“I usually wouldn’t put a stranger out, but I’m freezing,” I answered, taking the hoodie. “Thank you so much.” I slipped my arms through the sleeves and zipped it up, still trying to figure out which of the giants was Jagger. They all moved so fast, like their skates were extensions of their feet.

“No problem. I’m used to the cold.” She sipped her Starbucks and turned her attention to the rink. “Who are you here to watch?”

“I’m not sure which one he is,” I admitted as a fight broke out. “Oh, sweet mer—” One of the players shoved the other into the wall so hard his skates came out from underneath him and he collapsed, shaking his head. There was something about the way the aggressor tilted his head…

“Bateman! Two minutes for unnecessary roughness!” the ref called out. I couldn’t help but smile as Jagger lifted his hands in the air in obvious question of the call.

“I can see his temper has improved,” the girl said, her northern accent thick with sarcasm.

“He’s something else,” I drawled slowly, immediately wondering how she knew Jagger. My eyes locked on his gear-clad frame, noting the B on the back of his helmet as he grabbed his water on the way to the penalty box, then ripped off his helmet as he sat down.

“Wait!” the girl exclaimed. “You’re here for Jagger?”

As if he’d heard his name spoken, he looked up, his mouth dropping open as his gaze met mine. I smiled through my nervousness and gave him a small wave. “Yes, I suppose I am,” I answered without taking my eyes off him. Was he happy to see me? I sure couldn’t tell.

“Oh, shit,” the girl exclaimed, grabbing my hand. “Blond hair, green eyes, and a sweet little southern accent. You’re Paisley.”

Okay, that got my attention. “How did you—”

Her grin was infectious. “I’m Ember, Josh’s girlfriend.”

My forehead puckered, trying to remember which one was Josh. “Walker? The one who lives with Jagger?”

“That’s him.” She pointed out the guy shaking his head at Jagger as he skated past the penalty box. “He’s my world.” Her eyes swept over me in a kind but obvious appraisal. “You’re exactly as Jagger described you.”

“He talks about me?” Oh, mercy, I had regressed to high school. “We’re just friends,” I quickly added, so she didn’t get the wrong impression. Not that driving all the way here would give her the right one.

“Right,” she answered. “Well, he needs more friends, so I immediately approve.”

The timer hit zero, and Jagger flew from the penalty box, heading straight for the player closest to the goal faster than anything I’d ever seen. He danced around his opponent, stole the puck right from his stick, and charged toward the other goal, speeding around the players coming at him. As if they read each other’s minds, he fired the puck to Walker, who easily scored. “Whoa.”

“Yeah, it’s always like that when they’re out there together.” Ember smiled and lifted her cup in Walker’s direction. “Good job, babe!”

Jagger didn’t spare me a glance; he was too focused on the game. By the end of it, he hadn’t looked my direction again, and my level of nervousness hit DEFCON three.

“Come on, let’s go wait for them,” Ember led me to the concession area and stretched. “Good thing I don’t have class tomorrow. I actually get to spend some time with Josh.”

“You go to Troy, too?”

“I’m at Vanderbilt. Josh and I make the best of what time we get. It’s never enough, but we adapt.”

“I did that with my boyfriend for a while,” I admitted. “He was finishing college the first nine months of our relationship. It’s nice to finally be around each other.” My voice trailed off. Was it?

“Hard to readjust?” she asked.

I forced a closed-lip smile. “We were never really together. I mean, we were friends, but our relationship started long-distance, so we’re finding our way around each other now.” I stared at the doors that led to the locker room. “Sometimes I think it was easier when we were apart, like the idea of me was easier to love than the actual…” Wait. Was I really saying this to a stranger? “Oh…I am so sorry. I do love him. I don’t know why I’d even say that. I must look like a loon.” I closed my eyes in utter mortification.

“It makes more sense than you know.” She sipped her coffee again, her eyes kind and unjudging. “How did you meet him?”

I liked that she didn’t dwell on my outburst. “He was my sister’s best friend.”

“Was?” She waited a few heartbeats. “You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to. I promise I’m not the inquisition or anything.”

The first of the players came out of the locker room, but not either of the ones we were looking for. “I have a little bit of baggage.”

“Me, too. Dead dad. You?” Her tone was matter-of-fact.

“Dead sister and a broken heart,” I answered, just as deadpan.

She nodded her head. I liked that we didn’t offer each other condolences, the words we’d probably both heard so much that they didn’t even sound like words anymore. I saw Jagger through the glass and stood as he pushed the door open.

My heartbeat sped up, and Ember leaned over to squeeze my hand gently. “He’s really good at unpacking, Paisley. You just have to give him a chance.”