Collide: A Hockey Romance

MY PARANOIA ABOUT the break-in doesn’t ebb until we’ve left Connecticut. It’s been eating away at me, but I’ve managed to stuff it somewhere deep in my conscience for our week off school. The ninety-minute drive to Aiden’s grandparents’ house in Providence, Rhode Island, is spent with me changing every song that Aiden suggests. But when I put on one I like, he sings it with me, and I can’t keep the smile off my face even when it starts to hurt my cheeks.

When we pull into the driveway of the beautiful brick house, an emptiness settles in my stomach. The last time I spent spring break with my family was when we watched my dad play, and we skated with him after the game, but now the memory forms a dark pit in my stomach.

When Aiden’s warm hand pulls my attention to him, that pit shrinks. “You okay?”

I nod, and although it doesn’t look like he believes me, he smiles tenderly, kissing my knuckles.

Edith and Eric Crawford glow like Christmas lights when they open their front door. Their love radiates off them like light from a flickering candle, and I feel some of it when Edith squeezes the life out of me.

Since I’m the first girl Aiden’s brought home, they want to know everything about me. An hour after I’ve given my entire autobiography, we head upstairs to get settled.

“Summer, you can stay in the guest room, and Aiden, your old room is just the way you left it.”

Aiden gives his grandma a weird look. “She can stay in my room.”

“You can’t sleep on the couch, bean. Your coach will be upset if I send you to school with back pain.”

He laughs, but she’s not making a joke. “I meant we can stay in my room together,” he explains.

She doesn’t say anything, bewildered. Uh-oh.

“The guest room is perfect,” I interrupt before Aiden can give her an answer.

“Summer,” he starts.

“Seriously, Aiden. Why would you want to sleep on the couch?” My warning look only makes his face screw in confusion.

Edith’s face relaxes into a bright smile. “Great, you two get settled then, and I’ll start on dinner.”

I smack his arm when she’s out of earshot. “Are you crazy?”

He clutches his arm with a wounded look. “For wanting to sleep with my girlfriend? I don’t think so.”

“In your grandparents’ house! I’m trying to make a good impression here, Aiden.”

He chuckles and takes my bag. I grab the handle, and we play a childish game of tug of war in the hallway until he lets go, and I stumble back.

“You’re serious,” he says. Aiden looks exhausted. He was probably looking forward to just falling asleep with me. “This is ridiculous. Don’t be stubborn.”

“It’s one weekend. Your balls won’t shrivel up.”

Aiden frowns, running a hand over his face. “Summer, my grandma doesn’t care.” I still don’t budge, so he continues. “She’s the same woman who filled my bag with condoms when I left for Dalton. And the one who told me if I got you pregnant, she’d kick my ass, but if we got started early we could fill an ice rink. Trust me, she’s messing with us.”

I shift on my feet. “I still don’t think it’s a good idea. This is your childhood home. I’m not tainting it’s sanctity.”

“It’s not a church, babe.” He takes a step closer. “Come on, I’ll even read your porn to you.”

I clutch my bag tighter, a hot flush rising to my cheeks. “I don’t need you to narrate my porn. I have apps for that.”

When his brows raise, I realize I’ve said too much. But Aiden didn’t fight me further because I put my things in the guest room.

Dinner with the Crawfords revolves around stories about Aiden’s childhood and his parents, Lorelei and Aaron. My cheeks start to hurt from smiling so much, and when I ask his grandparents to reveal his embarrassing stories, Aiden squeezes my thigh in retaliation.

If I could look inside my chest, I’m sure it would glow tonight.

After dinner, I race up the steps before him and lock my door. But I regret it as soon as I’m thrashing around, unable to sleep.

When my phone buzzes with a text, I know who it is.

Aiden

Aiden: I miss you.

Summer: You just want me to feel bad, so I’ll sleep with you.

Aiden: Not true. I want you to feel bad so you’ll come spoon me.

Summer: I’m screenshotting this and sending it to the guys.

Aiden: Go ahead. Tell them how much I love to beg on my knees for you, too.

Aiden: I’ll rub your back until you fall asleep.

Summer: Nice try.

Aiden: I can bring up some tea.

Summer: Not gonna work. Good night, little spoon.

WAKING UP EARLY the next morning is easy because I didn’t sleep. Downstairs, Edith’s in the kitchen, and when I try to help, she bats me away.

“Is Aiden still asleep?” I ask as she fixes me a plate.

“You didn’t sleep in his room?” When she sees the look on my face, she bursts into laughter. She places a hand on my shoulder to catch her breath. “I’m sorry, honey. I was just trying to mess with Aiden. I’m not that old-fashioned.”

“Oh,” I chirp, feeling stupid.

She’s still chuckling when she heads to the stove. “Aiden’s out with Eric to check on the diner. They’re probably on the frozen pond now, though.”

I drink my orange juice. “Does Eric play too? Aiden’s never mentioned it.”

