When warm-ups are called, I go out to the blue line, lining up with my linemates, including Jayden. As a little girl sings the national anthem, I close my eyes and send a little prayer up to the heavens. I know I’ve got this, and as I line up for the puck drop, my opponent meets my gaze and I ask, “You ready to lose?”

“Fuck you,” he sneers and I smile.

When the puck drops, I win it back for my defensemen and head up, waiting for them to pass me the puck. I look back to see Jayden with the puck, deking around a player before shooting it up to me. Hitting my blade, I dig in, going around one player, putting my hip into them as I turn, passing the puck to Martin. Pushing off the jerk, I head to the goal, blocking the goalie from being able to see. He pushes me in the back, but I stand strong, blocking him and waiting for the puck to come my way. Jayden gets the puck and lines up the shot, shooting hard, but a defenseman gets in the way, blocking it with his shin. Luckily though, it lands in front of me, and I quickly backhand it over the goalie’s shoulder and into the back of the net.

My arms go up as the goalie pushes me away, and I skate toward my team, getting wrapped up in a tight hug as the crowd chants for us. Scoring used to be my ultimate high before being with Claire, and while it doesn’t hold the same feeling that kissing Claire does, it still shakes me to the core. Skating toward the bench, my gaze catches Claire’s and she’s grinning from ear to ear, her arms up in the air, shaking the pom-poms.

That was for her.

Hell, everything I do is for her.

We won.

Three to zero.

Just like I knew we would. I had two of the goals, and while I wish I had scored all three, I’m just glad we shut them out. The locker room is jubilant, and we’re ready to win the rest of the season. We will win the championship, and I will go into the draft a winner. That’s my plan, and I hope that every game ends with me off to meet Claire.

After showering, I head out of the locker room with Jayden to find Claire waiting for me. Her face breaks into a grin, her eyes bright as she pushes off the wall. Like me, she wears Bullies sweats, but still has her makeup and hair done from earlier.

“Hey, gorgeous,” I say, slinging my arm around her shoulders.

“Hey, hotshot, great game.”

I smile. “Thanks, babe. That first goal was for you.”

“Aw, really?”

“Yup, really, both of them were.”

“Ugh, I can’t stand you two,” Jayden says, walking faster and away from us.

I laugh as her grin grows, her face turning a pretty pink. “I like that a lot, and you’re just jealous, Jayden!”

He scoffs as he shakes his head, and I smile before meeting her gaze. “You killed it out there, baby.”

“Thanks, it was a great performance, and seeing you there made it even better.”

“Good, it was a pleasure watching you,” I say before kissing her temple as we head out into the lobby.

I see Angie first; she’s running to me, her arms out as she calls, “Ude! Ude!”

I drop my bag and pick her up, kissing her loudly on the cheek. “Hey, girlie! You like the game?”

She nods quickly and then reaches for Claire. She takes Angie, kissing her cheek and talking sweetly to her as the rest of my family reaches us. I don’t hear them congratulating me and Jayden on a good game though, all I see is Claire loving my niece like she’s her own. She’s so good with kids, and it does something to my heart to see her with children.

“Hey, Claire. Wow, you are a great dancer,” Mom says, and Claire grins at her.

“Thank you so much. It was a great performance, followed by an awesome game,” she says as Angie wiggles down and runs to Lucy.

“Your backhand was a little sloppy,” Dad says, and I meet his gaze, hating that he’s here.

“It went in,” I say with a shrug.

“Even an ugly goal is a goal,” Claire says. She quickly adds, “But that goal wasn’t ugly, Jude, I’m just saying.”

I laugh. “Yeah, I know, babe.”

“Oh, there are Phillip and Reese,” Claire says suddenly. “Sorry, excuse me.”

“I want to meet them, Claire,” Mom says and Claire nods.

“Yes, ma’am, just a second!” she calls as she runs toward to Phillip, hugging him tightly.

“Why do you want to meet them?” Dad asks.

I pull my gaze from where Claire is hugging Reese now to see my dad with an annoyed look on his face, watching Claire with her family.

“Probably because she’s important to me?” I ask.

“I’m surprised you’re still with her,” he says and I glare.

“I don’t know why you even care,” I say, and my mom places her hand on my chest.

“Not now, they are coming this way,” she says, and I look over to find that Reese and Claire are coming toward us, pulling Phillip along. He doesn’t look pleased at all.

“Reese, Phillip, this is Jude’s mom and dad, Mr. and Mrs. Sinclair,” she says with a grin. “And then his sister Lucy, her daughter Angie, Jace, and Jayden. Everyone, this is my uncle and aunt.”

Everyone shakes hands, my brothers acting all awkward since he’s an idol to us, but to my surprise, Phillip is really pleasant to my family. But when his gaze meets mine, I see the annoyance in his eyes. He doesn’t want to meet my family at all. He wants me to go away.

Too bad I’m not.

“So, you don’t like my son, I hear?” my mom asks, and Claire’s mouth drops open. Mine doesn’t though; I’m not shocked at all. My mom is a mother hen; everyone loves her people or she cuts them.

Phillip looks a bit taken aback but he recovers well, laughing as he shrugs his shoulders. “It’s not that I don’t like him–”

“I think your exact words were ‘I don’t like you,’” I say, and he cuts me a look that seriously scares the fuck out of me.

Trying to cover it with a laugh, he looks back at my mom. “You have to understand that I don’t think anyone is good enough for her. I mean, do you like Claire?”

Mom smiles sweetly. “I do. She is a wonderful girl. You’ve done well.”

Phillip’s face reddens a bit as he says, “Thank you. She’s special to us.”

“I can see why. She dances like a dream.”

“She does. We’re very proud. And just to clarify, I think Jude is great,” Reese says, sending me a grin.