“Why these seats?” she asked as she settled in, glad she wore tights under her jeans. It was damn cold sitting this close to the ice.
“There’s nothing better than being right up close to the action. Figured you’d want to see Ty slam someone up against the glass.”
“Uh-huh. You know it.”
“Try to act a little more enthused.”
She snuggled deeper into her coat, deciding she’d need to find some coffee before the game started. “You know how I love my sports.”
“Cynic.”
“Just calling it like it is. I’m only here for you.”
Liz leaned over and nudged Jenna to direct her attention over her right shoulder. “And I’m calling bullshit on that last comment, because there’s a spectacle about to hit the stage.”
She was about to hit Liz with another biting retort, but the players burst through the double doors of the locker room and Jenna held her breath. She wasn’t sure if she wanted Tyler to notice her or not, but as the players filed out onto the rubber carpet and onto the bench, she couldn’t deny she was looking for only one man.
And when she saw him come up, his head was turned in the other direction, focused on saying something to Eddie. He breezed right past her without seeing her.
She was relieved as he climbed up on the bench and put on his gear, then skated out onto the ice.
He’d never know she was here. She sat back and watched the players do laps around the arena to warm up, grinned when San Jose’s players came in and everyone began to boo. She was so focused on watching the players she didn’t notice him until he tapped his stick on the glass right in front of her, nearly startling her right out of her seat.
She jerked her attention to the glass. Ty gave her a wink and a grin, then skated away.
Guess there was no hiding now.
She couldn’t remember the last time she’d seen a live hockey game. Her dad and brothers had come to the games a lot, and she’d been dragged to a few of them when Mom wanted to come along, but she hadn’t been since she was a kid. Of course the games were always on television so she’d watched plenty of them. In the Riley household, you grew up knowing your team sports. There was no escape.
But she’d never been up front, her toes chilled from being so close to the ice, her fingers able to touch the glass. And when the players set up in the faceoff spot, she found herself leaning forward, hands clasped, her body tensed as the referee held the puck in his hand, teasing the drop.
The puck dropped and the game was on. The tension never lessened as they moved to San Jose’s goal in a hurry. Jenna and Liz stood, cheering on the Ice as they fought to get the puck in the goal, then screamed when San Jose’s defender shot it back, their team threatening to score with a shot on goal. The Ice defended, sending it back into San Jose’s territory. Tyler grabbed it and Eddie, right with him, soared again toward the goal.
It went back and forth like that for the entire first period, the teams fairly equal. The first period ended with no score.
Jenna flopped in her seat and watched the players file out. Tyler looked as frustrated as she felt and didn’t make eye contact with her. She understood he needed to keep his head in the game, not flirt with her.
She turned to Liz. “That was intense.”
“Girl, don’t you go to the games?”
“Uh, no.”
“Never?”
“Not since I was a kid.”
Liz rolled her eyes. “You are so missing out. There is nothing as breathtaking as being at a hockey game.” She held her hands out toward the ice as evidence. “Case in point—this first period. I don’t think I breathed the entire time.”
“It was interesting.”
“Interesting my ass. You were riveted. I’ll bet you twenty bucks you scream and jump up and down during one of the Ice’s scoring drives tonight.”
Jenna turned to her, certain she wouldn’t do that. “You’re on.”
The second period started with San Jose defending on their side of the arena, which meant when the Ice threatened to score, Jenna could see Ty close up. And when he and one of San Jose’s defenders fought for the puck along the boards, they’d get slammed against the glass right where she and Liz sat. Instinct made her want to reach out for him, to let him know she was right there, but she resisted the urge.
But damn this was a rough game, and when San Jose scored the first goal, her stomach dropped.
“Damn.”
They fought so hard, had more shots on goal than San Jose. They just weren’t getting the puck in the net.
Liz patted her hand. “Don’t give up on these guys. They’re fierce.”