Chapter Seven

C layton texted me earlier asking me to meet him at the rink tonight. I'm nervous. I know Kellan is in there too, and I know he wants to talk to me, but I'm still not ready to talk to him.

He sent flowers to my dorm yesterday. It would have been sweet, but they were roses. I hate roses. I hate how they smell and how overhyped they are. They are pretty, I suppose, but they aren't worth it, especially for the price.

I'm standing outside of the locker room as the door opens. Several of the guys eye me as they head out, but none of them say anything.

That is, until Kellan sees me.

"Gracie Bear. What are you doing here? Want to go get some food or something?" He looks so happy.

It makes my heart thaw a little toward him. He genuinely looks excited to see me, but I hold strong.

"Sorry, Kell Bell. I have plans," I whisper, looking behind him.

I noticed Clayton as soon as he stepped out of the locker room. He is leaning against the wall, watching this all go down. He's not stepping in like Kellan would, but he's letting me know he's there if I need him.

Just like he said a friend should.

Straightening my shoulders, I look at Kellan.

"Come on, I'm sorry, Grace. Please, can we talk?" he pleads.

I press my lips together. "I have some time on Saturday or Sunday. We can sit and have a conversation. I don't want to lose you as a friend, but I'm angry with you right now."

He reaches out to touch my face, but I pull my head back.

"Text me and let me know which day you have time to meet." I move around him, and I walk over to Clayton, who has his arms open.

I smile at him as I walk into them. He hugs me, giving me a minute to relax. When I pull back, I find us alone in the hallway.

"He looks like a kicked puppy," Clayton tells me.

"He's acting like one. Makes it hard to stay mad at him."

"I'm proud of you, though. You stuck to your guns. It's important to set boundaries and stick to the punishment when those boundaries are broken."

"Should I be setting boundaries with you?" I ask.

"You already have been."

"Wait. What?"

He laughs, grabbing my hand to lead me down the hall. "Every interaction we have, you send out signals. I knew you would need a hug because your body was yelling for one. You were tense and needed comfort. I knew that comfort would be a hug because of the way you have acted in our other interactions. You lean into touch, which tells me one of your love languages has to be touch."

I open my mouth to say something, anything, but nothing comes out. He has me at a loss for words.

"You've learned all of that by simply looking at me?" I ask after a few moments of silence.

"Listening too," he admits, opening a door.

I smile when I see the rink in front of us.

"I didn't realize that you spent that much time paying attention to me. I knew I shouldn't have told you where I lived, stalker." I wink at him.

"You really shouldn't have. Now I'm going to learn all your dirty little secrets. Like which Backstreet Boy you kissed on your wall."

I gasp, "Blasphemy. It was NSYNC, and I was a JC Chasez girl."

He laughs. "Not JT? Wow, I'm surprised."

"I mean, JT is fine, I guess, but JC seemed like a funnier guy. I don't know, I just liked him more. How did we even start talking about this?"

He comes to a stop next to the doors to the ice as he boops my nose.

"That's how I get you to tell all your secrets. You don't even realize I'm doing it."

"Whatever you say. What are we even doing here?" I look around.

He smirks. "Celebrating. I got an A on my test."

"What? Seriously?" Then I fling myself into his arms.

He laughs, but catches me.

"I'm so proud of you, Clay."

"Thank you. Without you, I wouldn't have done it. So how about you put on these skates I borrowed from one of the figure skating girls and we take a twirl? You do know how to skate, right?"

I laugh. "I can go forward, but that's it. I can't even stop. I tend to just throw myself into the side when I need to stop."

That has him full belly laughing.

"You are best friends with a top-tier hockey player, and you can't even skate. How am I not surprised?"

"Hush. I want to know more about this figure skater. She's not going to mind me borrowing her skates? How did you even know my shoe size?"

He slowly stops laughing, but his smile stays in place. "I asked Peyton your shoe size, and Emery hangs out in here a lot. We've learned to coexist in the same space without bothering one another. I just asked where to get you skates. She offered to let you borrow hers because she said using brand new skates would kill your feet, which she's right."

"That was sweet of her. Can I meet her?"

He shakes his head. "Of course. Later. Now put your skates on."

I smile, but do as he asks. He watches me, then ties them once they are on. Then he moves to do his own skates. Once he's done, he grabs my hands and helps me onto the ice. He moves so gracefully, unlike me, and it's my damn name. After the second loop around the ice, I shiver realizing that my T-shirt isn't going to keep me warm much longer.

Clayton doesn't miss it, though. Within seconds, he has his hoodie off and over my head. I inhale deeply as he pulls it over my head.

He smells like winter. I know it sounds weird, but he really does. Sandalwood, pine, and that unique scent that freshly fallen snow has. I can't even describe it, but that's what he smells like.

Once it's over my head, he helps me push my hair out of my face.

"There."

The crooked smile does it to me. My heart pitter-patters in my chest. It's stupid. I know the feeling will go away, but in that moment, I can see how a girl could fall for Clayton James. I get why everyone raves about him.

In this moment, though, I feel like I'm getting a peek inside. A piece of the guy no one else gets. All because he decided to be my friend.

