Lucky Bounce: Game On, Part 2 by Jennifer Lazaris

16

"Let's go, Kingsnakes! Let's go, Kingsnakes!"

The crowd in attendance at the Nevada Arena for the final game of the series chanted louder than Holly had ever heard before, and their stomping between chants felt like a mini earthquake.

San Jose had tied the game five minutes into the third period—making it 3–3. The fans had gone quiet for a short period of time, but now their rallying cries were deafening.

"I feel like I'm going to vomit." Hannah dragged her fingers down along her cheeks. "I can't take this."

Penn sat between them, her back rigid and her mouth set in a firm line. "They're re-living the same fucking game as last season. Tied 3–3 in the third during game seven. And last time, it didn't turn out in their favor."

Penn rarely swore, so Holly knew she was beyond stressed. She took her best friend's hand and gave it a squeeze.

"I just want this so bad for them, Hol. I want this for West. And whether you admit it or not, I know you want this for Eli." Penn returned the hand squeeze. "Especially after our discussion last night."

She'd talked to Penn under strict confidence about the letters but hadn't revealed anything detailed, just giving her the broad strokes instead.

"Yes, I do." Holly nodded. "I want this for him."

"Come on, guys. I've got faith in this team, and in my brother," Bella piped up from Hannah's left as she tightened her long, blonde ponytail. "There's lots of time left, ladies. You have to believe."

"Easy for you to say, Bells. You aren't going home with your brother tonight," Hannah told her. "If they lose, it's going to be brutal."

"They're not going to lose," Bella said confidently. "I'm calling it now."

"I love your attitude, Bells," Zoe chimed in, peering over at her friends from the end of the row. "Come on, babes, let's send some positive vibes to our boys. Worried or not, it's not going to change the outcome."

Holly bit down on her lower lip as she watched Sam London battle a San Jose player for the puck in the corner.

She hoped Bella was right. San Jose had been shutting down the Kingsnakes top goal scorers the entire game. The goals had come from two of their third and fourth liners—Gunnar Klasson and Tristan Mattisson.

When people talked about how the Kingsnakes were a deep team, rolling all four lines, that was what they meant. Their firepower came from everywhere, and each player had to do whatever it took to shut down San Jose and create scoring chances.

But it was worrisome that the big guns were being stifled. If one of them could finally break out and score, it would be a welcome relief.

For the next ten minutes, the women held their collective breath as the Kingsnakes battled for puck possession. Neither team could get things moving or make much-needed plays. They were shutting each other down at every turn.

"Eli is kicking ass out there tonight, Hol," Hannah told her. "He's shutting their forwards down left and right and doing everything he can to generate offense. If you noticed, he hasn't been on the ice for any goals San Jose's scored. Not that I think plus/minus statistics mean all that much when it comes to judging defensemen, but the defensive breakdowns can't be attributed to him."

"Yeah, he's on fire," Holly said. Her stomach was tied up in knots just like the others. She was going home with a player tonight, and while he might not technically be her boyfriend, she really cared about him. And she wanted this win for him more than anything.

Holly glanced at the clock on the video monitor above the rink. Four minutes and thirty-two seconds left. Either someone was going to score, or they were going to overtime.

And she wasn't sure she could handle overtime.

"Here we go," Bella yelled a minute later, leaning forward in her seat.

The Kingsnakes had finally managed to start cycling the puck down in San Jose's zone.

Hannah clapped her hands. "Let's go, boys! Let's get something going here."

Caleb Steele, Eli's defensive partner, took a shot at the net from the point, which San Jose's goaltender stopped easily with his blocker. Ryder, parked in front of the left side of the net in an attempt to screen the goaltender, tried to grab the rebound, but San Jose's defense poked it into the corner and out of danger.

Kingsnakes center Shaw Castle managed to snag the puck and glided behind the net, passing it off to Eli, who had sneaked up on the right-hand side in front of the goalie. With a San Jose defender hot on his heels, he snapped a shot between the goalie and the post. It bounced off the back edge of the goaltender's glove and into the net.

