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When I first started dreaming about Face Off and the idea of a woman playing professional hockey, the PWHL (Professional Women’s Hockey League) wasn’t in its complete existence yet. Instead of creating a league for Emmy, I decided to let her play with the boys. Trust me.
Bless the PWHL
“Look at us,” I say. “We’re babies. You had all your teeth.” “And you thought bangs were a good idea.”
With a wave and a flip of her hair, she saunters down the hall and hums a tune that sounds suspiciously like “Goodbye Earl.”
Hell yeah, Piper
Maverick is kind of like a puppy. He’s full of energy and bounces around everywhere.
“Why does she have to be a hockey player? Why couldn’t I have met her in a bar? Or in an airport? Or at some charity gala where I could throw a million dollars at whatever environmental cause she’s passionate about so she’d fall in love with me?” I groan. “This is so unfair.”
Are you more of an emoji woman? I’m partial to the smiley face with the party hat. That guy seems like a good time.
A smile—the tiniest, faintest smile I’ve ever seen—pulls at her lips, and I’m the proudest motherfucker in the world. I want to set off a confetti cannon. Hang a banner from the rafters of the Civic Center that says I MADE EMERSON HARTWELL SMILE. Put it on a T-shirt and wear it around town.
He is SO lover boy
“Put your tongue back in your mouth,” Hudson says, and he smacks my shoulder. “And stop staring at her ass.”
“And I wasn’t staring at her ass. I don’t want to lose a hand, and that woman wouldn’t hesitate to use a buzz saw on me.”
And she wouldn’t
I received a standing ovation when I took the ice for the first time, and I didn’t miss the way Maverick encouraged the crowd to cheer.
“Who’s watching June?” “You don’t see her at the bar? She’s behind the counter slinging handles of vodka.”
HAHA
Changing the future of the sport and inspiring girls and women everywhere, all while wearing ribbons and mascara. Simon Buttecker is going to be pissed, and that makes me giddy.
So giddy about her doing cool things WAHHH
“You might be right.” “I’m sorry. Can you say that again? I didn’t quite hear you.”
“Nonchalance isn’t in your vocabulary, is it, Miller?” “I’m afraid not, Red. I’m not sure I can even spell it.
I managed to not get thrown off the balcony and I made her laugh. Twice. Hat trick for me.
My breath catches. My heart trips and stutters over itself. A little m gets carved out in my chest, an incision in a spot no one else has ever found. Now it belongs to him.
I’ll sob
“Jesus,” Maverick mumbles. “I think the time for Jesus has passed,”
🫣
“Michiganders don’t give a fuck, do they?”
“There was a study on endorphins and female athletes,” he mumbles. “They said sex aided their performance.” “Who is they?” “I don’t know.” He waves a lazy hand in the air. “Them.”
“I can’t even kill a spider. How are people out there murdering other human beings then sitting down at the breakfast table like it’s not a big fucking deal?” Connor shivers. “That creeps me out.”
Real, connor
“She’s not picking up,” I tell the guys, and someone gasps.
All of the boys lover her so much I SCREAM
My phone buzzes again, and I sneak a look at it while Reid gets the next round of GTA set up. There’s another message from Emerson, a single black heart emoji that has me grinning like an idiot the rest of the night.
Kicking my feeeeeeeet
To the four best women in the league—thank you for all you do. You deserve your name to be shouted from the rooftops.’”
I shove a stack of napkins in my pants pocket for good measure—I’ve seen how the woman eats. She’s going to make a mess, and it’ll be the cutest thing in the world.
To be known is to be loved (I guess?)
“Sorry. I was lost in my thoughts for a minute.” “Were they good thoughts?” I look at her with her pretty dress and pretty make up, the twinkle in her eye and the half smile on her lips. “I was thinking about you.” I swallow. “They were the best thoughts.”
This time when she smiles at me, I feel it in the center of my chest. There’s a hollow part behind my ribs where I’ve never felt an ache before. It spreads through me until everything boils down to a single entity: her.
I have some ice cream in the fridge, I’m going to open a bottle of wine, I’m reading a romance book that’s making me kick my feet. What more can you ask for?”
And she’s so real for that
“A Crunchwrap Supreme is never going to fuck you over. I support that decision.”
!!!!
Maverick’s smile rivals the sun, and I want to bottle it up. Keep it for when my days get dark and gray, a reminder of how much good is left in the world.
“What if I want to figure out how you take your coffee? See what plants you buy for your place and make fun of you for sleeping with eight blankets?”
I’ve never imagined my future, but for a second, I do. I look one year, five years, ten years down the road and try to get a glimpse into who that person might be, but all I see is red hair. Green eyes. A wicked smile and a whispered pretty boy in my ear. Oh, fucking shit.
I don’t know what to fucking do because this is my fuck buddy not my fucking forever buddy.
Riley is listening to something Lexi is saying, and I’ve never seen someone nod so many times.
“What?” Hudson asks from my left. “Who put a finger on her?” “Someone hurt Emmy?” Ethan pulls off his gloves. “Who the fuck was it?” “Hell, no. We ride at fucking dawn!” Grant yells, and Seymour pats his shoulder.
Touch her and die except it’s 22 men saying it at once
“You might want to call the commissioner and start apologizing, Coach. We’re going to be in a heap of fucking trouble when we’re finished here tonight.”
I aim for his nose again. “That’s for saying she only has a job because she sleeps around.” I go for his jaw next, and something pops in his cheek. “That’s for saying you’d let your teammates touch her.” I move to his forehead and deck him there. “That’s for making fun of the books she likes to read.” My final blow is to his eye, and I hope I break his eye socket. “And that’s for getting to her before me.”
“We have a lady in our midst,” Ethan yells. “No one drop your drawers, and keep everything covered.”
GAH!
“Hi, Emmy girl,” he murmurs softly. “Hi, pretty boy.”
Giggling and kicking my feet
The internet is. That video the social media team uploaded of you biting your jersey went viral, and you’ve been dubbed GD.
Earlier I thought hmmm is Liam based on Jeremy Swayman? This confirms it. I SEE YOU CHELSEA
This is terrible. Horrific. Possibly the best thing that’s ever happened to me.
“That’s your girl?” Hudson asks. “Yeah.” I grin, and there’s an arrow lodged in my chest. “That’s my girl.”
HEHEHEHHE
“How long have you been in love with my daughter?” he asks again, and the room feels like it’s a thousand degrees.
“How the fuck do you do this every day?” “Do what, exactly? Talk in broken sentences and make no sense? I sure hope I don’t do that every day.”
“I meant with Maven. How do you tell her how you feel every day? Do you just fucking say it?” Dallas blinks. “Are you in love with my fiancée?”
I’ve never been in love with anyone. How can I be sure?” I press the heels of my palms in my eyes and sit on the floor. “I need a definition. Something to go off of.”
Hudson gently shoves my shoulder. “You lovesick idiot.”
“Whoa. What the fuck was that, Cap?” Connor blinks, and everyone’s heads turn our way. “Why are you kissing Emmy?”
“Emmy,” Grant whispers. “Blink twice if you need help. I’ve always wanted to be a hero.”
