19. Luke

Chapter 19

Luke

I blink awake, my body still cocooned in the warmth of the sheets and memories of last night. Keke lays beside me, her hair splayed across the pillow like a red crown, and my heart swells. My queen.

I’d done the stupid thing and fallen in love with her.

It isn’t just our heat that leaves me speechless. It’s the fire she brings to everything in her life. The passion. How long have I been dead inside? Months? Years? The truth is, I’ve never felt this way before Keke. She’s breathed new life into me.

I love her assertiveness, the fact that there’s no telling her no. Her bossiness turns me on. But in the bedroom, it’s different. That is my domain, and in our intimate moments, she surrenders, letting me take the lead. I cherish the trust between us. I crave it. She’s become my new favorite high, and I’m stoned off my ass whenever I’m with her.

I slip out of bed, careful not to wake her. Practice waits for no one. We have a big game coming up so I can’t skip out. I’m turning over a new leaf, and I’m going to prove it to everyone. Especially myself.

I quickly dress in my usual gear and grab my keys before heading out. The fresh morning air hits me as I step outside, clearing my head. Today is going to be a good day.

Arriving at the arena, I’m greeted by the familiar sights and sounds of my second home. But as I step into the locker room, I feel a flicker of anxiety settle in my stomach. The guys appear nervous, all of them chattering amongst themselves. The bachelor auction looms and the stakes feel higher than ever.

Lucas is already there, slumped on a bench with a disapproving look etched across his face. “This bachelor auction is the dumbest shit I have ever heard of. We should do a marathon or something. We could get people to sponsor us for every mile we run. That's a real challenge.”

“Not everything needs to be a challenge, Lucas. Sometimes, you can just enjoy yourself for a good cause. The auction is no big deal. Relax.”

“I am relaxed I’m just fucking annoyed. Leave it to a woman to think of a bachelor auction. Tell her to do a marathon instead.”

“It's not my call, man, It's in my girlfriend's hands. She's the expert here, and she’s already put in a ton of work for this. We’re not changing things at the last minute. The RSVPs are already in.”

He looks me up and down. “Huh. Not there.”

“What?”

“Figured I’d see her purse on your shoulder. Does she carry your tampons for you?”

This fucking kid. “It’s an auction, not an execution, and it’s for a good cause. Get over it.”

“Whipped much?”

“Jealous much?”

He scowls, muttering something under his breath, then shakes his head as he walks toward the showers.

“Don't rub it in his face too much.” Seb says as he enters the room with an amused smirk on his face. “He's really not happy about it, and a few of the other guys were grumbling, too. Don’t push them, or you might have a mutiny on your hands.”

“Yeah, well, I can't help it if he's being an asshole. It's just an auction. They’ll get over it. Besides, I figured they’d like competing against each other to see who makes the most money. We compete over everything else.”

“There's a fine line between friendly competition and pushing someone too hard. You don't want to make him a worse enemy.”

Maybe Sebastian is right. After all, Keke does want me to get along with the kid, maybe even mentor his sorry ass, but it’s hard. He’s such a dick.

“I’ll try but no promises.”

“It’s all I ask.”

Just then Coach enters, his demeanor serious as he surveys the room. “All right, gentlemen, as all of you are already aware, management is on board with this bachelor auction, and we’re making this a team building exercise for charity. They see it as a good way to engage with the community. On another note, if you can't get your scores up, it's a last-ditch effort that won’t do any good for some of you. You’ve all heard the trade rumors. So, do your best on the ice, do your best at the auction.”

Murmurs move through the locker room. I know exactly who he’s referring to as the last-ditch effort. I’m pretty sure everybody does, but I’m still going to rally my team together. “We can do both, Coach,” I assure him. “We will raise money for the shelter and improve our game. We need to step up on the ice, but we can also show the community we care. It doesn't have to be either-or. We can do this. Right, guys?”

Seb gives an enthusiastic, “Yeah!” which encourages a few others to join him. But it wasn’t the resounding cheer I had hoped for.

Coach nods firmly all the same. “That’s what I like to hear. Now, get out there.”

