people in general when I don’t have to be, but I can’t help but want to get closer to see if I can hear… something.

I glance at Jade and gesture to the couple that is talking just across the way. Asher leans forward to tell her something and the photographer shakes her head sharply as if the last place she wants to be is there with him.

As I’m plotting how I’m going to get closer to them, Levi appears at my side. He glances at me, and then Jade, and then at the couple we were staring at. “What are you up to?”

“Nothing. Absolutely nothing,” I answer quickly.

Before Levi can question me further, Wilder comes over with his parents and swoops in to give Jade a big hug, leaving Levi and me in our own little world.

“Great game tonight,” I say, hoping to distract Levi from whatever drama may be unfolding behind him.

Levi grins. “Thanks. Everything really came together in the end. But there’s one thing that’s missing.”

“What’s that?”

“My congratulatory kiss.”

I’m happy to oblige. “We can’t have that now, can we?”

“Nope,” he says as he uses his finger to lift my chin. “Or I’ll get very cranky.”

I stand on my tiptoes and press my lips to his. The buzz that I feel whenever we kiss is stronger than ever as Levi deepens the kiss by wrapping his arms around my waist. For a blissful moment, it feels like we’re the only two people in the crowded hallway.

When we finally break apart, Levi rests his forehead against mine. “That’s much better,” he murmurs.

Levi takes a step away from me and I look over his shoulder. I notice Asher and the photographer have disappeared. Their interaction lingers in my mind, but I shove it to the side to pay attention to the man in front of me.

“Ready to celebrate?” he asks, taking my hand.

“With you? Always.”

As Levi takes my hand and leads me through the hallway. We make our way outside and we walk over to Levi’s car. Before he opens the passenger’s side door for me, he stops me by holding both of my hands in his.

“I couldn’t have asked for a better end to the night,” he whispers.

I smile up at him. “Me neither.”

“I love you so damn much.”

“And I love you.”

With that, our lips meet again, and I know that, without a doubt, no matter what troubles we face, we’ll make it through.

Together.