38
SCARLETT
Battle of The Swedes
“Oh my goodness. Look at my baby!”
Scarlett grinned as her mother ran an approving gaze over her, inspecting her from head to toe. She wore a black curve-hugging Dolce & Gabbana dress with a deep V-neck and a thin gold belt at the waist—gotta rep those Rebels colors. Her makeup was natural and glowing, her lips glossy and plump. One side of her curly hair hung over her eye while the other side was pinned back with a glittery hair comb. Gold chandelier earrings dangled from her lobes, and on her feet were strappy black Louboutins.
“You look so gorgeous!” her mother gushed, clapping her hands excitedly. “I love the way you pulled the whole look together!”
“Thanks, Ma.” Scarlett gave her a wry grin. “At the risk of sounding ungrateful, you really didn’t have to buy me a new outfit for tonight.”
“Of course I did. You’re singing the national anthem before eighteen thousand people and who knows how many others watching from home. I wanted you to look your best, and I couldn’t take a chance on you showing up in ripped jeans or leather pants.” She smiled smugly. “And need I remind you that Viggo likes the way I dress you?”
Scarlett rolled her eyes, but she was smiling. The woman was incorrigible.
“I’ve already got your outfit picked out for next time—”
“There probably won’t be a next time, Ma.”
“Why not?”
“The Rebels already have a regular anthem singer,” Scarlett reminded her. “I’m just filling in for the guy because he had a scheduling conflict tonight.”
Her mother pouted. “You should be singing at their home games. You sound better.”
Scarlett chuckled. “Of course you’d say that. You’re my mom. Anyway, I’m on tour half the season, so I couldn’t be their anthem singer even if they offered.”
Her mom pouted some more.
They were standing in the underbelly of the Pepsi Arena waiting for Scarlett to be escorted to the ice. After the two teams were introduced, she would take center stage to sing the national anthem.
“Are you nervous?”
“A little,” Scarlett admitted. “It’s a much bigger crowd than I’m used to.”
“Don’t be nervous. You were born for this.” Her mother gave her a warm smile. “All the Hampton folks send their love and best wishes. They’re having a big viewing party at Uncle Ralph’s house. It’ll be the first time most of them have ever watched a hockey game, but they’re very curious about Viggo and they can’t wait to see you on television. Your great-granddaddy is so proud. He’s been telling everyone he knows that you’re going to be singing the national anthem on TV.”
This gave Scarlett all the warm fuzzies. “Aww, Pop Pop.”
Her mother grinned. “You know you’ve always been his favorite great-granddaughter, just like I’m his favorite granddaughter.” She winked. “But don’t tell any of your aunts. You know how jealous they get.”
Scarlett laughed.
“Anyway, Pop Pop invited all of his old navy comrades to the viewing party. They’re so excited to see you sing. I know you’ll make them proud.”
Scarlett gulped. “Okay, now I’m nervous.”
Her mom laughed.
An arena staffer bustled past, touching Scarlett’s shoulder. “Just a few more minutes.”
“Great, thanks,” Scarlett said with a smile.
Her mother glanced over her shoulder. “Here comes my escort to take me back to my seat.” She turned and beamed at Scarlett. “Wasn’t it nice of Mr. Landrieu to invite us to join him in the owner’s box?”
“Sure.” Scarlett sighed. “But I would have preferred to sit in the stands, close to the action.”
“You can’t sit in the stands wearing Dolce & Gabbana. What if some rowdy fan spills beer on you?”
“Uh, dry cleaning?”
Her mom looked toward the ceiling and clasped her hands in mock prayer. “Dear Lord, please bless me with a girly girl in the next life.”
Scarlett laughed.
Her mom gave her a big hug, kissed her cheek and grinned proudly. “Good luck, baby. We’ll be cheering you on from the owner’s box, so just look up if you get nervous.”
Scarlett smiled gratefully. “Thanks, Ma. For everything.”
Shortly after her mother left, Scarlett was escorted through the tunnel and out to home ice. The arena was packed to capacity. Bon Jovi’s “This Is Our House” filled the air as thousands of excited fans enjoyed the pregame entertainment. Between the flashing JumboTron screens and the 3D videos projected onto the ice, it was quite a dazzling spectacle.