"Yes!" Holly cried.

Eli threw his arms in the air as the red goal light came on, and his linemates tackled him with hugs, pushing him against the glass in their exuberance.

Holly leaped from her seat, grabbing Penn in a hug as the rest of the WAGs jumped up and down, screaming.

The deafening roar of the crowd nearly drowned out Pitbull's “Don't Stop the Party,” the Kingsnakes' goal song, as it blared from the arena's speakers.

"I told you!" Bella said, high-fiving each of them. She danced along to the song, grinning as she pumped her fists in the air. "I freaking told you guys!"

Hannah laughed and hugged her future sister-in-law. "Okay, but we still have two minutes to kill before the end of this period. And you know San Jose is going to be lit up trying to score."

"This game is ours," Bella declared. "I know it. I just know it!"

"Says the non-hockey fan," Penn teased. "Two minutes guys. Two minutes to go. They can do this! They've got to do this."

Holly's heart flipped in her chest as Eli skated past the bench, grinning from ear-to-ear as he bumped gloves with his teammates.

She was so proud of him she thought she might burst.

"Two minutes," she murmured. "Just two minutes."

When the puck dropped on the next shift, the Vegas crowd screamed and stomped their feet as San Jose battled to get the puck down into the Kingsnakes zone. They managed to get a few shots on net, but goaltender West Keller shut them down.

The fans counted down the remaining ten seconds of the period, and everyone got to their feet. When the clock hit zero and the buzzer blared, the Kingsnakes bench threw their arms in the air and dove onto the ice, flying down the length of the rink to attack their goaltender with hugs.

"They did it. They really did it. They're going to the finals." Penn's voice wavered as tears streamed down her face. "They're going to play for the Cup."

Holly grabbed her in a hug. "Fucking right they are! They've earned it."

Hannah and Bella hugged each other, and Holly pulled Zoe into their group hug. The captain's wife was crying, but she was laughing, too.

"Oh my God. They freaking won. They did it!" Zoe wiped her eyes with her sleeve. "This is a dream come true."

San Jose milled around the center of the ice, looking shell-shocked and dejected as the Kingsnakes skated over to form the handshake line—a tradition at the end of a playoff series in hockey.

"San Jose played their hearts out," Bella said, staring down at the ice. "This has to be rough for them."

"Agreed," Hannah said. "But it's not their time. And you know why? Because it's our time."

"Tell that to Tampa Bay," Bella said coyly. "They just won the Eastern Conference championship, so I'm sure they think it's their time. But guess what, it's not. Because we're going to own their asses, too."

"Fucking right!" Zoe yelled. "Let's go, Vegas!"

"Let's go, Vegas!" they chorused.

Holly grinned at Penn. "I guess I better get some Kingsnakes swag for the upcoming series."

Penn hugged her. "This team has captured your heart. Admit it."

She glanced down at the crowd, where Eli stood in the handshake line, talking to a San Jose player.

"You know what? You might just be right."

* * *

For the next twenty minutes, the crowd stuck around to watch the Kingsnakes get their Western Conference Champion hats and accept the trophy presented to the winners of the Western Conference.

"Do you think they'll touch it?" Hannah asked, jiggling her leg. "Most teams don't, but some decide to go for it. What do you think, Zoe?"

"You know how Ryder is about superstitions. He hates them. Like the supposed ‘arena curse.’ They busted that one, so yep, I'm totally thinking he'll touch it."

"I hope they do. They should celebrate it!" Bella snapped a few photos of the players on the ice. "I'm voting yes, they'll touch it."

"Guess we'll find out in a second," Penn replied.

Ryder skated over to accept the trophy, and when he rested his hand on it, Zoe burst out laughing. "See? Do I know my husband or what?"

"Yes!" Bella pumped her fist in the air. "That's the way, Ry. Screw all those stupid superstitions."

