Chapter 25

York

I’m sitting in the locker room, my head buried in my hands, trying to shake off the frustration that’s been building since the puck first dropped. I know I’m off my game. It’s not just tonight—it’s been like this for months. Every pass feels wrong, every shot just a little off, and the harder I try to focus, the worse it gets.

The guys are messing around, like they always do during intermission, but I’m not in the mood to laugh it off this time. I can feel their eyes on me, even when I’m not looking.

“Yo, Steele,” Bryce calls out from across the room, his tone light but pointed. “What’s up with you tonight, man? You playing with one skate tied or something?”

A few of the guys snicker, and I grit my teeth, forcing myself to stay calm. I know they’re just giving me shit like usual, but it’s harder to let it slide when I’m already wound so tight.

Another teammate, Drake, chimes in, grinning like he’s about to drop the punchline to a joke. “Maybe he’s distracted by something. Or someone.”

I don’t look up, but I can feel the room shift, the other guys waiting for him to elaborate. Drake leans back, his grin widening as he says, “I saw Noelle in the stands tonight. Maybe that’ll turn your game around, huh?”

My heart stops. I glance up, and for a moment, I can’t breathe. Noelle? Here?

The room erupts in laughter, and someone slaps me on the back, but I’m not paying attention. My mind’s racing, the thought of her here—watching—hitting me harder than any of the chirping from the guys.

Noelle. The one person who’s been on my mind constantly since Christmas, the one I can’t stop thinking about no matter how hard I try. And she’s here? In the stands?

I’m on my feet before I even know what I’m doing, the adrenaline kicking in hard and fast. I can’t stay here. Not when I know she’s out there. Not when I’ve spent months trying to push her out of my head, only to realize that the past few months without her have been miserable.

“What the hell, York?” Bryce calls after me as I start heading for the door. “You’re just gonna leave?”

But I don’t care. I’m already halfway out the door, my mind locked on one thing—finding Noelle. The game, the teasing, the team—it all fades to the background. I need to see her. I need to tell her everything I didn’t have the guts to say before.

The past few months have been hell without her, and I’m done pretending I can live without her in my life.

I rush through the halls, my heart pounding in my chest as I search for her. My mind’s racing, my pulse quickening with every step, and I can barely keep up with the flood of thoughts and emotions surging through me. I should’ve done this months ago. I should’ve fought harder, should’ve told her the truth before everything fell apart. But I’m here now, and I’m not walking away again.

Then I see her.

She’s standing by the locker room doors, talking to her dad. My heart skips a beat, and for a moment, everything else falls away. She’s even more beautiful than I remember. Her hair catches the soft light of the hallway, her eyes bright with something I can’t quite place. All the nerves, the uncertainty, the tension—it’s gone. There’s only her.

I don’t care that Coach is standing there. I don’t care that this could be the most reckless thing I’ve ever done. I need her. I need to tell her everything.

I pick up my pace, practically running toward her. “Noelle,” I call out, breathless, my voice strained with urgency. Both she and her dad turn to look at me, and for a moment, Coach’s eyes narrow like he’s about to say something. But I don’t give him a chance.

“Noelle,” I repeat, stepping right in front of her, my eyes locking onto hers. “Can I talk to you? Please?”

She hesitates, glancing at her father, but after a beat, she nods. “Yeah, okay.”

I take her hand gently, guiding her a few steps away from where her dad is standing. My heart is racing, my palms sweaty, but none of it matters. The only thing that matters is her, and the words that are about to come out of my mouth.

I take a deep breath, my gaze never leaving hers. “I should tell you why I was scared.”

“Scared?”

I nod. “The life I lead, it’s not…” I’m screwing this up. I take a deep breath, letting it out slowly. “My father met my mother at a game. It was a whirlwind romance, until it wasn’t. The fame, the press, my mother couldn’t handle it.”

“Is that why she was depressed?” I ask him, remembering our talk over ice cream.

“Yeah.”

She steps closer. “I can handle the life. I’ve always been right outside of it. My father’s had a lot of press my whole life, and now I’m a blogger. Who knows, one day I could be more famous than you.”

I offer her a soft smile. “I’m in love with you,” I say. “I’ve been in love with you for a long time. And I can’t—” I pause, swallowing hard, feeling the intensity of the moment hit me all at once. “I can’t spend another day away from you.”

Her eyes widen, and I can see the surprise, the emotion flicker across her face. But I don’t let up. I can’t.

“I’ve tried to push you out of my head, tried to convince myself that you deserve better. That you deserve a life without all the chaos that comes with me.” My voice cracks slightly, the vulnerability I’ve been holding back spilling out. “But I can’t do it, Noelle. I can’t stay away from you anymore.”

She’s staring at me, her lips parted, but before she can say anything, I press on.

“I’m retiring at the end of the season,” I say, the words spilling out before I can stop them. “I’ve already made the decision. I’m done. And I don’t care about the game, the spotlight, any of it. The only thing I care about is you.”

My heart pounds in my chest as I wait for her to say something, anything. But all I can see is the way her eyes soften, the way her expression shifts from surprise to something deeper. Something that makes me hope, even in this moment of uncertainty, that maybe there’s a chance for us.