Filed to story: Luci Forrester and Easton Reed: Hockey Romance Story
I shot her a go-to-hell look and tuned back into Mrs. Hutchins, who was asking Luci about making Cole’s Christmas program costume. “I should be able to, as long as I have enough time. I’ll still be watching him until then,” Luci replied, her fingers flying over her phone.
Jackson elbowed me as desperate number one asked for his phone number, reiterating that she didn’t enjoy coming to these things but today had been worth it because we were here.
“You understand, right?” she said, her smile sly and shoulders raised in a casual shrug.
Jackson and I responded in unison, “No.”
I shot a cold glare at the woman in front of me. “Unlike you, I showed up willingly. Some of the people who came with me definitely weren’t coerced,” I retorted, my voice dripping with disdain.
Jackson muttered as they walked away, huffing in indignation. “Skipped class for a little boy who isn’t theirs in any way…” Dad approached the stage, listening intently to Luci and Mrs. Hutchins as they talked. Luci was busy typing notes into her phone when Cole ran up to Dad, who scooped him up effortlessly. Dad was actually a fantastic grandparent when he was home.
He stepped toward us, and I lifted Cole from his arms. “You are the best turkey I’ve ever seen,” I exclaimed, ruffling his feathers playfully.
“Gobble, gobble! Luci sewed this together, Daddy!” he declared, his eyes sparkling with pride.
“She’s pretty awesome,” I agreed, glancing over at Luci and Sydney as they left the stage.
“We have class, Coco turkey!” he exclaimed, wiggling in my arms before I set him down to run for hugs from both girls. “I took lots of pictures! I’ll share them with your daddy, okay?” I promised.
“Bye, Luci! Bye, Sydney! See you later!” he called out, racing toward Becker next.
“Bye, guys!” Sydney replied, while Luci simply waved. As promised, just five minutes later, my phone buzzed with notifications. I had received a plethora of pictures, including several of Cole while Luci was making the costume, along with a video of him practicing his lines.
“Thankful for binstercard. Thankful for winstacart. Thankful for wait…Luci, was it finstacard?” he recited, his little voice earnest.
Luci’s laughter rang out, filled with pure amusement as she gently corrected him until he finally got it right. “The crowd goes wild for Coco the smartphone and app-savvy turkey who ordered a ham!” she joked. He giggled, looking straight at the camera. “Gobble wobble!” His laughter cut off as the video ended.
“Cole, for tonight, Uncle Jackson will put you to bed. Daddy needs to take care of a surprise tonight. Do I need to take your costume home?” I asked, helping him remove it as he nodded happily.
Now, it was time to see how the Luci hunt would conclude.
“What the hell do you mean you saw Luci heading into the hockey arena? What on earth is she doing there?” I slam the speakerphone button and toss my phone onto the table, my heart racing as I shove my shoes back on. The glass I had been holding rolls precariously but miraculously remains intact.
Before Kendall can even respond, I’m already striding toward her front door, barely remembering to lock it behind me. “I’m not sure, but I figured it can’t be good,” she replies, her voice laced with concern.
“It’s definitely not good,” I mutter under my breath, just as a second voice interjects, and I hear Kendall snarl in response. “What the hell do you know, you jerk?”
The voice becomes clearer, and I recognize Alec, Kendall’s brother, who plays on the football team. He’s a total prick and often hangs out with Julian and Deacon. Suddenly, I hear the screech of tires in the distance, followed by a sound that unmistakably resembles a fist connecting with flesh. “Talk now, or I’ll break your damn jaw! No more riddles!” Alec’s voice is labored, tinged with fear. Yeah, he’s a coward too. “Maxton Porter plans to wreck Coach’s office and pin it on her. He asked Julian for help, but Julian refused. Security will find her locked in there.”
No way! My truck is already roaring to life before I’ve fully shut the door. I peel out of the parking lot, my mind racing as I head toward campus.
“Call Luci!” I bark, my heart pounding in my chest.
The phone rings and rings, only to go straight to voicemail. “No… come on, Luci, pick up!” I hit the button again. “Call Luci!”
Voicemail again. “NO! Damn it!” I pound my fist against the steering wheel, my frustration boiling over as I slam the accelerator. “Call Jackson.”
“Cole’s sad substitute babysitter…” Jackson’s voice comes through, and I can practically hear his eye roll.
“Jackson! Call campus security! We need help. Maxton lured Luci to the rink somehow. He plans to trash Coach’s office and frame her for it!”
“Damn! I’m on it… no, Cole, don’t repeat that. I know it’s a bad word.” The line goes dead, and my phone buzzes with incoming texts.
“Bash his damn head in!” Becker’s message flashes across the screen, of course.
“Forget what Dad said. Rip his lungs out through his throat and then bash his head in.” Kingston’s brutal suggestion follows.
I pull into the stadium parking lot near the team entrance, where Luci should be. I don’t even bother to turn off the engine or close the door as I leap out and hit the concrete running. A siren blares in the distance, but there’s no way I’m waiting. Not when that bastard is after her. They should arrive any minute; the office is just two minutes away.
I sprint toward the locker room, praying I’m not too late. But it’s empty. I dash down the hallway, straining to hear her voice or his. Up ahead, I spot a faint glow from a phone in the dimly lit corridor. Maxton is leaning against the wall near the equipment room, phone in hand, a smug grin plastered across his face.
“Come out, little mouse,” he taunts, his voice dripping with malice. “You can’t hide in there all night. Or maybe you can, until they lock up in thirty minutes. It gets pretty cold in there.”
“PORTER!” I bark, and he jumps away from the wall, surprise flashing across his face before he masks it with bravado. “What the hell are you doing?!”
“Just playing a game with a mousy wannabe puck bunny. You know her, right? I’m sure she’s been sucking your cock,” he sneers, his cockiness infuriating me.
I step closer, fury surging through me like a wildfire. “She’s not a puck bunny. Are you stalking me or her?”
“Does it matter? Your kid is cute. Attracts the ones who play hard to get, I guess.” He gestures dismissively toward the door. “Campus police are on their way here for you.”
He smirks, squaring up against me, and I can feel the tension crackling in the air. I’m a head taller than him, and I know I could easily wipe the floor with him. “Funny, all I see is a pretty boy entitled jerk. You can’t bluff and scare me.”
“You’re about to see what my knuckles look like embedded in your throat,” I growl, my teeth clenched. I’m holding back just enough to see what he knows about Cole. “How did you find out about my son?”