The rest of the guys surrounded him, and they made no bones about touching the trophy, either. Eli laughed and pretended to kiss it as they lined up to take their team photo.

"Don't forget, we're headed over to Callahan's after this," Zoe told them. "Ryder rented the whole place out for the team, WAGs, and immediate family. Sort of a ‘we're going to the finals’ gathering. Because you know my husband will say he's not celebrating anything until he's holding the Cup over his head." Zoe deepened her voice and said, "Don't get ahead of yourselves, boys. We haven't won anything yet. We earned the right to compete for it, that's all."

"Okay, that was scarily accurate." Bella laughed. "You do a great imitation of your husband."

She grinned and did a playful curtsy.

"It's going to be a night to remember." Holly slung her arm around Penn. "I don't know about you guys, but I can use a drink."

Bella snorted. "I could, but I'm guessing Brandon's reserved cookies and milk for me instead."

Hannah grinned. "Only the best for you, Bells. Chocolate milk this time."

"Oh, whee." Bella shook her head, then pulled out her phone. "Come on, ladies, let's take a selfie to commemorate the occasion. On three, okay? Say chocolate milk!"

"One-two-three! Chocolate milk!" they yelled, laughing as Bella snapped the photo.

Penn winked at Holly. "A night to remember, indeed.”

* * *

"I still can't believe this is happening," Penn told Holly. She took a big sip of her piña colada. "It feels surreal."

"It does," she agreed.

They stood at the oversized bar at Callahan's VIP Room, sucking up the atmosphere. Players, WAGs, and their families milled around the spacious bar, celebrating the win.

Some guests sat at the marble tables scattered around the lower level, munching on appetizers and drinking beer, while others engaged in a game of pool or bubble hockey.

They'd been here for forty-five minutes, and she'd barely seen Eli since the end of the game, other than a quick glimpse of him in the hallway near the family room. He'd been busy with interviews and talking to the media, so she'd bummed a ride with Bella to Callahan's.

Holly flagged down the young woman helping the regular bartender, Jake, with the drink orders tonight. "I'll take a beer in a bottle. Not picky, whatever you got."

"I'm glad Jake finally got some help," Penn said. "Why Callahan's has so many waitresses and not much help at the bar, I've never figured out."

"Apparently Jake is very particular about his bar. But yeah, I'm glad he's getting help." Holly grinned at Penn. "Cute help, too. Jake is no fool."

Penn laughed, watching as the fresh-faced brunette hustled to and fro, smiling at the customers as she filled their drink orders. "No, he's not."

Holly's phone buzzed with a text, and she glanced down at the screen. "Oh, balls."

"What's wrong?

"It's Lyla. She's on my ass about getting pictures from the 'celebration she knows is happening tonight.' Yeah, that's not going to happen."

Penn rolled her eyes. "When is she going to understand that your private Kingsnakes life is different from your public one?"

"Never." Holly stared down at the next text that popped up. "Listen to this:"

Holly, I want to see all the notes for your feature, and any preliminary drafts. And I want them ASAP. This article is important for the blog, and I want to know what's going on with it at all times.

"Eww," Penn muttered. "She's such a micro manager."

"She can twist in the wind. I'm not giving her anything tonight."

The young bartender flashed Holly a smile and slid a bottle of beer over to her. "Here you go. Enjoy!"

Holly returned her smile. "Thanks... Mia," she said, peering at the woman's name tag.

Mia hustled over to the next customer, a big smile on her face as she took their order.

"I bet she's going to make great tips tonight," Penn said, taking another sip of her piña colada. "The waitresses, too."

"Likely."

Her phone buzzed again, and she groaned. "If this is Lyla, I'm going outside to toss this thing into that singing water fountain."

Penn snickered. "Don't be so mean to your phone, Hol. It doesn't deserve that kind of treatment. Hey, West is waving to me from the pool table. I'll see you later."

"Have fun," she murmured, staring down at the text.

Eli: Kitten, where the hell are you? This place is buzzing, and I need to see you. Meet me upstairs. I'm waiting.

