13. Natalie

NATALIE

The energy in the arena is electric as I take my seat in the VIP section, surrounded by the friends and family of the Nighthawks players. There"s a buzz of excitement in the air, everyone knowing that tonight"s game against the Rockets is a big one. Luc says they're never won against them while he's been on the team, and I've been following the Nighthawks since I was a kid and don't think I recall them ever having beaten them before that either. But we're all crossing our fingers and toes, hoping and believing that tonight will be the game that breaks their losing streak. I'm so freaking nervous for them.

As the players skate out onto the ice for warm-ups, I'm filled with a nervous energy. My eyes immediately find Luc, his powerful strides taking him around the ice like a predator on the prowl. I"m used to seeing him in his practice gear, but damn, does he look good in his uniform. All muscle and testosterone. I can't help but blush as my eyes linger a little too long on his...stick.

My eyes lift back to his, then he smirks and breaks away from the team, skating over to the stands and stopping right in front of me.

"Hey, beautiful," he says with a grin, reaching over the barrier to pull me in for a quick kiss. "I"ve got something for you."

He hands me a jersey, and when I unfold it, I see his number, 89, emblazoned on the back. My cheeks flush when I remember what we did together the last time we discussed me wearing his jersey…

"Luc, I... thank you," I whisper, my fingers tracing over the numbers.

"I told you, I want my girl wearing my number," he says with a wink. "Now, how about a kiss for good luck?"

I lean in, pressing my lips to his in a sweet, lingering kiss. "Go get "em, tiger," I murmur against his mouth. "And just know that when all this is over, I want to do some more of that other number we both seem to like so much."

He growls. "Careful, Natalie. You're gonna make me play with a hard on saying stuff like that."

I laugh, pushing him away playfully. "Well, then I guess you better go...score..."

"So evil." He grins, giving me one last peck before skating back to join his team. I watch him go, unable to wipe the goofy grin off my face as I admire the way his ass moves with each stride.

Returning to my seat, I lay out the new jersey from Luc across my lap and trace over the letter ‘C' on the front of it. I have to resist the urge to lift it to my face and see if it smells like him, too. Geez, I've really got it bad for this guy.

When I"m taking off my old Nighthawks jersey—the one with Emile"s number—to put on Luc"s, a girl from behind me taps my arm.

"Excuse me," she says softly, her voice hard to hear over the noise of the arena. "This is kinda a weird request. But is there any chance I could wear that jersey you just took off?"

I turn to look at her, taking in her mousy brown hair, glasses, and shy demeanor. She's barely old enough to be out of college, and in her pink cable-knit sweater and blue jeans, she"s the polar opposite of the typical puck bunny, all bookish and reserved.

"Uh…" I start, not really sure what to say.

"That"s Emile"s number you were wearing, right? You"re his sister," she says, blushing slightly.

I nod, a bit surprised. "Yeah, I"m Natalie, Emile"s older sister. And you are?"

"Oh, I"m Sara," she says, ducking her head. "I just... I think Emile is so talented. I"d really like to support him by wearing his number—especially since he's new to the team and doesn't really have much of a fan club yet. Not saying that I'm like, his one true fan or anything. Because that would be really weird. But I just thought it'd be nice to have someone who's, uh, not related to him cheering him on." She takes a deep breath and tucks her brown hair behind her ear. "I mean, if that"s OK with you, of course."

I can"t help but smile at her earnestness. "Of course, here you go," I say, handing her the jersey. "I"m sure Emile would be thrilled to have such a devoted fan."

"It's really not like that," she says, as she slips the jersey over her head.

I can't resist the knowing smile that tugs at my mouth. "Of course it isn't. So…who are you here with tonight? Are you related to another one of the players?"

Sara shakes her head. "Oh, no. I"m actually Coach Belanger"s daughter. He likes me to come to games whenever I'm home from college. And I'm home a lot now since I just graduated and the job I had lined up in New York fell through."

My eyebrows shoot up in surprise. Coach Belanger"s daughter, huh? Interesting. I glance over at Emile, who"s now skating around the ice, and notice him looking our way. I give him a wave, but his gaze seems to linger on Sara, and even from this distance, I swear I can see the heat in his eyes.

"Oh. And have you met Emile yet?"

"In passing. He was real kind to me. Most players aren't like that." She sighs and gets a faraway look in her eyes.

