Crossroads (Book Three)

Chapter 23

Lyla

With one minute left in play I glance down at the ice and watch Shawn carry the puck over the blue line into the offensive zone. He easily dekes out a defender and gets a shot on goal, but the goalie snags it and the whistle is blown. Shawn is playing phenomenal.

I don't know what's gotten into him but this is one of the best games I've ever seen him play. He's already scored two goals and has one assist as the score sits at 5-3 now. The final few seconds count down before the buzzer goes and the crowd stands to their feet in celebration of the win.

I head down to the lobby with Bailey and Mike. We had a great time at dinner together before the game at a sports bar in town. Bailey was happy to be back on campus and glad her roommate wouldn't be back until next weekend so she had the room to herself.

I readjust Shawn's jersey that I'm wearing, tucking the hem back into the waistband of my jeans on my left hip. I watch the stairs for Shawn and catch site of Tyler coming up them. I haven't seen much of him this year besides on the ice at Shawn's games.

Tyler's eyes catch mine and I look away quickly, not wanting to prolong any sort of interaction with him. I make sure I wait a solid twenty second before I look back over at the sitars and thankfully Tyler is no longer in sight. I watch Shawn as he comes up the stairs and smile at my hockey star of a boyfriend. He looks over at us smiling and starts to make his way across the lobby when he's stopped by three men in suits.

Shawn stands with them for a few minutes, shaking each of their hands. He looks serious as he speaks with them, nodding his head along every so often. I wonder who they could be, they seem a bit old and overdressed to just be fans.

I watch Shawn shake all their hands again before they continue walking out of the arena and Shawn makes his way over to us. I can't help but notice how excited he seems as he approaches us and wraps me into a hug.

"Amazing game handsome," I tell him.

"You were on fire tonight son," his dad adds in.

"Thanks" Shawn replies as he smiles at all of us.

"Who were those guys?" I ask curiously.

"They were scouts for an AHL team about five hours from here," he tells us excitedly. "That's why coach asked me to come in early tonight. He wanted to let me know they'd be in the stands tonight."

"That's awesome bud," his dad congratulates him with a smack on the shoulder.

Shawn continues to explain to us more about what the scouts had said to him. His excitement is contagious as I listen to him explain their tentative offer for him to potentially play with them next year. It doesn't dawn on me until halfway through his speech that this would mean he'd be three hours away all of next year and that would just be for home games. I try my best to focus back in on what Shawn's saying but my brain has me distracted as it starts to run through different scenarios.

Shawn had mentioned playing next year before, but he had also talked about getting a job at the start of summer in town here and I'd just assumed that he'd be here for next year during my senior year. The idea that he'd join a team hours away from me hadn't crossed my mind and I feel quite naïve as I think about it now.

I can feel my palms starting to sweat as the thoughts race through my mind. Everyone has started to move towards the exit and I realize I'm still standing still as I force my feet to follow along.

We say goodbye to Mike who hits the road right away to head back to Telford. Shawn and I give Bailey a ride back to her dorm and we promise to meet up sometime next week for coffee. Shawn grasps my hand in his for the short ride home and I close my eyes as I lean back into the seat, inhaling the scent of Shawn's body wash filling the car since he just showered after his game. There's something different about it today, a hint of citrus is mixed in and I wonder if he changed up his soap.