Holly couldn't hide her smile as she tapped out her response.

Holly: Upstairs? It's roped off, just like it was for Hannah's party. Don't think we're supposed to go up there.

Eli: Pffft. Didn't stop us before.

Holly took a long swig from her beer bottle, then left a tip for the bartender before heading toward the staircase at the back of the bar.

She unhooked the velvet rope then carefully fastened it behind her. When she got to the second floor, she stopped near the top of the stairs and peered around the dimly lit room.

"Hey, beautiful girl."

Holly glanced to her right and saw Eli standing next to one of the booths, wearing a smile.

Her emotions got the better of her, and she launched herself at him, wrapping him in a huge hug. He chuckled softly, pulling her tightly against his body.

"It's so good to see you, kitten. I missed you after the game."

"I'm so freaking proud of you," she whispered, burying her face in his chest. Her eyes teared up, and she really didn't want him to see her get all weepy. "You don't know how much."

He gently pulled away and tipped her face up to meet his gaze. "You are?"

"Of course. Very proud. You've worked so hard to get here, and you played amazing tonight before you ever even scored that goal. I'm so glad you get the chance to play for the Cup."

"Thank you. That means everything to me." He pressed a kiss to her forehead, then laughed. "Wow. I'm buzzing pretty good right now."

Holly smiled up at him. "Already?"

"Yeah, I just want to enjoy the fuck out of this win." He threaded a hand through her hair. "Gonna enjoy kissing you, too."

Before she could reply, his lips were against hers. He tasted like brandy, and she let out a little sigh when he deepened their kiss.

"Eli, wait," she murmured. "Someone could see us up here, and—"

"I don't care. I need to kiss you, Wilkes. Right now I need it more than I need to fucking breathe."

Holly grew still. "I want you to, but I don't want people getting the wrong idea about this feature. I'm not friends with everyone here, and—"

"Got it." Eli tugged her into the hallway where they'd first shared a kiss at Hannah's graduation party. He glanced between the ladies' and men's bathrooms, then pulled her toward a third door, a unisex bathroom.

"Look. It's got a lock, and no one's coming up here anyway since there are bathrooms downstairs." He pulled her into the room and locked the door behind them.

Holly glanced around the little bathroom. It was fancy and impeccably clean. Marble everything, with a long counter and a big bowl sink.

She walked over toward the counter and leaned back against it. "I'm waiting to be kissed."

Eli stood near the door, raking his hot brown gaze over her body. He looked incredible in his fitted black suit pants and crisp white shirt. Loosening his silver and black tie, he slowly walked over to her.

"And I'm ready to kiss you." He gently cupped the back of her head and leaned in. When his tongue slid against hers, she tugged him closer and wrapped her arms around his neck.

Their kisses turned desperate and deep, and Eli broke away, breathing fast.

"Want to have a little fun with me?" he asked, his voice a low rumble in her ear. He lifted her up and set her on the bathroom countertop. "Because I really want to have some fun with you."

His eyes were so burning hot as he looked at her that she couldn't contain her shiver.

"Well, since we're already here," she whispered, sliding her hand along his jaw and over his beard. "Let's make the most of it."

The corner of his mouth kicked up. "Good answer, kitten. Now let's get these jeans of yours off. We'll have to be fast, but I'll make you come, I promise."

Holly couldn't resist his mouth, leaning in to kiss him again. "Mmm. I'm holding you to that promise."

* * *

Sam London pushed his long, straight, blond hair out of his face and slid his Western Conference Champion hat backward before glancing around Callahan's.

A few of his teammates were at the bubble hockey table, laughing and whooping it up, while others were laying bets on a game of pool nearby.

All of them had one thing in common: they were happy as hell and celebrating the win.

His happiness and celebration had been cut short because his girlfriend, Shay, was being her regular pain-in-the-ass self.

