Chapter 32

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

RYAN

Cheers erupt in the front room as Madison texts me. Massachusetts must have scored. Good. I’m still bitter. Half the hockey team sits in our living room, all eyes glued to the TV. The Frozen Four is on, and every soul here is invested.

Maddy: We’ll be there in about ten.

Me: Hurry up and get your cute ass here. It’s the third period.

She was supposed to be here by now but wanted to wait until Amanda finished. I believe her exact words were, “There’s too much testosterone for my liking.”

Fair enough.

But I’d rather have her with me.

“Yo, Sorenson, grab a beer and get your ass over here,” Easton calls out. “Colorado’s about to get smoked; just watch.”

I nod, snagging a cold one from the fridge before joining the guys. As the puck drops, a collective cheer erupts but dies a sudden death when Colorado’s forward steals the puck.

Fucking Colorado.

We were so close this year, so damn close to being the ones on that screen. I can still feel the sting of our early exit. The taste of bitterness from unfinished business hasn’t diminished. But that’s the thing about hockey. It’s not just a game, it’s a promise. A vow to come back stronger, faster, hungrier. And next year? Next year, we’ll be the ones leaving it all on the ice.

I take a swig of my beer as I sink into the couch, my eyes never leaving the screen. The Colorado players are good; I’ll give them that. But they’re not unbeatable. We proved that point when we beat them the first time we played them.

But they got the last laugh when they eliminated us from the playoffs. And the more I watch, the more a fire ignites within me. I’m determined to prove the Cessna U Wildcats aren’t just a team but a force to be reckoned with.

“Did you see that save? Unreal.” Andrew jabs an elbow into my side.

I lean forward, studying every move. “That’s the kind of play we need to bring next season. No holding back, no second-guessing. Just pure, unadulterated grit.”

“Next year, these fuckers aren’t going to know what hit them,” Jonas says.

“Yeah, I hate the taste of defeat,” Blake says.

“Same. We’ll be ready for them,” Jonas says.

The door swings open, and laughter rolls into the living room. I glance over my shoulder and smile as Maddy and Amanda stumble inside. My girl’s eyes light up the moment they meet mine. My heart does a little flip, and I can’t help but grin back.

“Yo, Maddy! Amanda! Glad you could make it,” Easton calls out, raising his beer in greeting.

“Wouldn’t miss it,” Maddy says.

“You’ve missed two periods.” Andrew’s condescending tone earned him a pillow upside the head from Blake.

“Easy,” Blake warns.

“That’s my fault,” Amanda says. “I couldn’t get away. One of the machines in the lab went down, and it took forever to recalibrate it.”

“You’re here now,” Blake says. Amanda’s gaze lands on him, and phew , that look says it all. He’ll definitely get lucky tonight.

Maddy weaves her way toward me. Once she’s close, I grab her arm and pull her onto my lap. She plops down, laughing. I wrap my arms around her and nuzzle my nose into the crook of her neck. Strawberries fill my senses. Speaking of luck, I’ve got my charm right here.

“Hey,” she says breathlessly. “How’s the game going?”

“Better now that you’re here.”

She nudges my side. “Flattery won’t get you anywhere, Sorenson.”

“Flattery gets me everywhere.”

She shakes her head but settles into me. “They’re losing?”

“Yeah. Colorado’s putting up a fight, but they’re not invincible.” My hands drop to her upper thighs and rest there.

“Well, I hope you boys are taking notes. Gotta step up your game next season.” Amanda’s tone is playful.

Laughter ripples through the group, and I can’t help but join in.

“We’ll be there. We were just out-maneuvered this year. Won’t happen next year,” Blake says.

“Our last year will be the best,” Andrew chimes in.

“Go out with a bang,” Jonas adds.

“Speaking of bangs, any word from the Scouting Bureau?” Andrew raises an eyebrow at me.

“Not yet. I’m pretty sure they will wait until the Frozen Four concludes.”

“Which will be in about ten minutes.” This comes from Easton.

Drew’s reference to the NHL Central Scouting Bureau douses my high. They pick the people most likely to be drafted to the combine, and the invites are due out any day. What started as a pipe dream became a possible reality only shortly after the first of the year. Madison’s dad offered a sum too large to pass up. Talk about a weight lifted off my shoulders. Dad can now get the home care he desperately needs. It’s a relief I can barely put into words.

But it opened up a path I desperately wanted.

My hand moves farther up Madison’s thigh. As much as I want to see the game through, I also can’t wait to get her alone.

The game progresses, and the tension in the room escalates with every play. Colorado’s offense is relentless, their skates carving up the ice as they push deeper into enemy territory. The Massachusetts team’s defensive line struggles to keep up while the tension in the room builds.

“Come on, defense! Tighten up!” Andrew shouts.

My hands stilled. Eyes glued to the screen. It’s like watching a car crash in slow motion—you know it will be brutal, but you can’t look away.

And then, it happens.

Colorado’s forward slips past the defense, dekes the goalie, and buries the puck in the back of the net.

