COLTON
Ava and I have had time to get used to our new reality. Her moving in with me was the best surprise ever, and it helped me to sort myself out and prepare for the national championship tournament. I am beyond grateful to the Thunders for letting me finish playing my last games of the season with my college team. My contract comes into effect once the championship is over. We won the regional semifinals and rolled on to the regional finals. Making it to the Frozen Four was nerve-racking, but we pulled it off and beat Denver U.
The championship game is all I’ve been focusing on this past week, barely finding time for anything else. It’s my last game with the Panthers, and I’m determined to make it memorable. For me, for the team, and especially for Ava.
Walking out of the locker room, I head back to the ice rink. It’s the fucking championship, and our team is winning three to one against Minnesota University. If we win tonight, it will be our fourth title since 1996. It would be iconic to take the championship together, with my best friends Clay and Drake, as it’s the last time we’ll play together for the Panthers. Bittersweet, and also thrilling. If we ever get to play for the same team again after graduation, I will be the happiest guy in the world. These two dudes are incredibly different, and I’m just glad they want to be friends with a moron like me.
I look around the arena and smile like an idiot when my eyes land on my mom and dad. I have no idea how he was able to convince her to come, but she’s here, and she’s smiling at me in return. I wink at her and move my gaze further, taking in Dax, who’s seated with Benson’s family not very far from my parents. He is talking with Ms. Lewis, the librarian, making her grin and blush. Ava is right—those two are cute together, and it would be great if something comes out of it. Everyone deserves a second chance at love.
As soon as I lock eyes with Ava, the whole arena becomes empty and quiet. Such a gorgeous girl I have. I will never stop praising and complimenting her, because that’s exactly what she deserves. She plays with one of her braids, grinning at me with the cheeriest look on her face. She’s full of mischief, and I can’t help but think about her in my bed just this morning. I have a rule: no sex before games, to stay focused and collected. This morning, she made me break it, and I can’t say I regret it. My morning was mind-blowing.
“Thompson, are you ready to get back in the game? Or is eye-fucking your girl more important?” I meet Benson’s gaze. Nothing has really changed since the day we became best friends. He’s huge, and I feel like Tom Thumb near him. He’s an amazingly talented right wing. Once he steps onto the ice, he moves effortlessly and fast, as if he’s way smaller and lighter than he is. “Earth to Colt, are you even here?”
“I’m just thinking about how big you are. You never thought about becoming a football player?” I nudge him with my elbow, and he laughs heartily.
“I tried, but being on the ice feels different. It’s like every muscle in my body comes to life. I feel driven, motivated, and incredibly focused. Once my head is in the game, the world outside the ice rink doesn’t exist.”
“Same.” Clay steps into the conversation as if he’s been here the whole time. “Hockey is life, and I refuse to even hear from anyone who thinks differently.”
“Amen.” The three of us whirl around and gawk at Coach. A smile plays across his lips, but his arms are crossed. “If you’re done stating the obvious, how about we win our fourth championship?”
“Definitely.” I smirk, putting my helmet on. What could be better than graduating college as a national champion? Only graduating college as a national champion and having Ava in my life, for sure.
The third period is tense, even if we’re winning. Our rivals dominate the game, trying to score and pushing us to play defense. Clay is our glue, holding us together and motivating us to do our best with his saves. He’s a marvelous goalie, and the Hawks would hit the jackpot if they decide to sign him. I’m proud of him, even though I would have loved to play on the same team with him. Maybe one day.
It’s the seventeenth minute of the third period when I see a clear chance for us to score. Not ideal and very tricky, but I want to take the risk. Big chances are never small stakes, and my final year in college is the best evidence of it. If I didn’t get over my own ego and follow my desires, Ava would have never been with me. I would have been destined to be lonely, with a horde of meaningless hookups and nothing else. What I have now is a hundred times better.
I meet Benson’s gaze, and he shakes his head. He knows what I’m up to, and I have no doubt he’s going to help me. Any team should play as a whole, feeling each other out and understanding one another without words. That’s what our coach taught us. We are like a family, where every person knows what they need to do so everyone will succeed.
Moving on instinct, I steal the puck from one of Minnesota’s player and skate away from him as fast as I can. Being quick is one of my strong suits—not to brag. I pass to Drake, who moves alongside me to our opponent’s net. It takes one second, then his stick meets the puck with an immediate slapshot and goes straight into our opponent’s net, landing just behind their goalie. Hell yes.
I bump into Benson, hugging him tight as other guys join us in celebration. The feeling is marvelous and euphoric, and it helps us to end the game on our terms. The Great Lake Panthers are fucking national champions!
I hear excited chattering, applause, and joyful screams. The entire arena is filled with sound. Yet I’m trying to find Ava with my eyes. I have something I want to ask her, and my heart is ready to jump out of my chest from nervousness. And also fear. A fucking monstrosity spreads its venom all over my skin, and I start sweating. I’m so afraid she’s going to freak out, or worse—tell me off just because of how I decided to handle it.