He'd picked a booth in the corner away from the crowd so no one would have to listen to her complaints. She was currently bitching about Gunnar Klasson's girlfriend, Tamara, who supposedly had gotten snippy with her over at the bar.

He'd stopped listening two minutes into the conversation in order to preserve what was left of his sanity.

It was so typical of Shay. She hadn't even congratulated him on the win when she'd seen him after the game. She'd just wanted to know if they were going somewhere to celebrate and had been irritated Ryder had chosen Callahan's and not anywhere more public.

Because she cared more about being seen with him than she cared about him.

He was so damned sick of it all.

"Sammy, are you even listening to me? You never listen to me! Don't you care what she said about me?"

Fuck, if she only realized how much he didn't give a shit, she'd probably hit the ceiling.

He took another drink of his beer and gave her a long, hard look. "I hear you, Shay."

When they'd first gotten together during his rookie season, he'd thought he'd hit the jackpot in the girlfriend department. She was hot as fuck, with a beautiful face, long blonde hair, and big blue eyes. And her body was bangin'.

But as time rolled on, the angel mask that had won him over had come off to reveal the demon everyone had warned him about.

"Yeah, right," she pouted.

"Shay, you've told me three times about Tamara. What do you want me to say?"

He motioned to Jake and pointed at his beer. The only way he was getting through this night was with more alcohol.

"I didn't tell you three times," she snapped. "Pardon me for wanting to talk to my boyfriend about a problem I'm having. I thought you'd be upset that Tamara is calling me names. I don't know what Gunnar Klasson sees in that bitch. She's not even hot. Have you seen how one of her eyes is bigger than the other? It's so obvious, not to mention creepy. Anyway, Miss Googly Eyes better watch her back if she keeps running her mouth, or I'll fix her."

"Just drop it, Shay. It's over and done with."

A cute brunette walked up to their table with a fresh beer and set it down in front of him.

"Thanks," he said, flashing a quick smile.

She returned the smile and glanced at Shay. "Anything else I can get for you guys?"

"Yeah. You can get lost," Shay muttered, staring down at her nails. "I'm trying to have an important conversation with my boyfriend. Bye."

"Jesus Christ, Shay!"

The familiar rush of heat from his neck to his cheeks began, his usual reaction when Shay did something that embarrassed him. When he looked up at the waitress, he noticed she didn't seem all that upset by Shay's comment.

"Sorry." He pulled a twenty from his wallet and held it out to her. "For your trouble."

She shook her head and held up a hand. "Not necessary. Enjoy your evening."

The girl turned and hurried back to the bar as Sam fixed his gaze on Shay. "Listen carefully, Shay. We're over. I've hit my limit with your bullshit. We're over. Done. Finished. No more breaking up and getting back together, understand? This is it."

"Excuse me?" Shay sputtered, staring at him in shock. "You're breaking up with me because I told some stupid waitress to go away? She was interrupting our conversation!"

"Do you hear yourself?" he asked. "Do you hear how fucking rude you sound?"

"She's a waitress, Sammy. Who cares if she didn't like what I said? She's the help."

He tipped his beer back, draining the bottle dry. "I care. And I'm not doing this anymore."

"Sammy, come on."

"Don't ‘Sammy’ me! I've told you a hundred times that I prefer Sam, but have you ever listened? No." He stood. "You can see yourself out of here, now."

"Oh, you don't want to do this anymore?" she shouted, sliding out of the booth. Shay stepped into his personal space, getting nose-to-nose with him. "You didn't say you didn't want to do this anymore last night when you were fucking me!" she yelled. "You didn't want it to be over then! Guess you had to get off first."

The entire bar grew quiet. All eyes turned in their direction, including his teammates. He took a step back from Shay and looked over at Ryder, his captain, whose raised eyebrows betrayed his concern.

"You ruin everything," he said quietly. "But I'm not going to let you ruin one more thing for me, Shay. If you don't leave right now, I'm going to get security to kick you out. Try me and see."

"Asshole!" she screamed, poking him in the chest. "You'll be sorry."

