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One time, I watched with drool pooling in my mouth as he took off his hockey helmet after a friendly street game with my brother and ran a hand through the tantalizing waves. I swear it happened in slow motion it was so captivating. I thought about it for days and hated myself for months that it had affected me so much.
I dreamt of his vivid blue eyes. The way they crinkled in the corners when he smiled.
If it were possible to hate and crush on someone at the same time, that is the life I’m living. Carter is a sight to behold, a fantasy come to life. It’s when he opens that slightly too large mouth of his that breaks the spell. I wish with everything in me that I could be indifferent to him, but there is just something about him that makes me bite.
They say to keep your friends close and your enemies closer…well, I’m just following those guidelines.
Memories of him circle in my head, and I feel floaty. Oh, wait. My next step feels different, like the ground beneath me has vanished. I’m soaring, gliding across the sky. I chuckle into the wool of my scarf, imagining myself flying home and gently descending into a bed of fluffy pillows.
Lost in my exhaustion-fueled thoughts, I don’t process the uproar of noise around me until it’s too late.
“Penny! Watch out!”
My head snaps up. I register a whirl of movement before I’m pushed to the side. Then everything goes black.
Chapter Three
Carter
The bell ringing performance is mind boggling. I didn’t know what to expect when I made my way over here to watch Penny and her group, but after that show of skill, I’m speechless.
I’ll have to ask her about wrist dexterity exercises. How they’re able to precisely flick their wrists at the exact time to create musical magic I will never know. I’m spellbound the entire time.
And sure, a large part of that is Penny. She was amazing up there. Her little red nose scrunched up in concentration, her cheeks pink with exertion. I was starved for the sight of her after being away for most of the fall for training camp and all winter with games. I’ve also kept my distance when I arrived home for random days off for the sake of my sanity.
There are only so many times a guy can see the girl of his dreams and not—finally—take a shot. I’m getting tired of not making a move.
The final bell rings out, and I join in with exuberant applause. I try to keep my gaze locked on Penny, but after the team bow, she gets swept away. For a moment I hesitate, thinking about walking over to her, letting her know I’m back and asking her to go to dinner with me. The idea comes and goes. No, this isn’t the right time. She’s with her friends.
I lose her in the crowd as everyone mingles, deciding on what they want to do next at the market. Deciding that I better head home and not stand around like a fool, I spin in the snow and head back to my sister’s stall. If I don’t say bye to her, she’ll guilt trip me until the new year.
My shoulders hitch up to my ears as the wind picks up. The chill causes me to turn my head, trying to breathe through the cold. That’s when I see her.
Penny is staggering across the field. She’s diverted off the clearly marked walkway that leads back to the main market across the bridge. What the hell is she doing? There’s no path in the direction she’s headed, just the ice-skating pond trail.
I should go over there and tease her about breaking the rules. She’s not one to–oh fuck!
I’m in action seconds later. I haven’t even fully absorbed what’s happening before my feet are moving and I’m running.
“Penny! Penny, no!” My voice is being drowned out by the wind, not reaching Penny but causing people on the bridge to pause and look over at the commotion. My eyes dart to the ice rink, and dread bubbles in my chest. There are two men, dressed in my team’s hockey jerseys and laughing at each other while zooming down the frozen rink. They’re not looking ahead, thinking the path is clear.
But it’s not. Penny has just stumbled onto the ice.
Confusion swamps me as I watch her wobble again. Something has to be wrong. Penny looks to be swaying, and never in a million years would she purposely put herself in danger like this. Not my cautious Penny.
“Watch out!” I cry, waving my hands frantically in the air, hoping to catch the skaters’ attention. Yet both men continue to be oblivious. Fuck, did they just pick up speed? If they cross under the bridge racing, there’s no way they’ll be able to stop before they round the curve and see Penny.
She’s going to be hit.
With all the breath I have in my body, I shout out to her again, praying for a miracle. “Penny! Watch out!”
This time, she hears me. In slow motion, I watch as she turns towards my voice. One of her feet slides on the ice, making her lose her balance and wave her arms in the air. At the same time, the men barrel around the bend. I hear their raised surprised voices, but it’s too late. One of them hits her, pushing her off the ice and into the path of the sleigh ride.
She’s not able to stop the momentum of her body and slams right into the side of the sleigh, startling the horse. It rears up before heading away from the commotion.
Penny bounces off the side of the sleigh, a funny thing to watch in any other circumstance but this one. I’m too worried about her to see the humor. Her body falls backward, half on the ice and half on the snow-covered ground. My eyes widen when I see her head hit the ice and she doesn’t move.
“Shit,” I exhale, sliding on my knees through the snow right to Penny’s side. “Pen? Penny?” Her eyes stay closed. My fingers are shaking as I place two of them on the arch of her neck, checking for a pulse. The steady beat is easy to find, and my gaze flicks to the fallen men beside me. “She’s breathing.”