"Okay, now you really need to learn how to stop. That's what I'm going to teach you today. Then once you get it down, I'll teach you more. This will probably take many lessons, so we will need to get you some skates."

I shake my head. "Yes, boss. So what's lesson one?"

For the rest of the afternoon, we skate around and have fun.

Not once did any of my worries take over.

It was perfect.

Time flies when you are as busy as I am. Between practices and class, I was already busy enough. Then I added Grace to the mix.

I don't regret it, though. She's fun as hell.

Still, before I know what happened, it's time for our first official game of the season.

"Bro, where have you been? You have barely been at home lately," Beckett asks as we suit up.

"I've been studying. Some of us want a degree when this is all done," I tease him.

He laughs. "Yeah, like you'll need that when you are starting for a PHL team."

"Can't rest your future on something as fragile as a dream," I tell him.

It's something Coach Brennan told me over and over.

"Hockey is only temporary. God willing, you make it all the way, but one wrong move can end it all. Don't rest your future on something as fragile as a dream, Clayton. Have a backup."

It's why I chose business management as a major instead of something simple like the other guys. I want to finish my degree, even if I have to take online classes to get it done once I'm in the PHL.

"Sure. Has nothing to do with that pretty little thing you've been being seen with," Brett chimes in.

"That pretty little thing is my best friend, so watch your mouth," Kellan cuts in, cutting his eyes over to me.

I know he has wanted to talk to Grace, but their schedules haven't lined up. Truth is, I've told her we could cancel plans so she could talk with him, but she said she was tired of rearranging her life for him. I'm proud of her for standing her ground, and I'm man enough to admit that I like that she keeps choosing me over him.

"That's right. Is this love triangle you got going on going to affect the game?" Wyatt asks.

"It's not a love triangle." I look to Kellan. "Grace and I are just friends. Nothing more. Everything else is none of your business. Now stop gossiping like a bunch of chicks and get your asses on the ice. Warm-ups are in four minutes."

Turning back to my locker, I check my phone one last time. I smile when I see a message from my sister, Cora.

Opening it, a picture pops up. It's of her, my mom, Grace, and Peyton. I gave them my four family tickets for this game. My mom and sister always try to come to the first home game. Even though I know my mom has to pick up an extra shift to make up for missing work, she refuses to miss work. It means a lot to have them here, so I don't put up much of a fight.

It's just another reminder of what I'm fighting for.

Cora: Met your girlfriend. I have no clue how you got someone this smart to date you.

I shake my head. I've told her Grace is just a friend, but she doesn't believe me. I look back at the picture. I can't tell which jersey she decided to wear. I won't admit it to anyone, but I hope it's mine, because he doesn't deserve her support.

Yeah, that's why.

I shoot Cora a quick text.

Me: Not my girlfriend. Be nice to her.

Then I flip to Grace.

Shorty: If my sister is too much, tell her to shut up.

I don't have a chance to wait for a response. Coach calls for us to line up.

Shoving my phone in my locker, I close it, moving along the line of guys offering encouragement. Coach motions me to the front.

"Lead us out, Cap." He pats my shoulder.

Turning, I face my men.

"Whatever happens out there, we are a team. We win together, and we lose together. We are Wolves. A pack. We go out there and we do the best we can. Leave it all on the ice. Talent doesn't win games. You can have all the talent in the world, but with only that, you will be doomed. Heart beats talent every time. So who has the biggest heart?"

"We do," the men call out in unison.

"Who does?" I ask again.

"We do!" is echoed back.

"Who are we?" I yell out.

"Wolves!"

"Let's go show them that this is our house!" I yell once more before turning and walking out of the locker room.

The men are all rowdy behind me. They always are. I'm the calm before the storm. The levelheaded one. I keep the team together.

Once behind our bench, we wait for the go-ahead to get on the ice. As soon as we get it, I do a quick circuit, my eyes finding my girls immediately.

Shit.

Not my girls.

Shaking my head, I wave at them. Cora waves back, but Grace doesn't. Instead, she turns, showing me the back of her jersey.

James is displayed with the number nineteen on the back. I can't even deny that I'm cheesing right now.

She chose me.

She turns back and shrugs before mouthing good luck as she shoos me away.

I shake my head, still smiling as I move to where we are warming up.

"What was that about?" Beckett asks me.

"No idea what you mean."

"Dude, I've known you for two years, and I've never seen you smile like that. You know Cooper has a thing for her. Is she worth the trouble it will cause?"

"Beck, bud. This is none of your business, and this isn't the time. Grace is a friend. Now focus on the game."

I go to get up, finished with my stretches, but his words reach my ears anyway.

"You're lying to yourself as much as he was. He wised up, though. When will you?"

I skate away, hating that he is getting in my head. I need to be focused on the game, and instead I'm wondering if he's right. If my feelings for this girl go deeper than the friendship I claim to have with her.

I'm so out of it that I get an icing penalty on my first pass. Coach calls me in, so I sit down and shake my head loose. I glance over at Grace again. She's not watching the action. She's looking at me. She points to her head, then the ice as she mouths head in the game.

I nod once.

She's right.

This will all be here later. For right now, I have a game to win.