Boarded by Love (44 page)

Seeing her smiling face reiterates how important this game is as well as the rest of my college career. I have to make sure we’re good. I have to give her everything she wants because not only does she deserve it, but I want to do it. I want to treat her like a princess, just like Jayden said.

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.

I smile back, and when I glance at Claire, her face matches her hair.

“Thank you,” Mom says with a polite grin. “And I do understand, but I also think that if Jude loves her, she has to be special. Maybe you can consider that?”

Reese chuckles beside Phillip, and he sends her a glare before nodding his head. “Yes, ma’am. I’ll try.”

“Good, I have a feeling it’s serious between these two.”

“Please, it’s only been what, a month?” my dad asks.

“Almost,” I say. “But when you know, you know.”

My mom nods. “I agree and I believe in them,” she says, reaching out and cupping my face.

“Thanks, Mom,” I say as she drops her hand. I grin over at Claire and she grins back, lacing her fingers with mine.

“Let’s hope for the best. But anyway, it was wonderful meeting you two. I hope to have you over for dinner one day. Congratulations on your wedding tomorrow,” Mom says, holding her hand out to shake Reese’s and Phillip’s again.

“Of course, we would love that,” Reese says.

“Thank you, it was great meeting you,” Phillip says, but his face says he wishes he’d never come over here.

“It was. We will see y’all later. Jude, honey, great game. Call me tomorrow.”

I agree and then kiss her and Lucy, thanking them all for coming. After saying bye to everyone, minus my dad, I meet back up with Claire, who is still standing with Phillip and Reese.

“That wasn’t awkward,” Claire says once I rejoin the group, a grin on her face.

“My mom is a little outspoken,” I admit, wrapping an arm around her waist.

“You think?” Phillip says, shaking his head.

“She was right,” Reese sings, and he gives her a dark look.

“You hush,” he says forcefully, but when she gives him an even darker look, he kisses her quickly.

As he pulls back, she grins and Claire says, “Ugh, get a room.”

“You hush,” he says, pointing a finger at her, but then he points the finger at me. “And you, you need to roll your wrist on that backhand. It was a great goal, but it was a lucky one. Roll your wrist more and you’ll have more control.”

I nod. “Thank you. I will.”

“Maybe you can show him some moves,” Claire suggests.

He gives her a deadpan look before glancing over at me. “Maybe.”

“I’d love that,” I say, eager to get in the rink with him. I’d love to pick his brain, and maybe he’ll like me a bit more.

“Yeah, so, we need to get out of here. Big day tomorrow,” he says, wrapping his arms around Reese and holding her close to him.

“I know. I’m so excited,” she says, grinning up at him.

“Me too, been waiting three years for this,” he says then kisses her hard against the lips. It’s a little awkward watching them kiss, and when I turn to look at Claire, she’s looking down at the ground, shaking her head.

“Okay, you two lovebirds, we’re leaving! See you bright and early!” she says and then takes my hand in hers, pulling me away as I laugh.

Once outside, the cold air hits me and I smile. I love the cold. It means that Christmas is coming, and that’s my favorite holiday. Wrapping my arm around Claire’s shoulder, we walk toward her car in silence, holding each other close. Leaning into me, she wraps her arms around my waist and I feel perfect like this. After I kiss the top of her head, she moves away from me to unlock her door.

Throwing her bag in, she turns and asks, “Have you heard that song ‘Latch’?”

I shrug my shoulders. “Nope.”

“It’s our song,” she declares, pulling her phone out. She has a different song for us every other day. I don’t mean that it’s a bother, but isn’t a couple supposed to have only one?

“Is that right?” I ask, and she nods as she bends over, going into the car, giving me a spectacular view of her gorgeous ass. Before I can get me a handful of it though, music starts blaring from her car and she stands upright, coming toward me. It’s a slow song, soft and sultry, and as she wraps her arms around my neck, resting her head on my chest, I hold her close to me as I listen to the words. The song is about finding that one person who you want to latch on to and never let go.

“Dance with me,” she whispers and I oblige, slowly swaying to the meaningful music. I’ve never heard the song before, but it is amazing, and each word of it is how I feel about Claire. It
is
our song. She is completely right. Lacing her fingers behind my neck, she rests her chin on my chest, looking up at me, and my heart beats out of my chest as I get lost in her sweet blue eyes.

“I’m latched to you,” I whisper and she nods.

“I know, and I won’t let go,” she says, bringing her hands to cup my face. “I love you.”

“I love you more.”

“Not possible,” she says and then she brings her lips to mine.

And as my lips move with hers, I’m in what I consider to be utopia.

“S
he really loves him.”

I glance up to meet my soon-to-be wife’s eyes, and I know that she’s right, but I don’t want to accept it. We stand beside our car, watching as Claire and that bonehead hold each other, swaying to the music playing from her car. I want to go over there and scoop her up and steal her away, but I know she’d fight me away. She loves the guy. I want to imagine her single and a virgin till she’s thirty, but I know that isn’t true. She hasn’t had it easy, and I wish I could undo those years of hell, but I can’t. All I can do is pray and hope to God that nothing ever hurts her again.

And by the way she looks at that kid, I know he could be her biggest heartache.

“Something about that guy rubs me wrong. I don’t know what it is. I mean, he seems like an all right kid, driven and ready for life, but I don’t know,” I say once we’re in the car. I feel like a creeper watching Claire as she canoodles with that guy, but I can’t bring myself to drive away.

“You’re jealous,” Reese says, and I whip my head to her.

“The hell I am!”

She laughs as she turns in her seat to face me. “Yes, you are, babe. She’s your number one, your right-hand man, and you know that he’s taking over.”

“You’re my number one too,” I say, not only because it is true but because I don’t want to admit that maybe she might be right.

“Oh, I know. Don’t try to distract me with sweet stuff; I know the truth – I can read you like a book, Phillip.”

I take her hands in mine, kissing her knuckles. “I know, but it scares me, you know,” I say. I usually don’t talk about my feelings, but I can say anything to Reese and she won’t judge me one bit – she’ll only love me. “I don’t want anything to hurt her, and I think she’s in too deep with this kid. He could hurt her, and then I swear to God, Reese, I’ll kill him.”

Leaning her head on my shoulder, she lets out a breath. “I know, baby, but we have to trust that she knows what she’s doing. And if it all comes crashing down in a heap of hell, then you know what? We will be there to catch her and help mend her wounds.”