The energy inside the arena was absolutely electric, which was no surprise given that the media had been hyping this game for weeks. Capitalizing on the bitter rivalry between Viggo and Jöran, they’d dubbed it the “Battle of The Swedes.” Jöran’s trash talk—and Viggo’s refusal to engage—fueled the hype and grabbed the attention of non-hockey fans. Many were predicting that tonight’s matchup would be one of the most-watched regular-season hockey games in history.
As Scarlett stood at the edge of the ice, Tampa Bay skated out to a hailstorm of boos and jeers. Relishing his role as villain, Jöran taunted the crowd by skating around with his arms up in the air like he’d just scored a goal. As more boos and slurs rained down on him, he threw back his head and laughed maniacally.
The prick was relatively attractive, tall and sturdy with short dark hair and lips that appeared to be set in a permanent sneer. He was a good hockey player, though nowhere near as talented as Viggo.
When he spotted Scarlett in the corner, he skated up to her and mimed jerking off, laughing when her face twisted in disgust. It was all she could do not to flip him the bird. She probably would have if her Pop Pop wasn’t watching. Her arena escort hissed at Jöran and threatened to have him ejected from the game.
When it was time to introduce the Rebels, the arena was suddenly plunged into blackness. Thick clouds of smoke rose from the entrance to the tunnels. Out of the darkness, the ominous blare of a Viking horn seemed to herald the arrival of a shipload of battle-ready Norse warriors. The players’ names and faces began scrolling across the JumboTron as laser beams flashed around the arena, lighting up the crowd.
Scarlett grinned as the air crackled and sizzled with electricity, raising the hair on the back of her neck.
The crowd exploded into delirious screams when the Rebels came storming onto the ice to “If I Had a Heart” by Fever Ray, a Swedish artist. Ironically, it was the theme song for Vikings, the show Viggo comically refused to watch. It was an awesome song, really dark and atmospheric. It set the perfect tone for tonight’s grudge match between two Swedish adversaries.
Scarlett was still mesmerized by the Rebels’ badass entrance when the spotlight suddenly shone on her. Before she knew it, the announcer was introducing her with such fanfare that she blushed with embarrassment.
The crowd clapped, whistled and cheered enthusiastically as she took her spot on the Rebels’ logo and stepped up to the microphone. Butterflies flapped around in her stomach as she nervously looked out into the sea of expectant faces. When her eyes lifted toward the owner’s box, her family members and bandmates grinned reassuringly and gave her an enthusiastic thumbs-up.
The two teams’ starting players were lined up on either side of the center ice faceoff circle. The Rebels were closest to Scarlett, facing her with their hands placed over their hearts. Reid, Logan, Hunter and Dmitri were grinning at her. Viggo had his game face on, watching her so intently that her nerves sizzled and danced under her skin.
Wrapping her hands around the mic, she tuned out everyone and everything, opened her mouth and let the words flow, “Oh, say can you see...”
The tone of her voice drew a swell of appreciative applause that helped calm her butterflies. She pictured her beloved great-grandfather watching her on television, his face glowing with pride. Then she closed her eyes and sang her heart out.
As the last note rang out over the arena, the crowd erupted with thunderous applause and cheers as bursting fireworks lit up the JumboTron.
Viggo was beaming with fierce pride, and his teammates and coaches had the biggest grins on their faces. Reid, Logan and Hunter pounded Viggo on the back and gave him Atta Boys, which had him grinning even harder.
Reveling in the moment, Scarlett smiled radiantly and took a bow.
When Viggo winked at her, she grinned and winked back.
As she was being escorted past him, he reached out and caught her wrist in his hand. Shivering at his touch, she leaned up and kissed him on the cheek, then whispered in his ear, “Show him no mercy.”
He gave her a nod, his eyes glinting steel before he whispered back to her, “You are fucking amazing.”
She beamed at him. “Sounds like someone else I know.”
He melted her with another wink.
