Hooking Nash

Hockey Game

NASH

I was actually nervous to play, for the first time in a while. This was my job and it was second nature to me. I had played for as long as I could remember, and it was the one area where I thrived. I craved the fast pace, the adrenaline, the speed, and sometimes even the brawling. Playing for the home crowd always gave that extra boost. There was no other arena that felt like the Garden. The stands were especially crowded since it was a weekend game and the crowd was cheering. It inspired me and I fed off the audience's enthusiasm.

Tonight felt different since I knew that Kennedy was going to be in the audience. I was happy and very excited that she was coming, she hadn't seen my play live in a while, but pissed that Josh was the one that invited her. Like she was someone that was important to him. She was my friend. I was the one who knew her better than anyone. I was the one that got her hooked on watching hockey and it was my career that she was following.

It was obvious that Josh had some kind of crush on her and it bothered me.

I searched for Kennedy in the audience as soon as I hit the ice. It didn't take me long to find her. She was seated in Josh's family's season ticket seats and I knew they were close to my parent's seats. Her friend Sammy was with her. I had only met her a few times. Once when Kennedy brought her home over a break the first year of college. She was nice and cute, in a bubbly girly kind of way, but she didn't do anything for me. Kennedy on the other hand made my mind go crazy and my body needy. I hadn't been able to stop thinking of her since Friday night at the bar.

I met her eyes and when she smiled at me and I couldn't help but get excited. She looked so freaking sweet sitting in the audience, so close to the team box, in a pair of jeans with a big fluffy sweater on and her hair tucked up into a sloppy bun. She didn't wear her glasses, but just thinking about her in those glasses and her little pajamas made me all hot and bothered. I had to turn away from her in order to get myself to focus on my play. I had to get my shit together. I needed to have a great game. I needed to do good for her.

******

KENNEDY

Nash had an incredible game, which of course was not a surprise. He wasn't among the top scorers in the league for no reason. He ended up with two goals and two assists and the Empires won the game with 5 to 2. Josh scored one of the goals on Nash's assist. The crowd was in an awesome mood as the players headed off the ice. Nash winked at me as he headed into the tunnel and I felt my heartbeat pick up.

"I love hockey!" Sammy screeched next to me. "This was so much fun Kennedy! We have to do it again."

"I am glad you enjoy it."

I would love to do it again but there was no way I could afford these seats. Not even with my new raise. If we were going to try to make most of the Empires' games, we would have to be up in the nosebleeds.

Josh walked into the tunnel and when he got close to us he gestured for us to stay, so Sammy and I hung back while the rest of the crowd made their way out. Josh gave us the tickets so it felt like it was the least we could do.

Sammy and I took our time and we were among the last people to leave the arena when a tall man dressed in a suit with a New York Empires badge around his neck approached us. "Kennedy Miller?" he asked.

"Yes, that's me."

"This way ma'am," he said and gestured for us to follow him.

"Oh, okay."

I had no idea where we were going or who had asked for us. I assumed it was either Josh or Nash, but I kind of hoped it was the latter.

Sammy was bouncing on her heels next to me as the man led us over to a waiting area near the dressing rooms. It was an open room right off the hallway. A couple of couches and some chairs were set up along the walls. There were large Empires posters on the walls. One of them caught my eye. It was Nash holding his stick up in the air with a huge grin on his face. The home crowd was in the background cheering. I assumed it was taken just after he had scored a goal.