13. Leah

CHAPTER 13

LEAH

I can't remember the last time I went to a hockey game. The sound of pucks on the ice, the energy, the smell of beer, popcorn and stadium nachos all have me feeling nostalgic. I've got on my favorite cable knit sweater that is the same color green as the Badgers' jerseys, a pair of dark-blue jeans, and my white Converse. For the first time in forever I wore my hair natural and much to my delight, the curls are actually acting right tonight. Then there's the matter of my glasses since I slept in my contacts last night and my eyes were not having it with them today. But I'm going to embrace them because I feel really cute tonight.

"Here we are," Jackson says, ushering me into our aisle. We are so close to the ice that every way we turn we have an unobstructed view of the game.

"Fancy meeting you guys here," a familiar voice says from down the aisle. I look up from searching for my seat number and see Shane smiling at me before Taylor's head pops out from beside her.

"What are you two doing here?" I glance back at Jackson, but from the slight look of disappointment on his face I can tell he wasn't expecting them to be here. I lean in and give them both hugs as Taylor answers.

"We come to every home game we can make it to." My brows knit together and a pit forms in my stomach.

"Oh, I didn't know." Shane's mouth pops open to say something but before she can the crowd starts cheering—Taylor included—when the Badgers skate onto the ice to start warming up. Shane and I share a glance, but she shrugs and starts cheering with Taylor.

"I'm going to grab a drink; do you want anything?" Jackson offers.

"I'll take a Diet Coke, thanks." He takes off up the stairs and I turn back to face the ice. I clap to show my support, recovering quickly from feeling left out since my friends haven't invited me to a single game they've apparently attended. Regardless of whether or not I would have come, they could have at least invited me.

My eyes scan the ice, watching player after player pass the puck, make their shots and then like a beacon of light in the ocean, bright pink tape on a hockey stick catches my attention.

Number thirteen.

Sawyer Clark.

Using the same pink tape that he's used on his hockey sticks since high school.

When he skates past, Taylor whistles and hollers at him. "Let's go, Moose!"

He glances over and his gaze lands on her immediately—he's probably familiar with where to find her since she comes so often—then he rolls his eyes and looks away.

Before he makes it too far, he turns around and does a double take. There's no mistaking that he's looking straight at me when he flashes that gorgeous bright smile my way. My cheeks heat instantly, and I offer a soft smile back at him, but as soon as those damn butterflies that only come to life when I look at Sawyer Clark begin to flutter around, the memory of him with another girl comes to mind, and they die on the spot. When I finally refocus, he's already back to his warmups.

"I think he's missed seeing you." Taylor doesn't look at me when she says it, but there's a hint of sadness in her voice that makes my heart sink.

"Yeah…" I glance at Shane, and she gives me a wink of encouragement.

"One Diet Coke." Jackson's voice has me shaking off the melancholy feeling and joining him on the other end of the aisle. When we sit down, he wraps one arm around my shoulder, and we make light conversation about the different warmups and why they stretch the way they do. When I glance over at him the look on his face reminds me of some of my kindergarteners trying to retain information and it makes me laugh. He looks at me and begins to laugh too.

"What?"

"Oh, nothing. You just look like one of my kinders trying to remember all the different sounds the letter a makes." I giggle and he pulls me closer to him, planting a kiss on my temple.

"It's a lot of information to take in, give me a break." When he finally stops and I look back up, we're barely a breath away from each other and my chest tightens with anticipation.

His throat bobs when he swallows and his eyes land on my lips for a moment, my heart rate picking up just before the announcer comes over the loudspeaker and the game starts. Jackson sits back in his seat and clears his throat, keeping his arm around my shoulder as the teams are announced and take center ice for the puck drop. As soon as the game starts, my inner sports fan comes out in the fiercest way. I'm cheering, yelling at the ref, and biting my nails so much I'm really glad there's no polish on them right now or I'd probably choke on it.

"Wow, you weren't lying. You really like hockey," Jackson laughs as I'm on the edge of my seat watching Sawyer and Garcia pass the puck back and forth. Then number twenty-four comes up out of nowhere—completely wide open on the goalies unattended side of the net. Sawyer slaps the puck over to their forward, Rooney, and he makes the shot.

"Let's go!" I jump up from my seat and glance over at Shane and Taylor to share in our excitement.

