Melting Away The Ice (THE ICE SERIES) (3 page)

Chapter 4 - Sara

"Can you believe these seats?"
Rachel kept gushing as we took our seats in the glass section. They were almost the exact same as last night, but she was still in awe.

“I thought hockey teams traveled a lot. Why are there back
-to-back home games?" I almost whined. I still didn’t like the fact we were given these tickets. I had an unsettling feeling and I was unsure if I wanted to be here.

"Stop talking and
look at where we are." Rachel looked at me with a stern glare.
She is so tiny, but could kick my butt in a heartbeat.

"We were over there last night
." I pointed to the other side of the rink. 

"Yes
, but these are better because they are free." She smiled as she wiggled in her seat. My best friend never looked happier. She had a hard exterior, even though she looked like a super model. But when it came to hockey she was a little girl again. I remembered in our childhood how her father and she would go to so many Eagles game. She was always bouncing around on game days.

On the other hand, my parent’s barely knew I was alive.
My parents worked more than anyone I knew, even more than me. They were hardly home. On top of that, I had no siblings, so it was just me. I would go over to Rachel’s house often because she had the greatest parents ever. They would always treat me like their own.

It
broke my heart when they passed away. First her dad when we were in high school. It was just a few years later that we lost her mom. I never cried so much for the loss of two people. As always, Rachel was so strong, even through the tears.

I hadn't talked to my parents since a couple months after the accident.
It was just a waste of my time for me to call. My jaw had been wired shut from being broken and it was hard to talk. My mother explained that she didn’t have time to decipher messages from me and hung up. Parents of the year, for sure
.
However, I always had Rachel. Through everything, no matter what, she was always my rock and I loved her more than anything.

 
              "Hello!" She waved her hands in my face. "Are you okay?" Concern came over her face.

"How about some beer?" I asked as she pulled me from my thoughts.
Rachel looked shocked, but nodded. As I got up to wave down the beer guy, a security attendant came over to where we were sitting. 

 
              "Excuse me, are you Sara Smith and Rachel Silver?" We looked at each other and then nodded.

 
              "These are for you.” He handed me two bright yellow tickets. “They’re for a special meet and greet at the end of the game." Then he walked away. I thought Rachel was going to faint from all the excitement. Before I could question it, the arena got dark and the Jumbotron started.

 
              "Can you believe this?" She said trying to catch her breath. 

 
              "What the heck is going on? Aren’t you the least curious?" I argued with her.

 
              "Don’t fight fate, Sara, especially when it comes to the Eagles." She pointed her finger at me. 

 
              "Seriously?" I rolled my eyes as the Eagles took the ice. I couldn't help myself; I looked for the number eighty jersey.

There it was.
He was the last to get on the ice. His face was set and serious, his strong jaw tense with determination. His blue eyes were even more piercing than last night. It was hard to catch my breath when I looked right at him. Just then I saw him look back at me and smirk. A very cocky smirk, at that.

 
              "Um, did Lucas Sharp just smile at you?" Rachel leaned over and whispered to me.

 
              "What? No. I am sure he was looking at someone else?" I stammered.

 
              "I don't think so. Maybe you have a secret admirer.” Rachel giggled.

 
              "What are we, in some cheesy Lifetime movie? He was not looking at me." I snapped back at her. She just giggled more.

As the game started I
looked around.
Was he smiling at me? No, I am sure it wasn’t me.
I tried to focus on the game and not think about it. I knew that it was not real. I just put it out of my mind and focused on the players on the ice. The problem was, my eyes kept wondering to Lucas Sharp.
He is a Greek God on the ice
, I thought. Just then Lucas and an opposing player slammed into the boards in front of us. Rachel jumped up, banged on the glass, and cheered. I could hear the players yelling, but I didn’t understand what they were saying.

“
Pourquoi ne jouez-vous pas le hockey comme un vrai home?” Lucas shouted. I looked over at Rachel.

“Is he shouting in French?” I asked.

“Yep, he is from Canada. Somewhere in Quebec, I think?”

“Oh
.” He isn’t a Greek God, he’s a Canadian God. I focused back on the ice and tried to figure out why fans were booing or cheering.

This is so confusing
.

However, I kept watching.
Well, mainly Lucas, but that should count for Rachel. I looked over at her and she more focused on the game than our Bar exams. I just rolled my eyes at her, even though she wasn’t paying attention.

The game seemed to fly by and the Eagles won again.
I was extremely impressed by Lucas’ goal in the second quarter. Or was it period? Whichever? As fans began to leave, Rachel was literally bouncing up and down to go to another meet and greet.

“Rach, how much caffeine have you had?”

“None, why?”

“Because I think you are about to bounce out of your own skin,” I laughed. It was a real laugh and I had not done that in a long time. Maybe because it still hurt the pins in my jaw. I cringed at the thought of them.

Stop it
, Sara! Right now! Focus!
We were waved through just like last night and went to the same spot. The difference was there was no one else but us.

“Excuse me, sir
?” Rachel asked the guard outside the door. “Are we in the right spot?”

“Yes, you two are the special guests of Lucas Sharp, right?
Then you are in the right spot.” He turned back around.

I
looked over at Rachel in shock and just then the side door opened. All I saw was blue eyes, looking back at me.

Chapter 5 – Lucas

“Amy, I know you can work your PR magic.” I smiled sweetly at her.

“Lucas, you
’re asking me to find a woman from a meet and greet and all you know is her name is Sara and has a friend, Rachel.” Amy looked back at me. “Do I look like a police detective?”

