Pucking Hot - Blades Hockey 1

This was it—I had finally made it. As the town car pulled up to the front of Winters Arena in New York City, I took a deep breath. The door opened, and I was instantly met with the blinding flashes of cameras. I squinted, the chaotic noise of reporters and photographers clashing with the pulse of anticipation in the air. “Mr. Prescott, welcome,” a voice called out from the madness. I glanced past the swarm and spotted the assistant I’d been assigned the week prior. Chet. We’d had a few video chats with my coach and the team coordinator, but this was the first time I was seeing him in person. He seemed a bit nervous, fidgeting with a piece of paper in his hand. I walked toward him, pushing through the crowd as the cameras snapped at me relentlessly. “Hey, Chet. Is it always like this?” I asked, raising my voice slightly to be heard over the noise. “No, but they were tipped off that you'd be arriving today. It’s a bit much, huh? I’ll get you settled. Parking pass, locker, all that. Let’s get you to the entrance in style. Hop in.” I hopped into the golf cart with golden letters that read "NY Blades" and we took off towards the entrance. For the first day of my professional hockey career, today kind of sucked. It was mostly just a tour of the incredible facilities and signing a puck ton of paperwork. The best part was meeting the guys and seeing "PRESCOTT" emblazoned on my locker with my new jersey hanging inside. “It’s an incredible feeling, isn’t it?” A voice called out, and I turned around to see a guy with a broad grin. “Yeah, feels pretty pucking great,” I replied, smiling for the first time today. “I’m Mason Winters. Right wing. Just got in yesterday.” “Winters, like Winters Stadium Winters?” I raised an eyebrow, a playful smirk tugging at my lips. He sighed. “Yes, that’s me. Can’t wait for the season to start so I can prove I’m here for more than just my dad owning the team.” “Sorry, man. Didn’t mean to judge. I actually remember you from when we played University of Michigan. You’ve got a mean slap shot and you're fast as hell.” "Lincoln Prescott, center, I remember you too. Plus, my dad gets a boner everytime he talks about you. He's really excited to have signed you. We're all heading out to the team's favorite bar, why don't you join us. It will be fun, plenty of puck bunnies ready to welcome us. You in?" "Of course I'm in." Puck yeah I needed to blow off some of this nervous energy and getting between the legs of a few hot bunnies was just the way to do it. I rode in Winters' Escalade to the bar down the street and we were escorted straight into the VIP section. The beer was flowing and the girls were all scantily dressed. I wasn't in Buffalo any longer. Don't get me wrong, there were puck bunnies, girls that chased hockey players, in Buffalo. There were bunnies in Minnesota, where I played in college too. These bunnies were just on a different level. "Get used to it Prescott, this is the usual for the off-season. It gets really good during the season, especially after a win. Welcome to New York. Cheers!" Axel Armstrong, team captain and leading defenseman of the league last year shouted above all of the noise. Our glasses clinked and beer sloshed all over a couple of the girls. They giggles and started licking if off of each other. "I could get used to this." I said to no one in particular. Maddie - Present Day "That's the last of it! Thanks Mase." "No sweat, Maddie. Just glad you're home." His grin was wide, and his voice held a note of sincerity. "Technically, you're my other half, you know?" That made me chuckle. "I missed you too Mase. Four years apart was rough, and now that I'm back in New York, it's going to be so much fun—when you finally get around to hanging out with your twin sister, instead of chasing tail." "Wow, Maddie. Tell me how you really feel." He shot me a playful look, then scoffed. "I don’t chase anyone." I raised an eyebrow, smirking. "The tabloids sure tell a different tale." "The tabloids print whatever sells." Mason’s voice dropped into that familiar, deflecting tone. "Besides, they chase me. I don't chase them. Ever." He pulled me into a hug, squeezing me tight. "I will always have time for my baby sister." "Baby by five minutes," I teased, punching his shoulder lightly. "That still makes you the baby squirt." He squeezed me again. I felt a lump in my throat. I had missed him more than I realized. Not just my brother, but my twin, my best friend. Our entire lives, we’d been inseparable. But life had pulled us in different directions after high school. Mason had gone to Michigan for a year, then was drafted into the NHL. I’d moved to California for UC Berkeley, diving into pre-law for four years. Now, here I was, back in New York and enrolled at Columbia Law School. It was going to be a big change, but seeing Mason, hearing his familiar voice, felt like everything was falling back into place. "Thanks for helping me with my stuff," I said, giving him one last squeeze. "Will I see you later?" "I have plans with the guys and a crazy training schedule this week. I wish you'd have come home earlier in the summer so we could hang out more. The season is about to start and things are hectic already, but I promise you'll see me a bunch!" He replied as he pulled me in for yet another hug. I sighed, said goodbye, and headed back up to my childhood bedroom to unpack. *Ding* My cellphone went off. A text from Cassidy, my bestie. OMG. Is it true, you're back? Please say yes! LOL. Hey, Cass. Yes, I'm back. Just finished unpacking my things. What's up? Be there in 15. Get dressed, we're going out to welcome you back in style! Cassidy was the reason my parents were glad I went away to school. She was a serious partier. Her family lived in a building down the street from me in the upper east side. We went to prep school together and we're debutantes together. In highschool she was constantly getting us in to trouble. We kept in touch through college and would meet up during vacations to ski or cruise on one of our dads' yachts. Being back was going to be fun for sure, but I was back for law school. I was back to prove to my dad I was the one that should run the team after he stepped down. I didn't want to try cases. I was studying contract law. I wanted to be more than prepared to run the team. I already knew hockey like it was the back of my hand. I double majored in prelaw and public relations at UC Berkeley and now with a degree in contract law, no one would be better prepared than me. And my mom? She wouldn’t be able to stop me. Not this time.