The rest of practice goes smoothly. My mind keeps drifting back to the auction and the chance we have to raise money for the animal shelter I care so much about. Happy Harbor is a tiny, very underfunded cat and dog shelter in a bad neighborhood. They need all the help they can get, so I really hope the guys get into the spirit of things.

After I get out of the showers, I text Keke a quick message. “Can't wait for the auction. Let's show them what we're made of.”

Her reply comes almost instantly, brightening my mood. “We've got this. Meet later for details?”

I respond affirmatively, feeling like the rest of the day has a new sense of purpose to it. I do laundry, change my sheets, and clean the kitchen. I want my place to feel more like a home for Keke. She deserves to come home to a tidy space, and I hope that cleaning up will impress her.

I want to help her make this charity auction a monumental success, not just for the shelter, but to show everyone we’re in this together, side by side. And to show Keke what a good team she and I can be.

Everything seems to hang on the auction’s success. Somehow, this bachelor auction is starting to feel as important as a run at the Stanley Cup.

I run out for cleaning supplies and coffee, and when I arrive home, I catch her in between making decorations and making phone calls.

“I thought we were going out for dinner?”

“I know,” she replies, dragging her fingers through her hair. They get tangled in it, and she attempts to work them out while explaining, “There’s just too much left to do. I’m sorry.”

“No worries. Let me help.” I untangle her fingers from her hair. Turns out, there was a small amount of glue on them. After a few swipes of peanut butter, they come right out.

“How did you know to do that?”

“The pitfalls of Hollywood.”

“I’m gonna need more details than that.”

I chuckle and sit next to her on the couch, caught up in the feeling of just being near her. “Well, my mom had lost a bet, and took a role in this sci-fi pic?—”

“She lost a bet to be in Beyond the Signs ?”

I grin and nod.

“Didn’t you think it was weird someone of her caliber would do a cheesy B-movie?” I ask.

“I think everybody did.”

“Right, well, she lost a bet with the producer, and got stuck playing an alien in the movie. Prosthetics glue usually comes off relatively easy, but this was a small budget film, and the makeup department shared a space with the props department… someone used the wrong glue for her fake ears.”

“Oh no.”

“Oh yeah. Thankfully, someone in props had some experience in the matter and worked some peanut butter into the glue to break it up. Came right off. But when Mom got home, the dog went crazy on her. He was a Great Dane, so it was kind of a problem.”

She snorts out a laugh. “That’s awful.”

“Yeah. Goat was a hell of a dog, well-behaved usually, but when it came to peanut butter, he was a terror. We had to lock him away while she showered and got the rest of the peanut butter smell off. He kept after her ears for a week.”

“Your dog’s name was Goat?”

“That was Evie’s idea. She’s a bit of a free spirit. So, how can I help?”

“How are you with glue guns?”

“Never had the chance to use one before, but I’m game for anything.”

“Perfect. Your hair is shorter than mine, so you’ll be safer, peanut butter or not.”

Figuring out how to use a hot glue gun was fun. Messy, sticky fun, and not at all the kind I was used to, but fun, nonetheless.

As the evening wears on, we share stories. I open up about my concerns regarding the team and the possibility of trades. She listens intently, offering support and encouragement that makes my chest swell with gratitude.

“I know it's tough right now, but you're an incredible player, Luke. You've put in the hard work, and I believe in you.”

“Thanks, that means a lot coming from you. I'm just scared of letting everybody down.”

“You won't. We're a team, remember? We're in this together.”

She has a knack for saying exactly what I need to hear when I need to hear it. I lean in, capturing her lips with mine in a soft, lingering kiss. When I pull away, I can’t help but grin.

“So what do we have planned for the victory celebration after the auction?

Her cheeks flush pink as she smiles. “I'm sure we'll come up with something.”

I can’t understand how she did it. How she became such a critical part of my life in such a short period of time. Looking in her eyes, I see my future there. I know that there’s nothing I won't do for this woman.

Tomorrow, I'll step onto that ice fueled by her belief in me and our shared goal. And together, we'll prove we’re more than just a team.

We’re a force to be reckoned with.