When she reached the owner’s box, everyone hugged her enthusiastically and raved about her performance. She even received glowing accolades from the team owner, the GM and the team president.
Landrieu introduced her to his wife and their youngest son and daughter-in-law—a gorgeous twentysomething Japanese woman who hugged Scarlett and gushed that she was Off The Grid’s biggest fan. She took a selfie with them and tweeted it to her cousins back in Tokyo who had attended the band’s last show.
Landrieu took Scarlett aside. “Your bandmates told me you guys are available to perform at an upcoming game before you go on tour. I also wanted to ask if you’d be willing to sing the national anthem at our home playoff games?”
Scarlett was stunned and flattered by the unexpected offer. “Thank you, Mr. Landrieu. But what about—”
Her mother swooped in, all smiles and batting lashes. “She would be honored, Mr. Landrieu.”
“Wonderful!” Landrieu beamed his approval, then turned and snapped his fingers at a bustling server. “Bring our songbird some refreshments. Whatever she wants.”
As he moved off, Scarlett’s mom hugged her and crowed gleefully, “I told you!”
Scarlett felt a little dazed and overwhelmed.
In all the frenzy, she hadn’t even noticed Audrey sitting in a corner of the suite with her mother. She was nursing a martini and glaring sullenly at Scarlett.
Scarlett was totally over it. So she just nodded and smiled at Audrey. When Nadia waved her over, she went and took her seat in front of the glass window overlooking the arena. The seats were super plush and she could see everything on the humongous scoreboard. But she really hated being this far away from the ice, and from Viggo.
After the server came to take her order, she slipped off her high heels and turned to Nadia beside her. “You got the goods?”
“Yep.” Nadia handed her a pair of black ballet flats.
“Thanks, girl. You’re a lifesaver.” Scarlett put on the flats and leaned forward in her seat, staring down at the ice.
“You’ve got your game face on,” Nadia teased.
Scarlett grinned but her mind had already shifted into battle mode, which discouraged any further conversation.
It was game time. Time to settle an old score.
VIGGO
This was it.
The moment many hockey fans had been anticipating for weeks.
All day on social media, people had been wishing him good luck on tonight’s game.
The thing was, he didn’t really believe in luck, mojo or any of that other bullshit. He believed in talent, hard work and determination. He believed in laying it all on the line every time he stepped onto the ice. No guts, no fucking glory.
He’d like to say this was just another game on the schedule, just another opponent to defeat on the road to the Cup. He’d like to say the outcome didn’t matter as much as people were saying it mattered.
But he knew better.
This was more than just another game to him. His past was inexorably linked to Jöran’s. Some of his childhood nightmares had featured Jöran. Some of his demons wore the mask of Jöran’s face.
So, no, this wasn’t just another game. This was an exorcism.
A hush fell over the arena as he skated to center ice to face off against his old nemesis.
The second their eyes met, he was gripped by a powerful sense of déjà vu. His mind flashed on a memory of his grandfather sitting in the stands, motionless and watchful, striking fear in his heart with just a look.
He and Jöran skated right up to each other, squaring off like two boxers before a fight. He’d always been taller than Jöran. He had a good three inches on him, but the prick made up for the deficit with a solid build and well-honed athleticism.
He gave Viggo one of his twisted little smiles. “So we meet again, brother.”
Viggo smirked. “You’re no brother of mine, asshole.”
Jöran grinned around his mouthpiece. “I saw your woman before the game. Damn, bro. She’s a hot little piece of ass.” He winked. “She’s coming home with me after you get your beatdown.”
Viggo narrowed his eyes, his gloved hand fisting around his hockey stick. “Stay the fuck away from her.”
The referee stepped between them, shoving them apart. “Assume the position, gentlemen.”
Adrenaline pumped through Viggo’s bloodstream as he spread his skates and crouched low to the ice. Jöran did the same, sneering at him from behind his visor.
The last time they played against each other, Jöran had come away the victor.
Viggo couldn’t reverse that heartbreaking loss. But he was here today to make damn sure history didn’t repeat itself.
The ref blew the whistle.