"I doubt it."

"I hate you, Sam London! I hate you! I don't know why I ever thought you were worth my time. I deserve so much better than you can offer me!"

Her voice echoed off the walls of the bar as she turned and stormed toward the door. When she got to the exit, she turned around and flipped her hair over her shoulder. "And if I haven't made myself clear? Fuck you, Sammy. Because you sure as hell won't be fucking me!"

Sam sank back down in the booth after she stomped out of Callahan's, and the conversation, which had ceased entirely while Shay had thrown her temper tantrum, resumed. He dragged his hands through his hair and stared down at the table.

What a total clusterfuck.

"Hey, Londs. Are you okay? That was some crazy shit."

Ryder stood next to the booth, staring down at him.

"Yeah. I just couldn't do it anymore, Cap. She insulted the waitress, and I just snapped."

"Don't apologize." Ryder shook his head. "Good riddance to that trash."

"We're over." Sam told him.

"Good. Just really be done with her, okay? I know you wanted to keep things even keel until the playoffs were over, but you shouldn't have to put up with that crap. That's awful."

"No. Trust me, I'm really done."

"Come stay with me and Zoe until the series is over. I don't want her fucking with your sleep or your head right now. I know you said she came to your condo in the middle of the night last time you broke up. Block her number. We've got so many rooms in the house we won't even know you're there. Seriously. Start tonight. The community is gated, so she can't show up at my house."

"I will. Thanks, Cap."

"Remind me to give you a key and the alarm code before you leave tonight, okay?"

"Okay."

"Do you want to play pool? We've got some good bets going."

"Maybe later. I'm going to go get something to eat."

"Come hang out when you're ready," Ryder told him, then went back to the pool table.

Fuck. All he wanted to do right now was get as far away from the concerned stares and curious looks as possible. He picked up his phone and deleted Shay's text thread, then blocked her number.

Glancing over at the roped-off staircase in the corner, he saw Holly Wilkes walk down and unhook the rope before going over to sit down at a booth with West's girlfriend, Penn. A few minutes later, Eli Donnelley came down the stairs. He met Sam's eyes, then glanced away.

Weird. From what he'd seen in the past, Holly and Eli were oil and water. He couldn't imagine her giving his friend the time of day, let alone them sneaking off together somewhere.

Sam slid out of the booth and went over to the bar, ignoring the sympathetic looks of people he passed on the way. He flagged down Jake.

"Hey, Sam." Jake stopped in front of him. "What can I do for you?"

"Could I get some of those appetizer things I saw floating around earlier, and another beer? And do you mind if I head upstairs for a bit? I know it's closed off, but I could use a break from prying eyes."

Jake nodded. "I get it. I'll send someone up with your stuff in a few. Fair warning, it's a bit dark up there. Just put the rope up behind you, if you don't mind."

"Thanks, Jake."

Once he was upstairs, he welcomed the semi-darkness as he collapsed down into a booth in the back. It was cooler up here, and the start of a headache thumped at his temples.

He enjoyed the silence for the next ten minutes since the din of noise from downstairs barely reached the booth. Closing his eyes, he leaned back, trying to rid himself of the misery Shay had heaped on him tonight. He couldn't shake the gnawing pit of anxiety in his stomach over the whole miserable scene.

The sound of footsteps approaching startled him, and he opened his eyes to see the brunette Shay had insulted walking toward him with a tray.

"Hi." She gave him a hesitant smile as she approached. "I have some munchies for you, and another beer."

"Thank you," he said gratefully. "I'm starving."

She placed a gigantic plate heaped with nachos drowning in beef, cheese, and a ton of other toppings down in front of him. He'd never seen such amazing looking nachos at a bar before. Next to it, she set down the appetizers.

"You're more than welcome." She put down a coaster for his beer, then set the bottle down. "Do you need anything else?"

The tray she held had a small plate of finger sandwiches and a glass of cola.

"No, I'm good. Thanks for trekking all the way up here."