The truth is, I want it to be big. Just like my love for her is enormous. I want everyone to know what this girl means to me, even if it means making a fool of myself. She is worthy of only big gestures, not half-assed attempts. Ava deserves the world at her feet, and I intend to give it to her on a silver platter. Or maybe a gold one. Whatever the hell she wants.
Time flies, and my face hurts from the number of smiles I flashed for pictures. Finally sliding away, I see Dad and Dax laughing at something, while Mom is talking to Ms. Lewis. They are waiting for me, and I honestly can’t wait to join them, but only after Ava and I talk. I notice her on the team’s bench with Layla. I frown, looking more closely, and then I instantly break into a smile. She’s wearing my jersey, number eleven. My girl is wearing my jersey, and this simple realization turns me into a lovesick puppy. Mine, mine, mine…it’s a mantra in my head, getting louder and louder.
I skate over to them, and she stands up. Layla follows her closely, winking at me. She’s the best partner in crime I could have asked for. Ava puts her hands on the board and leans forward, arching an eyebrow at me.
“What are you going to do?”
I wind my hands around her waist and haul her to my chest over the board. When I put her on the ice, her eyes go wide. “You’re safe with me,” I tell her, bending down close to her.
“I’m just a bit surprised. Everything is good.” I put my hand on the board, and Layla quickly pushes our secret in my fingers.
“You’re wearing my jersey.” I ball my fist over the ring as I continue to stare Ava in the eyes.
Ava puts her hands on her hips, smiling from ear to ear. “I’m proud to be Colton Thompson’s girlfriend, and I want everyone to know it.” She takes a step closer. “Kinda staking my claim on you.”
“And I’m staking my claim on you.” I drape a hand over her waist and pull her closer. “I know you might be furious for what I’m about to do, but I don’t care. You are my most precious treasure, my fucking Stanley Cup, my everything. Even a day without you feels like the loneliest eternity, one I have no desire to go back to ever. I fell in love with you once and for all, and I’m certain you’re the best thing that ever happened to me.”
“Colt…” she murmurs, her eyes glimmering with happiness. “I love you too.”
I take a deep breath and lower myself onto one knee in front of her. Her palm flies to her mouth, covering it as she stumbles back a little. “I’m Colton Thompson. The future center for the California Thunders. A soon-to-be Great Lake University graduate. A fucking stubborn idiot, and a closed off moron. I’m a grump, and I’m not always the best person to be around, but you love me. I don’t know what I have done to deserve you, but here we are. You’re my life, and I want you forever. Will you be my wife?”
Her lips tremble as she lowers her hand from her face. Ava sweeps her gaze around, noticing people watching us.
“I kinda hate you right now for drawing so much attention to us,” she mutters, and I barely hold myself back from bursting with laughter. This is so her, and she’s so mine. It’s insane how much this girl means to me.
“The winner takes it all, Ava,” I state, grinning. “I want to become not only a national champion, but also your fiancé today. So? Will you be my wife?”
“Yes,” she murmurs as I take her hand and slowly put the ring on her finger. Layla squeals, and I make a mental note to thank her again. If it weren’t for her, I would have freaked out the second I stepped into the jewelry store. She helped me not lose my mind and kept it a secret from everyone, including her brother and her boyfriend. Ava has a real gem of a best friend. “It’s so beautiful.”
I stand up, and she jumps on me, locking her legs behind my back. I hold her close, coasting my eyes over her face. “So glad you like it.”
“How could I not?” Ava asks, glancing around and pouting. “Everyone is watching.”
“They all envy me. To have such a stunning woman as you, I’m one lucky idiot.”
“Can you imagine what would happen if they knew I’m pregnant?” Her emerald green eyes are full of concern. “They would think that’s the only reason you proposed.”
“They can all go to hell. I don’t care. I would have married you anyway. Pregnant or not.”
“So cocky.” Ava inches closer to my face, sucking my bottom lip into her mouth and grazing her teeth over it. “And so dominant.”
“Just like you love it.”
“Absolutely.” She kisses my lips and moves away, looking over my shoulder. “I think our parents want to talk to us.”
Our parents are a whole different story. I honestly thought the talk with Dax would be the easiest one, and I expected my own father to flip when I told him Ava was pregnant. In reality, both men shook Ava and me to the core. They were in total support of our decision to keep the baby, offering reassurance and help. Dax suggested Ava take a year off, so she can focus on raising our child and then go back to school once the baby is older. My father went further. He bought us a house in San Jose, telling us that we were free to decorate it however we wanted. It was too much, and I told him that. I didn’t want him to buy my love with grand gestures. The answer literally made me lose my shit: It’s not about you. It’s about my grandchild, and I intend to be the best grandpa in the world, even if the competition is tough.
I chortle, turn around, and skate over to our parents, not letting Ava go for even a second. “I bet they do.”
She sighs, cupping my cheeks with her palms. “I love you, Colt.”
“I love you too, Ava,” I confess.
This year has brought me way more than I ever could have dreamt of. Family. Happiness. Love. Her kicking me out of her dorm the first time we met is what started us. And even if there were a ton of fuckups, I wouldn’t have changed any of it.