As if in slow motion, the two centers watched the puck drop to the ice.
Their eyes locked, lips curling into sneers.
“Let’s go,” Viggo snarled.
Game. Fucking. On.
SCARLETT
The arena erupted in a frenzy as Viggo and Jöran sprang into attack, their sticks clashing as they battled for control of the puck.
Viggo had one of the best faceoff winning percentages in the league. So no one was surprised when he won the draw and shoveled the puck to Hunter, who shot up the ice and fired a bullet at the goal. He missed that time, but sixty seconds later, he scored on a screen set up by Viggo.
The lamp lit up as the arena exploded in celebration. Inside the owner’s box, everyone was whooping and cheering and slapping high fives.
During the next play when the puck deflected off Logan’s skate, Jöran pounced on it and carried it across the blue line into the Rebels’ zone. Reid was waiting for him like a hungry predator. He delivered one of his bone-crushing body checks, hitting Jöran with the force of a freight train. He went flying off his skates, losing his stick and crash landing on the ice.
The crowd went crazy, roaring their approval and chanting “Rocket, Rocket, Rocket!” The referees’ whistles shrieked, arms waving. It was a clean hit but they assessed Reid a penalty, much to the crowd’s displeasure.
As he skated to the penalty box amid supportive cheers, he could barely keep a smirk off his face.
Nadia sighed, shaking her head at him on the JumboTron. “I knew he’d enjoy delivering that smackdown.”
“Everyone enjoyed it,” Nelson joked beside her. “Except maybe Jöran.”
They all watched as Jöran got slowly to his feet. He looked a little woozy after getting his clock cleaned. He also looked angry and embarrassed. After assuring the ref that he was okay, he shot a dark glare toward the penalty box where Reid sat. It was a look that promised retribution.
Unfortunately, he made good on the promise and scored a goal on the power play while the Rebels were shorthanded. A cascade of boos and groans erupted around the arena.
Jöran celebrated boisterously, flexing his biceps and taunting the crowd by putting his finger to his lips in a “shh” gesture, which riled up the fans even more.
When he skated past Viggo and made a throat-slitting motion, outraged fans booed and yelled curses at him. Viggo just smirked and spat on the ice by Jöran’s skates.
Inside the owner’s box, there was a lot of grumbling and head shaking.
“That Jöran is a real piece of work,” Scarlett’s father said with a scowl.
“I hate his guts,” Landrieu growled.
Everyone laughed and agreed.
Viggo wasted no time answering Jöran’s goal, firing a wrist shot from the blue line that hit the back of the net.
The arena burst into cheers and applause, the noise deafening. Everyone inside the owner’s box was on their feet, screaming and hugging ecstatically. Scarlett was picked up and spun around by Lennox, Nelson, Traeger and Gage. The only one not celebrating was Audrey, but screw her and her sour grapes.
Halfway through the first period, the fight everyone had been anticipating broke out between Viggo and Jöran. One moment they were chasing down the loose puck near the boards. The next moment they were dropping their gloves and throwing fists.
Scarlett jumped to her feet, slapping her hands over her mouth as the crowd went berserk, screaming and cheering Viggo on.
He landed a haymaker on Jöran’s jaw that rocked his head back against the glass and knocked his helmet off. As Jöran started to fall, he grabbed Viggo’s jersey and took him down with him.
After a brief tussle on the ice, Viggo straddled Jöran and began pummeling his face with a controlled fury that brought the crowd to its feet, stomping and roaring with approval. Throughout the stands, bunnies were shrieking and squealing their heads off, exhilarated by the thrilling fight.
Pinned on his back, Jöran tried to throw a few more punches. But he was outmatched by Viggo’s size and strength and dark rage. All he could do was try to deflect the relentless blows raining down on him like thunder.
Scarlett couldn’t deny the surge of satisfaction she got from watching Viggo kick his enemy’s ass. Jöran was a despicable motherfucker who’d spent weeks taunting and slandering Viggo every chance he got. It was hard not to enjoy seeing him get his comeuppance.