“Not at all. But Aiden’s parents used to take him, so Eric’s learned enough to hold his own.”

Tenderness colors my heart. “You know, Aiden would love for you guys to come to a game.”

The suggestion drags a sad look to her face, and I don’t know if I’ve said something wrong. “We want to come, but it’s hard with the diner and Eric’s knee. The long drive is almost impossible.”

Knowing how much it meant to Aiden that I went to his games, I could only imagine how thrilled he’d be to see his grandparents there. He’d never put them out by asking them to make the trip, but that didn’t mean I wouldn’t try. “If I could arrange something for you guys to come to the Frozen Four in Boston, do you think you could work around the diner schedule?”

It’s a long shot. I’d have to ask my dad for help, and the qualifying games haven’t been played yet. But I have faith in the team.

“That would be great, but we don’t want to put you out.”

“Trust me, you’d be doing me a favor.” If there’s anything I can do to make Aiden’s eyes shine brighter, it’s a win for me.

A chilly kiss on my cheek makes me jump. Aiden’s flushed from the cold, and his hair is messy from playing on the ice. Eric breathes hard, pulling out a chair.

“Need an inhaler, old man?”

Eric laughs. “Let’s not forget I almost outskated you.”

“I was taking it easy on you.”

Edith brings Eric an ice pack for his knee. Despite his winces of pain, Eric looks like he’d do it again just for Aiden.

“Were you taking it easy on me when I outskated you?” I ask.

Aiden’s gaze cuts to mine in a narrow-eyed look. One that sends a chill of heat down my spine. He looks really good in the dark green sweater his grandma knit him. Not seeing him last night or this morning pulls at a sensitive part of me. In retaliation, Aiden places his cold hands on my neck forcing a squeal from me.

Edith bats his hands away. “You beat him, Summer? We’ve got to hear about this.”

His grandparents tease, and Aiden rolls his eyes. When they pull out the photo album, he groans and excuses himself to take a shower while I gush over his baby pictures. Apparently, Aiden was blond like his dad until he was about four years old, and his hair turned the brown it is today.

Sunny’s Angels

Kian Ishida: Is that Cap in a Little Bo-Peep costume? I’m posting this to my story.

Dylan Donovan: No fucken way. I love you for sending these.

Eli Westbrook: I’ve been waiting for these pics to see the light.

Summer Preston: Eli why didn’t you tell me you two took the same girl to prom?

Eli Westbrook: I asked her first, actually. Then she asked him and suggested a throuple.

Dylan Donovan: It’s only right that you take Summer from him now.

Eli Westbrook: You’re obligated to marry me, Sunny.

Summer Preston: I would have to decline, though may I suggest a…throuple?

Eli Westbrook: You’re evil.

Dylan Donovan: Third time’s the charm, buddy.

After eating just about everything Edith gives me, I head upstairs with a food coma. Curiosity pulls me into Aiden’s room of deep blue and hockey posters. There’s a wall of achievements, too, but most of his awards are in the trophy case downstairs.

“Snooping?” Aiden closes the door behind him.

“Just trying to get a read on you.”

He falls onto his bed. “Come over here and you can read me like one of your books, baby.”

“So confident, yet I just saw a picture of you dressed as Little Bo-Peep.”

His laugh is low and addictive. “I was blond, and my mom thought she was having a girl.”

I chuckle, then turn to his awards again. “You’re really good, huh? The awards barely fit.”

“Are you just realizing that?” His easy confidence makes me gravitate toward him. “You know what else I’m really good at?” He pulls my arm, and I fall into his lap. “Kissing you.”

His mouth glides down my neck, and my breath hitches. “This was just your way to get me in your bed, wasn’t it?”

Aiden’s dark chuckle only ignites my skin. He pulls me to straddle his lap, and as his lips skim mine, his phone vibrates.

“We should go,” he says suddenly, shifting me off his lap. I don’t get to ask questions because he’s already descending the stairs with our bags. Aiden hands me my jacket, and I slip it on with questioning eyes.

“We’ll visit soon,” he says, giving his grandparents a hug.

I’m engulfed in hugs, and Edith hands me a tin of cookies. “There’s more where that came from if you visit again.”

“Bribing her with cookies? That’s genius, Edith,” says Eric.

They wave as we pull out of the driveway, and Aiden intertwines his hand with mine. “They like you.”

“I like them,” I say as he merges onto the freeway. “Where are we going? I thought we were staying for another day.”

“I’ll have nonstop games when we’re back from break, and I want us to spend time together. I’ve got plans for you, Preston.”

“Sexy plans? Or are you leaving me in the woods because I locked the bedroom door last night?”

“I’ll have you over my knee for that.” My cheeks flush with heat when he gives me a look that weakens my knees. “Shit, you’re into that, aren’t you?”

“You’ll have to find out.”

He forces his eyes back to the road. “I intend to.”