"I wanted to take my break up here if you don't mind. I'm way overdue, but it's been a busy night."

"Sit with me." He nodded at the seat across from him. "I could use some company."

"Oh." A surprised look crossed her face. "I thought you might want to be alone."

"No, I could use the distraction," he admitted.

She placed the tray down on a table nearby, then set her food on the table. "Sure, as long as you're okay with it." She slid into the booth. "By the way, my name is Mia. Mia Carisini."

"Sam London," he said. "Nice to meet you.”

"You, too."

Mia was pretty damned cute. She had thick, dark eyelashes that were the same color as the low ponytail that hung over her right shoulder, and big brown eyes.

"I'm sorry, but I have to ask—are you okay, Sam? That was pretty brutal. I felt bad for you."

"Yeah, I'm okay. Nothing like having an entire room witness your girlfriend throwing a temper tantrum. Well, ex-girlfriend, now." He grabbed one of the finger sandwiches. "Shay is at her best with an audience."

"How long were you two together?"

"Close to three years. A lot longer than we should have been."

"Ouch," Mia made a face. "Sorry."

"I'm just glad it's over. By the way, I'm really sorry about what she said to you."

"Why? You didn't say it." She popped one of the little sandwiches into her mouth. "It's not the first time a customer has been rude to me, and it won't be the last." Mia paused. "Wait... did you break up with her because she was rude to me?"

"No, but it was kind of the last straw. There was an endless list of ignorant and awful things she did before that. I'd just had enough." He nodded at the nachos and put a few on an empty plate. "Share these with me. Jake knows I can eat a lot since I come in here after games occasionally, but I'll never eat all these. I've never seen nachos like this anywhere. They're amazing. Like a tower of nachos."

"Actually, the nachos were my idea," she said. "They are my go-to comfort food. And I thought you might need some comfort."

He paused. "Wait, you made these yourself? For me?"

Mia's cheeks flushed. "Um, yeah. I had a lull between drink orders, and I was getting something together for me, so I figured why not? Like I said, it's good comfort food."

"That was awesome of you," he said, touched by the gesture. "Thanks."

"No problem." She smiled at him. "Now it's even better because you're sharing them with me.”

This girl didn't even know him, yet she'd been kind enough to try to comfort him with food. He couldn't even remember the last thing that Shay had done for him.

Usually, he was too busy doing things for her, like handing over his credit card for her to go shopping. She always begged him for designer clothes and purses. Yet she never gave anything back. Her idea of repayment was having sex with him.

In her mind, that was a fair trade.

"I hope you like lots of toppings." She smiled again. "I went a little crazy."

Damn. Her smile lit up her whole face. And something about it made the knot of anxiety in his stomach ease a little.

"I love lots of toppings." He took a big bite and grinned. "And the cheesier, the better."

Mia laughed. "Right? Cheese fixes everything." She took another sip of her cola. "So, are you one of the hockey players on the Kingsnakes? Or are you a family member?"

"I'm a player. I play left-wing."

Mia raised her eyebrows. “Sorry, I literally have no idea what that means."

"So, you don't watch hockey at all?"

"No," she confessed. "My grandfather, he's the bartender downstairs—"

"Wait, Jake's your grandfather?"

"Yep. He always tries to get me to watch with him, but I've never been into sports that much. I don't know much about hockey at all."

"Well, I'm one of the guys responsible for creating offense and scoring goals. I primarily play on the left side, which is why my position is called left-wing."

"Gotcha." She put a few nachos on her plate. "Congratulations on winning your series. Apparently, it's a big deal from what my grandfather told me. That has to feel really good."

"It should be the biggest day of my life so far. I get to compete for the Cup. It's what every hockey player dreams of their entire life. To lift that shiny, silver trophy over their head."

Mia's brown eyes grew sympathetic. "But it's not the biggest day... because of her?"

He stifled a sigh. "Shay has a talent for ruining everything."