The refs finally blew their whistles and pulled Viggo off Jöran. The asshole had blood gushing from his nose and running all over his face, and he looked thoroughly humiliated by the one-sidedness of the fight.
Everyone around Scarlett was whooping and cheering and hugging her like she’d just won the heavyweight title.
The violent brawl got both players banished to the penalty box. As Viggo skated over to serve his time, the crowd chanted his name and pumped their fists in solidarity.
Scarlett could almost feel the testosterone and adrenaline pounding through his body as he barreled into the penalty box and crashed down on the bench, ripping off his helmet and jamming his hand through his sweaty hair. The ferocity of his anger turned her on. He looked like he was ready to go several more rounds in the ring. If he didn’t expend all that aggressive energy by the time the game ended, she would definitely be getting her world rocked tonight. She couldn’t fucking wait.
When his five minutes were up, Viggo came roaring back into the game. His face loomed over the arena from the JumboTron, gray eyes glinting like hard steel, jaw set tight. Scarlett held her breath as she watched him lead a rush on goal, masterfully stickhandling the puck as he weaved through opponents like water around rocks, ice flying off the blades of his skates. Just the way he moved was highlight-reel-worthy.
As he and his wingmen neared the net, he flipped the puck to Logan, who took a quick wrist shot. Tampa’s goalie stretched his glove to block the puck.
Viggo grabbed the rebound, shaking off defenders as he moved into the high slot. Before Tampa could recover, he fired off one of his sniper shots, falling to one knee as the puck blasted over the goalie’s shoulder and into the net.
As the goal horn blared, the owner’s box exploded in cheers and the euphoric crowd rained approval down onto the ice. The scoreboard showed a video of a huge swirling sandstorm blasting everything in sight as boisterous chants of “Sandstorm, Sandstorm, Sandstorm!” filled the arena.
Viggo lay on his stomach on the ice, grinning with satisfaction as his teammates swooped down on him, hooting and hollering.
Fans heckled Jöran as he skated furiously to his bench, yanked off his helmet and started yelling at his teammates. His left eye was swollen nearly shut and one side of his face was a puffy mass of purple bruises. He looked like he’d been through a meat grinder, but you had to hand it to the guy. He wasn’t a quitter.
At the end of the first period, the Rebels skated off the ice to a crescendo of loud cheers and applause.
“Holy shit,” Zander exclaimed beside Scarlett, his voice hoarse from screaming. “I might have to revise my opinion about hockey. That was fucking awesome!”
Scarlett and Gage laughed. “Told you!”
“Viggo is a fucking beast!” Zander shoved his hands into his blond hair, struck by a sudden thought. “Did I really take a swing at him the other day?”
Scarlett nodded and grinned.
“Holy crap. He coulda pulverized me like he just pulverized that asshole.”
“He wouldn’t have.” Scarlett leaned over and kissed Zander’s cheek. “Thank you for trying to protect me, Zandy. It was very brave of you.”
He grinned broadly, puffed his chest out and slung his arm around her shoulders.
When “Fahrenheit 32” came blasting over the sound system, an excited cheer went up from the crowd, and many fans got up and started dancing in the stands.
Scarlett and her bandmates traded delighted grins. As soon as they appeared on the JumboTron, more hollers and whistles broke out around the arena. The guys hammed it up, winking and blowing kisses that set off an avalanche of feminine squeals and screams.
The announcer interrupted the song to announce that Off The Grid was in the house. He told them to stand and wave to the crowd, which prompted more cheering and an enthusiastic standing ovation. The guys soaked up every drop.
“The band will be doing some gigs around Denver before going on tour,” the announcer told the buzzing audience, “so be sure to show your love and check ’em out, Rebel Nation!”
Traeger slapped enthusiastic high fives with his bandmates as they dropped back into their seats and grinned at one another. “Moving here was definitely the right call,” he asserted.
“Fuck yeah.” Ryu leaned back in his seat, hands folded behind his head as he looked around the suite. “I could definitely get used to this.”
“Shit, I already have,” Gage joked.
