The first game of the season was always an exciting one. Every hair on Harper’s body was at attention, despite the fact that she was wearing an official Zachary Ryan Gulls’ jersey over a tank top and tight blue skinny jeans. The sun was still out, even at seven. Daylight savings time – where the clocks were set back an hour – had not yet come to a close so it was still sunny and bright in Southern California.

“I’m so nervous, Grandma,” Harper heard herself say. She rubbed her palms on her denim-clad thighs as she watched the timer on the overhead screen slowly count down in big white numbers.

“Why are you nervous?” she asked, quirking a grey brow. “Because you’re dating the starting center?”

“Shhh!” Harper glanced around, hoping no one overheard. Luckily, the first row was typically empty at this time, with patrons trickling in during period stoppages and the first intermission. Usually, these people were given tickets because of the companies they worked for, who used these games as a social tool rather than because they were actual fans of the team.

Terrie gave her granddaughter a long, dry look. “What?” she asked. “You mean to tell me no one knows about you guys? The man can’t keep his hands off of you wherever you go. It’s no secret.”

“I understand that, Grandma,” Harper said in a hushed voice. “That doesn’t mean we need to go parading that information around.”

“I’m just glad this is one of your first boyfriends I actually like,” her grandmother said, leaning back in the blue plastic chair. “He’s cute, has a good job, and doesn’t call me ma’am. Also, he’s charming. I like when a man is charming. Your grandfather was a charmer, you know.”

Harper suppressed a smile. “So you say,” she mumbled.

Suddenly, the lights went out. The rink brimmed with anticipation. Harper had no idea how but she was leaning forward, her eyes on the big screen overhead.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” the charismatic announcer began, his voice ringing through the speakers, clear as a bell, “welcome to the Ice Palace, where your Newport Beach Seagulls” – here, the fans cheered wildly – “take on the visiting Toronto Bangles” – and now the boos rained down like thunder. “Get on your feet and welcome this year’s Newport Beach Seagulls!”

The Toronto Bangle’s starting line and goalie were already in position on the blue line. However, there was a red carpet trailing from the corner of the rink where the Zamboni entered leading toward the middle of the Gulls’ home side. Harper was on her feet as she cheered for each and every player the announcer called out. They all walked down the red carpet, waving, even in their skates. A couple of players were injured, so they were announced first and they were in suits rather than their equipment. Harper saw the Gulls’ mascot from the corner of her eye at the start of the red carpet, giving each player a dap with his wing. For a bird, Kenny the Gull looked like a badass.

The announcer went down the roster, with each player getting a roaring applause. When he came to Zach, the whole building was silent. There was something poignant about the moment, something Harper planned to do her best in translating the feeling into words. Toronto traded Zach for practically nothing, simply to get him off the team based on a scorned woman who couldn’t take no for an answer. The divide in the team was paramount, the environment not conducive to play. Someone had to go. The management picked Zach. And now here he was, on his new team, with his girlfriend – because, yes, Harper and Zach were an item and had no problem labeling each other as such – in the stands, ready to cheer him on.

This was his moment. A moment he more than earned.

And Harper was just lucky she would be there to watch it play out.

“And center, Zachary Ryan!”

The crowd burst into applause and cheers. Some Toronto fans – there were more than Harper expected to see – booed him while others cheered him on. Harper didn’t think anyone screamed louder than she did. She was on her feet, clapping her hands until they hurt, and even then she didn’t stop.

As Zach walked out onto the red carpet in his skates, all two hundred and forty pounds of solid muscle, his eyes found hers and he smiled. It was the first time he had ever acknowledged her while playing and it was probably the most romantic thing he had ever done. Harper couldn’t stop the elated smile from taking over her face and crinkling her eyes if she tried. But she didn’t want to.

His eyes softened as they looked upon her, and the corners crinkled as his lips expanded into a brilliant grin. To everyone else, it appeared as though he was looking at something off to the side, unimportant but humorous. Harper didn’t care. It meant everything to her that he acknowledged her at all, but for him to look at her like she was some special creature, an angel sent down from Heaven just for him, made any and all walls fall down like they couldn’t stand a chance. She let the smile stay on her face. She didn’t look away from him as she cheered for him. She was not ashamed of her feelings for Zach. She did not want to hide them any longer.

And before he could look away, before she could lose her nerve, she mouthed the words, ‘I love you’ to him in a way where he couldn’t mistake what she was attempting to say.

Zach clenched his jaw so it popped, his eyes darkening with a gentle seriousness Harper hadn’t seen before. It meant something to him. The words. The gesture. Perhaps no one noticed it, but he realized she had publically declared her love for him and didn’t care who saw.