When I sit back down, intermission is starting and I'm able to take my first deep breath since the game began. We watch the guys skating around until the Jumbotron starts showing all the celebrity look-alikes and our eyes stay fixed on it instead.

Jackson leans over to crack a joke about the Mr. Peabody look-alike when the Jumbotron switches to the kiss cam. The old couple at the beginning makes the entire stadium Awww and when I look around to see if I can spot where they are in the crowd, I'm able to quickly find them in the section next to us. Jackson and I share an endearing look then I hear the crowd going absolutely wild— specifically my best friends. I look over to see Taylor and Shane screaming and acting like complete fools . Then they point to the screen, and I'm slightly mortified to see my own face, right next to Jacksons.

My eyes are wide when I turn back to Jackson, but he simply smirks and takes my face in his hands and kisses me. The crowd grows louder as his lips move over mine and when we pull away, I'm sure my face is as red as a tomato. I hide behind my hands, unable to wipe the grin off my face, but when he moves them for me and points to the Jumbotron, I glance at the screen and they have one of those silly kiss cartoons playing, which of course, makes me laugh even harder.

I hide my face with my sweater sleeves again as Jackson holds me close, planting softer kisses on the top of my head. A moment later I hear something crashing against the plexiglass on the ice below us and my head snaps up.

Sawyer.

"Keep your fucking hands off of her!" He practically growls as he slaps the glass, eyes locked on Jackson.

WHAT?!

His jaw tightens before he skates away, and I'm left frozen in my seat. My mouth pops open but I have no words. None that would ever make what just happened make sense at least. I look over at Taylor and Shane out of the corner of my eye and, as expected, their mouths are both hanging open. I feel more heat rush to my cheeks and when I turn back to look at Jackson, he has a confused and almost angry look on his face.

"Want to tell me what that was about?"

Um…Wish I freaking COULD .

"I have absolutely no idea," I answer honestly.

The rest of the game Sawyer is playing so aggressively I am just waiting for the ref to send him to the penalty box. When the final buzzer sounds, I exhale and release all the anxiety I had been holding onto the entire third period.

"Can we go somewhere to talk?" Jackson whispers in my ear. I nod in agreement as he leads us through the crowded building until we make it outside.

"What's going on between you and Sawyer?"

Right to the point, shit, okay.

"Nothing is going on between me and Sawyer." I cross my arms defensively, unsettled by the look on his face. He takes a deep breath, running a hand through his hair. "You don't believe me?"

"I want to. But I mean, come on Leah. That wasn't nothing." I suppose he's not wrong there. That was definitely not nothing , but it's also not what he's more than likely thinking it is.

"Clearly he's lost his mind," I scoff, but Jackson just stares at me like he's searching for something.

"So, it's just a coincidence that the first time we ever tried to go out, he told me not to bother getting too friendly with someone that didn't belong to me? Which, by the way, seems pretty aggressive."

"He did what?" I ask through gritted teeth.

"I got the message loud and clear, and I backed off. That's why I never asked you out again after that night. But then he seemed to disappear, and I thought maybe it was just some weird joke or something, so I asked you out again… And now? He's threatening me in the middle of a hockey game because I'm here with you. "

Sawyer is the reason Jackson never asked me out again after that night?

I hear him talking, but all I can focus on is the burning desire I have to choke the shit out of Sawyer.

"Jackson, I swear to you I haven't spoken to Sawyer since I graduated high school. Outside of greetings in front of friends and at weddings, he hasn't been part of my life in years. " He adjusts his glasses and slides his hands into his coat pockets.

"Well…it's clear you've been part of his. Or at the very least he's wanted you to be."

"But I haven't been!" I croak, getting more upset and confused by the second.

"I believe you, Leah. But I do think someone needs to tell him that you're not his ." I take a deep breath and try to calm myself down.

"I'll talk to him and just tell him to mind his own business. I am so sorry about tonight, Jackson." He shakes his head and smiles at me.

"Did you have a good night?" he asks, placing his hands on the back of both of my arms.

"I did. It was a lot of fun." I smile up at him as he tucks a strand of hair behind my ear, leaning in until his lips are brushing mine as he speaks.

"Good. I did too." Then he kisses me again and it's a feeling I could really get used to. Even though Sawyer's face is all I can see when I close my eyes.

I'm definitely going to have to talk to him soon. I can't keep seeing his face when I'm making out with another guy. That just feels…dirty.