“No, you
’re better. Also, could you have it done so they can make it to tonight’s game? Please,” I begged.
Why am I doing this again? Oh yeah I can’t get Miss Perfect out of my head.
Ever since last night she was all I had thought about. I still could not get over the fact that she didn’t like hockey. I kept thinking about how she looked. I shook my head.

“Amy, I will buy you whatever you want
.”
Yeah now I am becoming desperate.

“
Okay, if I find her, I want the new Gucci purse that just came out. Its five hundred dollars, Lucas.” Amy crossed her arms and stared me down. She thought I would back out.

H
a! Yeah right!

“You find her and it’s a deal
.” I stuck my hand out and we shook on it. “Let me know,” I said as I was walking out the door, “I am heading to the ice,” I didn’t hear her response because I was already rushing to the stairs to get to the rink.

I changed in a flash and was out on the ice before Coach D could yell at me.
Being on the ice was the only time I felt alive. My mother said I was born to be on it. However, right now all I could think about was the brunette with curly hair that I saw last night. I usually don’t pay attention, but there was something about her. The sadness on her face is what made me notice her most. When she looked at me for that brief moment, her green eyes were stunning, but she kept looking away. Like she was about to bolt out the door but, it was something else. It wasn’t until her friend came over that I found out her name. At that point I knew I had been “found” out. I’d lived in Chicago for five years and it seems everywhere I go, I get recognized. I love my fans, but I wish I had a day off from being “Captain of the Chicago Eagles, Lucas Sharp.”
Fat chance on that happening any time soon.

“
O Captain! My Captain,” Max hollered at me.

“Yes,” I yelled back at my friend. Max and I go way back.
We first met as teenagers playing in Canada, then we ended up getting drafted the same year. I still tease him that I was drafted second and he was drafter fifth; albeit, he was the leading defense men in the league and I was the leading forward.

“I was just wondering why you
look all
giddy
today,” he said in a girly high pitched voice.

“Yea
h, Captain, what’s up?” Marc skated over to us. Marc was a couple years younger than us and we all looked out for him. However, he had to be the funniest guy ever and loved to pull pranks, even on me. “You have the look of being in a cloud.”

“Marc, when is your English going to get better
?” I asked.

Poor guy!
His accent is so thick at times it would just be easier for him to speak French.

“Hey, I do better each
day.” Max and I laughed at him because he could barely get the words out.

“Well, good job then,” I said with a bit of sarcasm, “and can’t I just be in a good mood
?”

“No,” they both said at the same time. I just
shook my head.

Just then Coach D blew the whistle and practice started.

Three long hours later, I was drenched in sweat and my legs were burning. My body ached, but I needed to focus on the game tonight and have no distractions.
Ugh! I feel so much older than twenty-eight, right now
.

“You owe me a purse, Sharp
.” A female voice bellowed down the tunnel. It was Amy and she was at the end with her hands on her hips.

“No way
.” I picked up my pace to get down to her. “You did it?”

“Yep, I did,” she beamed
. “Her name is Sara Smith. Her friend is Rachel Silver and they are lawyers for a small firm downtown.”

“Is she coming?”
My heart began to beat faster and my smile was glued to my face.

“Yes.
I will have the attendant get her the greet passes when she gets here.”

“Amy, you just got yourself a new purse
.”

“Yes!”
She jumped up and down. “I will email you the purse I want.” She skipped away.

“Oh, so it’s a girl, huh,” Max said behind me.

“Shut up,” I hissed.

“Hey,
I am just asking.” Max was forcing himself not to bark out a laugh. I could see it on his face.

“
Je ne veux pas pour en parler.” I spouted back and walked away. I could hear Max laughing behind me.

I showered, changed
, and headed home. I needed to rest before tonight’s game, but I could not get her off my mind. She didn’t seem like an attorney, though I hadn’t given it much thought. I just could not get her beautiful eyes and her sweet voice out of my head. I hadn’t been with a girl for a long time. My focus had been hockey and goals that I wanted to accomplish in my career.

Finally, at home
, I was able to go to sleep. Before I knew it was time to head back to the rink. Man, I hated back-to-back games.

Around the locker room was quiet, just like before every game.
The team was getting focused and ready for this game to start. As we headed out for warm-up, I looked at the seat I got for Sara, but she wasn’t there. I looked all around to make sure and I still didn’t see her. Disappointment came over me.
Well, that sucks
.

After warm-ups, we headed back to the locker room.
Coach D gave his “go get ‘em” speech. As we headed back to the ice, for the game to start, I tapped each of the team members as they headed onto the ice. I was always the last one on the ice. It was like a tradition for me.

I skated around once and then I saw her.
She was looking right at me, with those beautiful green eyes. She and her friend were dressed professionally, not in any Eagles gear. I just shook my head and smirked at her. I saw her eyes widen and her friend lean over as I skated to center ice.

As the puck dropped,
all I cared about was the game. It was a hard game, but in the end we pulled it out. Scoring one goal and having one assist was a good way to end with a win.

At the end of the game, I rushed to shower and change.

“What’s the rush, Sharp?” Max asked.

“I have a meet and greet,”

“What? We don’t have one tonight,” Max said with a puzzled look on his face.

“Did I say
‘we’? No. I said ‘I’,” I stated firmly.

“So this is about a girl,” he cooed.

“Shut up, Max.” I gave him a stern look.

Max put his hands up
. “Hey, I was just asking.” I turned and walked away from him.

I was
heading to the “meet” room because I knew she had to be there by then. Just as I opened the door, all I saw was her green eyes