Filed to story: Luci Forrester and Easton Reed: Hockey Romance Story
Luci sets the food out on a table, and the four boys come over, each grabbing containers and eagerly devouring their meals. Janet shakes her head, exasperated. “I just fed them an hour ago.”
“They skated; they’re starving again!” I hear Becker’s voice as he approaches, flanked by Jackson and Kingston, both grinning. “Teenage boys eat a lot, Ms. Janet.”
“Here’s your food, guys,” Luci tells my brothers, and Becker claps me on the shoulder.
“If you don’t keep her, I will,” he jokes with a grin. “And I mean it; we’ll convince Dad to adopt her before you can beat the life out of me.”
“What are you three doing here?” I ask, curious.
“Luci thought we might want to play pick-up hockey with Joel and his friends. They do this on Friday nights,” Jackson explains. “You’ve been talking a lot about how you miss the fun times we had playing hockey. She thought you might enjoy this.”
I walk closer to Luci and the teenagers. “Joel, that’s the four kings…” One of them stares at us, mouth agape.
“The Reed brothers are here? Luci, you brought the Reed hockey players?” Joel looks at her as if she sprouted wings, his awe evident.
“Is that really who they are?” Luci quipped, a playful glint in her eyes. “I stumbled upon them by the rink, looking like they hadn’t eaten in days. They practically trailed after me when I mentioned I had tacos.” She laughed lightly, and he couldn’t help but shake his head at her antics.
“Seriously, Luci. You’re such a girl,” he retorted, his voice dripping with mock exasperation as he elongated the last word for emphasis.
She shot back, “You can’t use that against me. Barrett already got to me with that one.” Her smirk was infectious, and he couldn’t help but chuckle.
“Do you guys want to play?” I chimed in, watching as their eyes widened with excitement. This was shaping up to be a blast.
“Umm, yeah, but we need to split you four up first. We’re just playing pick-up hockey, too,” Joel stammered, his enthusiasm slightly dampened by the need for organization.
“Some of the best fun comes from chaos,” Jackson interjected with a grin. “So, what do you think? Twins against twins, or the oldest twin versus the younger twins?”
“I bet we have time for both, honestly,” I suggested, my excitement bubbling over.
“Then let’s kick things off with twins against twins,” Kingston declared, his smile broadening as he rubbed his hands together in anticipation.
They quickly polished off their food, tossing their trash aside before lacing up their skates. A grimace crossed my face when I realized I had forgotten mine, but Jackson cleared his throat, holding up my skates and practice stick. “Really, East? You should have more faith in us,” he teased.
I made my way to Luci first, gripping her hip to coax her attention. “Is this okay? I thought… didn’t they say you love to play for fun but never really have the time during the season?”
“This is the best. Thank you, Luci,” I replied, feeling a warmth spread through me.
“Enjoy. I’ll just sit over here and pretend Cole is whispering in my ear about what’s happening,” she said with a mischievous grin.
As we divided up the teams, the boys took to the ice, showing off their skills. After Becker scored a goal, he pulled Joel aside, eager to share some of his tricks. “Move your left foot before you do that,” he instructed. We offered them tips here and there, and they were surprisingly receptive.
After three exhilarating rounds, Janet’s whistle pierced the air. “I hate to interrupt, but they’ll be locking the doors soon. And it’s getting really late, boys. I need to drop some of you off before your parents start calling me, worried.”
Reluctantly, we bumped fists with the boys as they left the ice. Luci wrapped Janet in a hug, who then turned to me, nodding in approval. “There’s still another thirty minutes before they come to lock up,” she said, her grin wide.
“Can we squeeze in one more game?” Jackson asked, his eyes sparkling with eagerness.
“Absolutely.” I snatched the puck and darted off before they could react.
We managed to wrap up our final game just in time. Luci cheered for us as we finished, and Kingston took a bow in front of her, laughter filling the air. “Thank you, Luci Lou. We enjoyed it.”
“I didn’t do anything except ask you about it,” she replied, her laughter mixing with his.
As I said my goodbyes to the boys and wrapped my arm around Luci, I opened her car door for her. “That was fantastic,” I said, feeling the adrenaline still coursing through me.
“Good. You look happy,” she observed, a soft smile playing on her lips.
“I am.” I drove us back to her place, the night feeling electric with possibility. Once we stepped inside, she placed a hand on my chest, her expression turning serious.
“You need to wait right here. I have to set something up, but it’ll only take two minutes,” she said, her eyes locking onto mine with an intensity that made my heart race.
“Okay,” I replied, leaning against the wall, curiosity swirling within me.
A few moments later, her voice called my name, and I walked toward the living room. The sight that greeted me was enchanting: candles flickered on the table and floor, casting a warm glow, while a large pile of blankets lay invitingly in the middle. A plate of cupcakes sat at the center, one adorned with a lit candle. I crossed the room and took a seat across from her. “Happy birthday! It’s like an indoor picnic,” I exclaimed, my heart swelling with joy as she handed me the cupcake.
“Did you make these?” I asked, genuinely impressed.
“Yes. Make a wish. And don’t worry, I won’t torture you by singing,” she replied, her laughter lightening the mood.
I blew out the candle and noticed the wrapped boxes on her table. “These are delicious! You got me presents too?” I said, my surprise evident as I devoured the cupcake in two bites.
“I can cook a few things,” she giggled. “And yes, you get presents.”
“Can I open them tonight?” I asked, my curiosity piqued. Could I unwrap her like a gift?