At that moment one of the female servers sashayed over, bent down and whispered something in Traeger’s ear. A wicked grin spread across his face before he turned and motioned for the guys to go with him. Wearing devilish grins, they all got up and followed the server’s swinging hips out of the suite.
Nadia grinned, staring after them. “Where are they off to?”
Scarlett chuckled. “Probably going to meet some adoring fans who want to, ah, show their appreciation.”
Nadia’s wide-eyed gaze swung back to her. “You mean, like, hook up with them? Like, in the bathroom? In the middle of the game?”
Scarlett laughed at Nadia’s scandalized reaction. “Wilder things have happened.”
“Ew.” Nadia wrinkled her nose. “Your boys are such manwhores.”
“Pretty much.” Scarlett grinned as she looked around the suite, warmed by the sight of Lennox and Cooper sharing a quiet laugh in one corner. It was so good to see them together, out and proud, unashamedly in love with each other. She couldn’t be happier for them, and she was proud of her father for accepting their relationship.
Her grin softened as her gaze wandered to her dad. He stood at the bar yukking it up with Luke, Uncle Lincoln, Landrieu, the GM and the team president. Across the suite, Scarlett’s mother and Aunt Eden were laughing and gossiping with the other wives. Even Audrey’s mother had joined them, leaving her daughter to sulk alone in the corner.
Bianca and Ana sat a few seats away sipping cocktails and giggling over some joke while Nelson headed down to the press box to say hello to his new colleague at The Denver Post. He started his new job on Monday and he was super excited.
“You should see the way you look right now.”
Scarlett turned to find Nadia smiling at her. “What?”
“You have the most blissful smile on your face, Scarlett. Being in love really agrees with you.”
Her cheeks heated. “I guess it does.”
Nadia leaned over and gave her a warm hug. “I’m so glad you and Viggo worked things out. See, I told you not to give up hope.”
“You were right.” Scarlett chuckled. “It looked pretty bleak for a while there—”
“But true love prevailed. And that’s all that matters.”
Scarlett grinned at her cousin. “You’re such a hopeless romantic.”
“I am.” Nadia tweaked her nose. “And so are you. You’ve always tried to hide it, tough girl, but you’ve never fooled me.”
Scarlett grinned down at her margarita. “Bite me.”
Nadia laughed as her phone rang in her lap. She picked it up and answered cheerfully, “Hey, Jess.”
Sipping her margarita, Scarlett turned her attention to the ice. The Rebelettes were performing a dance routine while the team’s gunslinger mascot stole the spotlight with his comical antics.
Nadia got off the phone. “That was Jess. She’s here at the game.”
“Really? Where’s she sitting?”
“The game was practically sold out by the time she decided to buy tickets, so all she could get were some lousy nosebleed seats. She’s dying to come sit with us, but she brought a bunch of cousins from out of town, and she doesn’t want to look ratchet trying to roll up in here with all those people. Plus there’s no more room. So I told her we’ll catch up after the game.”
“Cool.” Scarlett drank more of her margarita. “Everything okay between you two?”
“I think so.” Nadia smiled. “We went to lunch yesterday and had a long heart to heart. I told her I was hurt by her distant behavior, so I was thinking about asking her to step down as a bridesmaid. She felt really bad and apologized for the way she’s been acting. Turns out you were right about what’s been going on with her. She admitted that she’d been struggling with jealousy and she didn’t know how to deal with it. Plus her mom had been in her ear lately, saying things about me—”
Scarlett narrowed her eyes. “Things like what?”
“Oh, you know. Wondering how I snagged a rich athlete before Jess did, that sort of thing.” Nadia made a face. “Her mom’s always been kind of toxic, so Jess started internalizing the negativity until she couldn’t even stand to be around me. But she hated herself for feeling that way, and she doesn’t want to lose our friendship. So we’re working through it.”
“That’s good,” Scarlett said. “I know how much you like Jess. She’s been a good friend for the most part.”
“She has,” Nadia agreed, “and I’d hate to part ways with her. But what you said to me that day really stuck with me. I can be too naive and too trusting, and people have taken advantage of that to hurt me. But those days are over. I plan to start exercising my right to self-preservation, as you so eloquently put it. So as much as I love Jess and appreciate her friendship, I will definitely be watching my back from now on.”