Brandon Thorpe was announced last. As the team’s captain, he had the honor of walking out in his gear with his helmet off, a Gulls’ flat-billed hat on his head. Without meaning to, Harper’s eyes drifted up to the box seats the Browns’ had owned since the inaugural season. Seraphina stood cheering, a content look on her face. If anyone happened to look at her, they would assume she felt the same way about Thorpe as she did for the rest of her team.

But there was something in her smile, something different about it.

Harper couldn’t say what, and wouldn’t have noticed otherwise. However, the past couple of weeks had been illuminating. She had fallen even more in love with Zach, but her writing had gotten sharper and more tightly controlled, and Seraphina had asked her to go to lunch the majority of the week. Now, Seraphina had never actually spoken about Thorpe in a romantic way, but Harper remembered the drama that unfolded after her grandfather died, how Thorpe was suspected of the crime because he wanted more money in his contract, how Seraphina had stood by his side, despite what everyone said.

Seraphina was stronger than anyone Harper knew, and Harper wanted nothing more than for Seraphina to be happy. There was a good chance that that happiness could very well be with Thorpe, but something was standing in their way. Harper didn’t know what, and it wasn’t her place to know anyway, but she hoped that maybe someday Seraphina would feel comfortable sharing with her.

And maybe, just maybe, Seraphina and Thorpe would get their happy ending.

Once Thorpe skated to the back of the line, the coaches were announced. They were all dressed in suits with blue and silver ties, and they wore loafers rather than skates. It was actually amusing watching them as they made their way to their bench on the ice. The assistant coach, Brady Horne, nearly fell flat on his face. Luckily, the young coach managed to catch himself in time and wave it off as people cheered for him.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” the announcer said once the applause died down, “please remain standing and remove any hats as we introduce Dawn Hasting from Tustin to sing the National Anthem and the Canadian anthem.”

Everyone in the building stood. Hats were removed. It wasn’t a requirement but Harper always put one hand over her heart as a tribute to her grandfather who had served in World War II. It was chilling to hear the Canadian Anthem sung by the Toronto fans. They shouted it with pride, unafraid of anyone judging them for singing. If Harper had a good singing voice, she would do the same for the American National Anthem but decided she would disrespect it simply by singing.

Once it was over, they took their seats. The Gulls’ first line, including Zach and Underwood, stayed out on the ice and continued to skate. Thorpe took his stick and pushed out any stray flurry before leaning forward on his knees.

The rink got silent. The buzzer sounded. The referee dropped the puck. And the game began.

* * *

The Gulls’ won the game, 2-1. Both teams played well. Zachary Ryan, Kyle Underwood, Oscar Solis, and Brandon Thorpe excelled at their position. Zach, Oscar, and Brandon all received the three stars after the game, awarded to the best players of the evening.

Harper wrote her article that evening and sent it to Seraphina before midnight even though it wasn’t due until the next day. Seraphina immediately emailed her back, requesting she come in first thing in the morning. Harper agreed.

While Zach snored softly beside her, Harper slinked off into the morning light, driving into the Ice Palace parking lot. Her eyes glanced at where that fateful press conference took place before she slid into a parking spot.

Her life changed that day and she didn’t know it until now.

When Harper reached Seraphina’s office, the young woman pulled Harper into a tight hug. “Your article,” she said, stepping back, her forest green eyes shining, “was beautiful. It makes me realize that the entirety of last year, last season, last everything, was worth it.”

Harper flushed. “Thank you,” she murmured.

“No,” Seraphina said, “thank you. Thank you for giving me the hope I need to run this team the way it needs to be run.” She cocked her head to the side. “And you, Harper? Are you happy? With Zach. He told me how he feels about you, and I just wanted you to know I’m happy for you. Zach’s a good guy.”

Harper nodded. “He is,” she agreed.

“I’ll post this within the hour,” Seraphina said, holding the article Harper had written. Harper hadn’t realized Seraphina had printed it out. “Thanks again, Harp.”

* * *

When Harper returned home, Zach was still sleeping. He looked beautiful sleeping. He looked beautiful, period. She leaned against the doorframe of her bedroom – their bedroom, she realized, considering he was spending all his free time here, sleeping here, keeping a toothbrush here – and crossed her arms over her chest. Internally, she shook her head.

How did this happen?

Life had a funny way of working out in the last way anyone could expect.

And now, her heart was full of happiness and joy, love and contentment. The future was in her hands; all she had to do was act. She was free from her past and open to her future. But right now, all she wanted to do was crawl into bed with her present.

As such, she slid off her jeans and did just that. Somehow, Zach sensed her presence even fully asleep. His arm coiled around her waist and he pulled her against him. Harper smiled to herself and felt her eyes grow heavy. Zach had the day off and they didn’t have any plans yet.

And that was perfectly fine for Harper.