The room erupts in a chorus of groans and expletives. I feel it, too, that sinking sensation in the pit of my stomach. It’s a feeling I know all too well—the bitter taste of watching your rivals gain the upper hand.

“Damn it,” I mutter under my breath, my fingers pressing into Maddy’s skin.

The game marches on, with Colorado widening its lead as the minutes tick by. It’s a bitter pill to swallow, watching our rivals edge closer to victory. But this proves that we have to come back stronger next year.

I settle back into the couch with Maddy’s warmth on top of me and take in the game’s final moments. My thumb brushes across Maddy’s crotch, causing her to squirm in my lap. With my nose next to her ear, I whisper, “I want you chained to my bed so I can have my wicked way with you.”

Her stuttering breath makes me smirk. “You want that, Toots?”

She answers by wiggling her ass.

My chuckle is low and deep. I move my hands to Maddy’s hips to hold her in place. At this rate, I’ll have a full-fledged hard-on by the game’s end.

The room deflates as the final buzzer sounds, cementing Colorado’s victory.

“Fuckers.” Easton says as the final score flashes on the screen.

“That’s okay. It’ll feel even better next year when we kick their ass, knowing we took out the reigning champs,” I say.

I can’t help myself—I pull out my phone, my thumb hovering over the screen. No new notifications. Almost laughing at myself, I put the phone away. What did I expect? An email sent immediately after the buzzer?

The party winds down as teammates drift off in twos and threes. Looking at Maddy, I subtly tilt my head toward the stairs. It’s a quiet signal, an invitation. And when she nods with a small smile playing on her lips, I feel a rush of anticipation.

We slip away unnoticed, the noise and disappointment fading behind us as we make our way to my room. My phone stays silent. But I refuse to let it shake my resolve. The combine, the future, it’s all out there waiting for me. And I’ll be damned if I let the worrying of it detour my plans tonight.

As the door clicks shut behind us, I turn to face her. And I find solace in the stillness of the room and the warmth of her gaze. It’s a reminder that I’m not alone, even in the face of setbacks and when the future feels uncertain.

“Tough loss,” she murmurs, her hand finding mine in the dim light.

“Yeah.” I brush my thumb over her knuckles. “But that’ll be us on the ice next year. We’ll bounce back. We always do.”

She smiles at that. “I know you will. You’re Ryan Sorenson. Unstoppable on and off the ice.”

I chuckle, pulling her closer. “Unstoppable, huh? I like the sound of that.”

Tracing the line of her jaw, I marvel at the softness of her skin and the way she leans into my touch. “I’m glad you’re here,” I murmur, my voice low in the stillness.

Her eyes meet mine, a flicker of something deep and tender in their depths. “There’s nowhere else I’d rather be.”

The words are heavy with promise and hang between us. Everything we’ve been through, the sneaking around, starting the year hating each other—well, it was more her hating me—starting some weird frenemy-with-benefits pact, we persevered. The odds were not in our favor, but we found a way to make this work. There isn’t anyone else I’d want to spend my life with.

“I love you, Madison Grace Grimes.”

“I love you, too.”

I’m about to lean in, to close the distance, when a sudden vibration from my pocket makes me pause. Maddy raises an eyebrow in question. I fish out my phone, my heart stuttering as I read the notification.

“Holy shit. It’s the NHL combine. I got an invite.”

Maddy’s hand flies to her mouth. “Ryan, that’s incredible!”

I stare at the screen and try to process the magnitude of this moment. It’s everything I’ve worked toward—the validation of countless hours on the ice and in the gym, a second chance to prove myself, and an opportunity to chase my dreams.

“I can’t believe it,” I mumble. “It’s really happening.”

Maddy’s arms wind around my waist as she rests her chin on my shoulder, reading the email. “You deserve this, Ryan. You’ve worked so hard.”

Pride and excitement mingle in my chest. I turn in her embrace and slide my hands to her hips, anchoring myself to this moment.

“I couldn’t have done it without you,” I tell her, my forehead resting against hers. “You’ve been my rock, Maddy. Through everything.”

She shakes her head as a soft laugh escapes her lips. “You did this, Ryan. This is your moment. Your triumph.”

And as I look into her eyes, I see the unwavering belief and the fierce support. I’m overwhelmed by a surge of emotion. Because she’s right. This is my moment. But it’s also ours.

The invite forgotten, I close the distance between us, my lips finding hers in a kiss that’s both celebration and promise. Maddy’s fingers tangle in my hair as my hands splay across her back and pull her closer. The world falls away, narrowing to the press of her body against mine, the heat of her mouth, and the pounding of my heart.

The world outside may still be full of challenges, but for now, in this room, in this stolen moment, we’re invincible.

I break the kiss, my breath coming in ragged gasps. “I believe,” I manage to say, my eyes drinking her in, “I have a promise to fulfill.”

Her eyebrows knit in confusion. “Oh?”

“Has something to do with ties.”

Maddy’s cheeks flush pink as mirth dances in her eyes. “Looks like you have some unfinished business to get to.”