Scarlett raised her glass to Nadia. “To self-preservation.”
Nadia picked up her half-empty martini glass and clinked it against Scarlett’s. “To self-preservation.”
They downed their drinks and shared a soft laugh.
“I invited Jess to our afterparty,” Nadia said. “You don’t mind, do you?”
“Not at all.” Scarlett smiled narrowly. “As long as she knows Viggo is mine, we’re good.”
“Oh, she knows. Believe me.” Nadia grinned. “Over lunch, she said she knew Viggo was a goner when he couldn’t take his eyes off you at my engagement party. She said it was a bitter pill to swallow, but she’s moving on. She’s dating one of his teammates now.”
“What?” Scarlett exclaimed. “Which one?”
“Dubinski.”
“Get outta here! Are you serious?”
“Yep.” Nadia grinned. “She met him at a party two weeks ago and they really hit it off. Reid told me Dubinski has a lot of growing up to do, but the right woman can probably reform him. Jess says she’s not sleeping with him until she gets to know him better. But she’s feeling pretty optimistic, so I’m happy for her.”
“So am I,” Scarlett said sincerely. “I hope everything works out.”
“Me, too.” Nadia gave her a sidelong grin. “You’ll never guess who called me today to apologize for criticizing my relationship with Reid.”
“No way.” Scarlett stared at Nadia. “Kandace?”
“Yep. She apologized for offending me with her comments, and she said Reid seems like a really good man who truly loves me. So she’s happy for us, and she’s honored to be one of my bridesmaids.”
“Wow,” Scarlett marveled, shaking her head. “Wonders never cease.”
“I know.” Nadia’s grin broadened. “Before we got off the phone, she casually asked about Hunter, Logan and Reid’s brother. But only because they’re in the wedding party, she said emphatically. She’s not interested in them or anything. She’s just relieved that all the groomsmen are tall so the bridesmaids can wear high heels. I totally shouldn’t read anything into her questions about the guys.”
“No, of course not,” Scarlett agreed. “Nothing to see here. At all.”
She and Nadia stared at each other, speculating. Then they promptly dissolved into laughter, dismissing the very idea.
The rebels came out flying in the second period. Sixty seconds had barely ticked off the clock before Logan scored a thrilling goal from the blue line. Less than three minutes later, Reid stripped the puck from an opposing forward and rifled a shot into the net.
The occupants of the owner’s box broke into exuberant cheering, hugging and backslapping. As Scarlett looked out over the arena, all she saw was a sea of screaming faces and pumping fists.
Tampa Bay was a good team, but they didn’t have enough offensive firepower to compete with the Rebels. They were outgunned and outclassed in every position. And their defense had no answer for Viggo, who was playing with a ruthless focus and intensity that made him unstoppable.
Ninety seconds into the third period, he outmuscled Jöran to score his third goal, giving the Rebels a 7-1 lead that put the game out of reach. It was his second hat trick of the season and the crowd of eighteen thousand fans went absolutely wild, throwing hats onto the ice as Adelitas Way’s “Invincible” exploded over the sound system.
Scarlett was on her feet with everyone else, beaming with pride as tears ran down her face.
In the end, there would be no dramatic, nail-biting Hollywood finish.
No drawn-out Rocky Balboa-style slugfest.
When all was said and done, the media-hyped “Battle of The Swedes” turned out to be not much of a battle after all.
When the final horn sounded, the arena burst into a celebratory frenzy of music and towel waving. Viggo and his teammates whooped and hugged and bumped chests like they’d just won the Stanley Cup. It was a beautiful sight to behold.
Angry and dejected, Jöran stormed off down the tunnel, receiving a send-off of heckling laughter, boos and jeers.
A few minutes later, the stars of the game were announced with much fanfare.
When Viggo was handed the microphone, he looked up toward the owner’s box, found Scarlett’s gaze and drawled, “Yo, Adrian…”
Scarlett squealed as a thunderous roar of laughter and cheers engulfed the arena.
What a night to remember!