Oh boy. This could be trouble. The coach"s daughter and the rookie player? It"s like something straight out of a romance novel. But before I can dwell on it further, the buzzer sounds, signaling the start of the game.

The first period is intense, both teams playing with a fierce determination. The Rockets are just as tough as everyone said, matching the Nighthawks play for play. By the end of the period, the score is tied 1-1, and the air in the arena shimmers with tension.

The second period is much the same, with neither team able to get a clear advantage. I find myself on the edge of my seat, my nails digging into my palms as I watch Luc and Emile battling it out on the ice.

It"s not until the third period that things really start to heat up. With just minutes left on the clock, the Rockets score, pulling ahead 2-1. My heart sinks. Are the Nighthawks really going to lose again?

But then Luc gets the puck in the last moments. He"s a blur on the ice, weaving past defenders, his focus laser-sharp. My stomach is in knots, and I'm on my feet with the rest of the crowd, screaming as he winds up for the shot...

The puck flies into the net just as the buzzer sounds. The arena erupts into a deafening roar, and I"m swept up in the celebrations, hugging Sara behind me, along with everyone else around me. It"s pure pandemonium. Luc has done it! He"s scored the tying goal, sending the game into overtime!

As the arena quiets down, Sara moves to sit beside me, and we both link arms and cross our fingers throughout the nail-biting overtime period. It's a pure nail biter, both teams giving it their all. But in the end, it"s Luc who comes through once again. With a brilliant assist from Emile, he scores the winning goal, sealing the victory for the Nighthawks.

"Oh my god! Oh my god!" Sara and I scream in unison, jumping up and down on the spot as the arena roars around us. Tears of joy stream down my face. "They did it! They actually did it!"

I race down to the players' area, my heart pounding with excitement. The moment Luc emerges, I throw myself into his arms, and he catches me, spinning me around and kissing me hard.

"You were amazing out there!" I gasp, looking up at him. "Best game you've ever played."

"It must be because my lucky charm was here," he says, pulling me closer. "You make me feel like I can do anything, Natalie."

"Oh, Luc."

And then he"s kissing me, deep and passionate, right there in front of everyone. I can hear the clicks and flashes of cameras going off around us, and I press a hand against his chest and murmur against his lips, "Aren"t you going to stop them this time?"

Luc shakes his head, his gaze intense and unwavering. "Let them watch. I want everyone to know that you"re mine, Natalie DuPont. And that I want you to be mine forever. You and I are both off the market."

"What?" My heart skips a beat. Is he saying what I think he"s saying?

And then he"s dropping to one knee, pulling a ring box from god knows where. I gasp, my hands flying to my mouth.

"What is happening?"

"Natalie DuPont," Luc says, grinning even though his voice is coming out a little rough. "From the moment I met you, I knew you were special—even though you told me I was irrelevant." I laugh a little at that. "You challenge me, you inspire me, and you make me want to be a better man. I can"t imagine my life without you in it, nor do I want to. I love you, Natalie. Will you marry me?"

Tears flow freely down my cheeks, but I"m smiling so wide my face hurts. "Yes," I whisper, my voice choked with emotion. "Yes, Luc, of course I"ll marry you!"

He slips the ring on my finger, and then he"s standing, pulling me into his arms and kissing me again as the crowd around us cheers. I don"t even care about the cameras or the commotion. The only thing that matters is the man in front of me and the new life we"re about to embark on together.

"I love you, Luc Bouchard."

"I love you too, Natalie," he whispers into my ear before stealing another kiss.

And while I know it"s fast, and I know it"s crazy, standing here, in the arms of the man I love, everything just feels right. This is where I"m meant to be. This is the start of our forever.

When we finally pull apart and Luc wipes my tears away, I look over at Emile, who"s grinning from ear to ear mouthing, ‘Congratulations.'

"Thank you," I mouth back, touching my hand to my heart as I catch Sara"s eye from beside him. He whispers something to her, and she nods then looks at him in a way that makes me think that maybe, just maybe, there's another Nighthawks love story on the horizon.

But that"s a tale for another time. For now, I"m just going to bask in the glow of this perfect, incredible moment. The moment when all my dreams—for my restaurant, for my brother, for myself—have finally come true.

Life sure has a funny way of working out sometimes. But as Luc takes my hand and presses a kiss to my newly adorned ring finger, I know one thing for certain.

This is only the beginning.