The locker room was buzzing with energy, voices bouncing off the walls, skates clattering against the floor. Ethan sat hunched on the bench, elbows resting on his knees, helmet dangling from one hand. His leg bounced restlessly, tapping the same rhythm over and over, a steady drumbeat of nerves.
“You’re going to wear a hole in the floor if you keep that up,” a teammate teased as he laced his skates.
Ethan forced a laugh, but his stomach was in knots. Tonight wasn’t just another game. Scouts were in the stands, eyes sharp, pens ready. He knew every shift, every pass, every move would be weighed against the future he wanted.
The door cracked open. “Hey, you got a visitor,” one of the younger players called out with a grin.
Ethan’s head snapped up. Riley slipped inside, her leather jacket