"Sam, I know we don't really know each other, but can I say something? I don't want to butt in or whatever, so tell me to shut up if you want."

"No, it's okay. Go ahead."

She glanced down at the table for a moment, then brushed a lock of dark brown hair away from her face. "It's just... maybe instead of looking at this as a night that's over and ruined, you should look at it as the start of something brand new and amazing."

He leaned back in his seat, then took a drink of beer. "Go on."

"Now that your girlfriend is an ex-girlfriend, well... you have a clean slate, right? No more stress, no more aggravation, and no more apologizing for someone else's behavior. That's the past. But starting now, you have the chance to achieve all your hockey dreams. This is your time. Don't let her take all your happiness away. You need to stay in the moment and enjoy every second of what's in front of you. Embrace that."

He studied her, letting the meaning of her words sink in.

Mia was right. Why was he wallowing in misery when this was what he'd wanted for so long? To be free of the stress of Shay and all her drama?

He was silent for a few beats, then leaned forward, putting his elbows on the table. "This is going to sound weird, but I feel like someone who's been wandering around in the woods for months, and I just stumbled across a compass. Because that speech was as true north as it gets. Thanks for pointing me in the right direction."

Mia nodded, then gave him a small smile. "I'm happy to help."

"So, are you like an advice columnist for depressed hockey players or something?" he teased.

"Ha! No. I'm just a bartender. I work at a lot of places around Vegas, actually. I float to where I'm needed. I also go to college part-time, but just online. It's easier with my schedule." She glanced down at her watch. "Speaking of work, my fifteen minute break is over. I better get back downstairs before my grandfather fires me."

"Oh, right."

Damn. He wished she didn't have to go. It was nice to sit and talk to a woman without constant fighting and tension.

She gathered up her plates and put everything back on the tray. "It was nice meeting you, Sam. Good luck with your series. I really hope you win. My grandfather says every player wants to lift the Cup over their head. I hope I get to see you do that."

"That means you'll have to start watching hockey," he said playfully. " Are you sure you can stand it?"

Mia laughed. "I'll try to watch some games, I promise. I may have to settle for highlights if I'm working, though. How many games are there?"

"Depends. It's the best of seven. Might be as little as four, or as many as seven."

"I can handle that. Take care, okay? And good luck."

"Wait," he said as she turned to leave. He didn't want to lose touch with this woman.

"Can I... uh, would you maybe give me your number?"

Mia hesitated, and her cheeks flushed pink. "Look, Sam, you just broke up with your girlfriend, and I..."

She studied him with those pretty brown eyes, and he swallowed.

Fuck, it was probably a total dick move to ask for her number so soon. But he wasn't ready to walk away and never see her again, either.

"I'm not really dating right now," she continued. "I got out of a bad relationship not that long ago, so..."

"Trust me, I get it. And I'm not looking for a relationship right now, considering I've been single for about thirty minutes," he joked. "But there's no reason we can't be friends. And you were a better friend to me tonight than anyone else. Let me repay the favor."

"Friends?" She paused again, then gave him a little smile. "I guess I can always use another friend."

His stomach unclenched, and he held back a sigh of relief as they exchanged numbers.

"Sorry, I really have to get back down there." She shoved her phone into the pocket of her short white skirt. "Go have fun tonight, okay? Celebrate with your team."

"I will. I'll text you sometime soon."

Mia waved at him as she headed for the stairs. "I'll brush up on my hockey knowledge in the meantime. Take care, Sam."

He watched as she walked down the stairs, her tanned legs on display underneath the short skirt. The first thought that struck him was that she had nice legs, even for being so short. And the second thought was that she kind of bounced on her feet as she walked.

Shay had always looked like she was prancing down the runway at a fashion show. Everything about her, from the clothes, to how she posed in photos... it was all so cultivated.

Mia didn't seem to care about any of that crap. She was just real, and he liked that.

He really, really liked that.

He might not be looking for a relationship right now, but he sure as hell wouldn't object if a girl like Mia was around when he was ready for one again.