PUCK ME ON ICE

Chapter 21

Tessy’s POV

“Are you sure this is going to work out, Sophie?” I asked, my hands trembling slightly as sheer nerves ate away at me.

“Of course it will,” Sophie reassured me, adjusting my collar and brushing a few loose strands of hair behind my shoulder. “You’ve faced enough rejection already—it’s time to go face this man head-on. Besides, it wasn’t easy for me to secure a meeting with him, so you can’t chicken out now.” She stepped back, giving me an appreciative look and a smug smile. “You look so goddamn good... Ryder is clearly rubbing off on you.”

I shot her a look. “Let’s not talk about him.”

“Right, right—it’s about you, not your handsome boyfriend,” she teased.

“You’re unbelievable,” I muttered, rolling my eyes, which earned a quiet chuckle from her.

“Come on, let’s go,” she said, taking my hand as we walked into the grand lobby of the luxury hotel.

We took a seat in the waiting lounge, keeping an eye on the entrance. Minutes ticked by, and the man had yet to show up.

“Sophie... are you sure he’s coming?”

“There he is,” she cut in softly, nodding toward a sharp-dressed man stepping out of the elevator.

We both stood up as he made his way across the marble floor toward us. My pulse spiked with fresh anxiety.

“Sophie, right?” the man asked, stopping in front of us.

“Yes, Sir,” Sophie replied, extending her hand. He gave it a firm handshake. “This is Tessy, my best friend—the artist I told you about.”

“Nice to meet you, Sir,” I chimed in immediately.

“Tessy... the amazing artist,” he said, a small, polite smile touching his lips. I gave a quick nod. “Alright, you two come with me.”

We followed him down a quiet corridor to a private suite. Two towering guards stood outside the doors, stepping forward to open them for us. Inside, a low table was set with a lavish spread of food.

“Let’s have dinner first,” he said, gesturing to the seating area. “I didn’t quite introduce myself properly—my name is Reggie.”

We offered polite smiles as we settled into the plush seats.

“Eat as much as you like,” Reggie encouraged.

Despite the incredible spread, an uneasy knot formed in my stomach. I had come here expecting a professional portfolio review, not a private dinner. Still, seeing Sophie dig in without hesitation, I picked up my fork and joined her.

“So tell me, Tessy,” Reggie began, taking a sip of his drink. “Why do you think your applications keep getting rejected?”

“I think... my drawings might just not be what those galleries are looking for,” I answered quietly.

“There’s a saying,” Reggie said, leaning back. “There are no bad artists—just some who refuse to capture the vision, while others are simply born with it. With that being said, your drawings might not be what they currently want, but you can mold them into what they need.”

I blinked, processing his words.

“Modern art today is vastly different from when I was coming up,” he continued. “We had no teachers, no mentors. We had to figure everything out on our own to bring our visions to life. So perhaps you haven’t truly sought out nature yet—perhaps you need to detach yourself from the noise of the world to create a piece that truly demands attention.”

The tension in my shoulders eased a bit. What he was saying actually made a lot of sense.

“You’re right,” I said, a genuine smile touching my lips.

“Your friend showed me samples of your work,” Reggie added, looking directly at me. “You possess real talent. Because of that, I’m willing to take you on and teach you.”

Excitement surged through my chest, replacing all my previous anxiety. “Thank you so much, Sir!”

“We’re going to make a great team,” he said with an approving nod.

The rest of dinner passed smoothly. Once we finished, we bade him goodbye, thanked him for his time, and headed out to catch a cab back to our apartment.

“I told you you’d get accepted!” Sophie beamed, squeezing my hand as the cab rolled down the street. “You’re brilliant, Tessy.”

I leaned my head against her shoulder. “You really are the best friend anyone could ever ask for.”

“I know I am,” she smirked, making me laugh.

The cab dropped us off outside our building. We headed upstairs, but as we turned the corner into our hallway, I froze dead in my tracks.

Standing right outside our apartment door, leaning against the wall with his hands shoved in his pockets, was Ryder.

My brows pulled together in utter confusion. “Ryder?... What are you doing here?”