Melting Away The Ice (THE ICE SERIES)

by Smith, Mary

  "Well that didn’t last long," he whispered so quietly I almost missed it.

  "Lucas Sharp," Rachel said, “I am a huge fan." Lucas smiled a breathtaking smile and said, "Thank you." I could not take my eyes off of him. He had piercing blue eyes, body like a Greek God, and looks that a male model would sell his soul for. He asked her name and signed her shirt.

  "Well, it was nice to meet you Rachel," he said and looked over to me. "Nice to meet you Sara." He smiled and walked towards the crowd coming at him.

  "Sara, you met Lucas Sharp. Nice. Did you get his number?" Rachel was beaming at me.

  "Um, no, I didn’t even tell him my name. How did he know my name?" I was so confused.

  “Who cares? Lucas Sharp was flirting with you and he signed my shirt" I glanced at my best friend, who looked like a child inside Disney World.

  "Flirting? I don’t think so.” I was just ready to get out of there. “Are you done yet?" I asked. "I have court in the morning."

  Rachel huffed. "Fine, let’s go."

  After a forever-long cab ride, I finally walked up several flights of stairs and into my apartment. I was still freezing cold from the ice rink, so I took a hot shower. Exhaustion finally set in as I made sure to lock all the doors and set the alarm before falling into bed thinking about Mr. Blue Eyes.

  Chapter 3 - Sara

  "Having a bad day?" Charity asked as I walked into my office after court.

  "That does not even begin to cover it. The Johnson’s case has been continued until the twenty-fifth." She nodded as I handed her folders and she handed me my coffee.

  "Um, you got a very strange message earlier.” She shifted uncomfortably letting her dark hair fall over her eyes. My heart pounded and my eyes went wide. Charity looked up when I didn’t answer her and knew instantly that she said something wrong.

  "Oh no, not like that," she quickly said. Only Rachel, Rachel’s assistant, Betty, and Charity knew about my life during the time of the accident and was always supportive. Charity would bring cases to me and make sure my work kept going. Even though I was unable to go to court for almost three months after the accident she made sure that Rachel knew my cases inside and out. Charity kept my office going like a well-oiled machine. She was incredible.

  "Sorry. I just meant it was from Rachel’s office."

  "Oh,” I took a deep breath and tried to calm down the shaking that was happening all over my body. "Well, why is that strange?" It wasn’t abnormal for Rachel’s side to get my messages.

  "Well, it was from the Chicago Eagles PR department wondering who Rachel’s guest was at the meet and greet last night."

  "Oh no." I knew I should have stayed by Rachel’s side. Even though she was a lawyer, she didn’t always have boundaries. “What did she say or do?"

  “Oh no, they wanted to know about you. They knew your name was Sara, but they wanted to contact you"

  "Me? Why?" I confused.

  “No clue. I do know that Betty didn’t give them any information. Only took a number to contact them back.” The girls knew to never give out any of my personal information. It was an unwritten rule to keep my information private. Only Charity knew my schedule and she had it under lock and key. No one ever gave out my address or phone numbers. I always met clients in my office building and always went to the back way in the court house. No matter where I was, I looked around to make sure I knew where all the exits were, just in case I need to make a run for it.

  "Okay. I will call them back and see what the heck is happening." Charity handed me the paper. All it said was "Amy Johnson, Eagle PR rep" and the number. I sat my stuff down and headed over to the phone.

  "Amy Johnson’s office,” a young voice came onto the line after I dialed the number.

  "Yes, this is Sara Smith. I was retuning a call to Amy." I was still racking my brain to figure out what Rachel had done, although, it was strange that they wanted to speak with me.

  "One moment please," the young voice stated and then I was listening to bad elevator music.

  "Amy Johnson," came on the line a moment later.

  "Hello, this is Sara Smith. My secretary stated that you were trying to get in contact with me," I said firmly. I figured I need to get into lawyer mode if it was something that Rachel had done.

  "I was looking for a Sara that attended the meet and greet with Rachel Silver last night? Was that you?"

  "Yes, that was me. May I ask what this is about?" I was becoming nervous because this was just going to be bad. I could feel it.

  "Oh my, I didn't think I would find you. This is great!" Amy stated through the phone. I could hear her giggles.

  "Again, may I ask what this is about?" I asked again more firmly. Let’s get to the bad news, lady.

  "Oh yes. Sorry. Um, you won two tickets to tonight’s game. You can pick them up at the front gate," I shook my head in disbelief. Tickets? What the heck?

  "What?" I’m so confused.

  "Yep, you won two tickets. Just have to get them by six PM." Just then Rachel blasted through my door.

  "Ms. Johnson, would you hold for one moment?" I placed her on hold before she could answer. "Did you sign us up for a raffle or some type of giveaway?'

  "No, why? Who is on the phone?" Rachel looked as confused as I was.

  "This is the Eagle’s PR rep and she said that there are two tickets for us to tonight’s game."

  Rachel screamed and jumped up. "OH MY GOD!" My ears started to ring from the scream.

  "Rachel calm down. If you didn’t sign us up then what the heck is going on?" Sometimes Rachel was a little bit too spontaneous.

  "Who cares? Take the tickets." She bounced with excitement.

  "Hang on Rachel." I picked up the phone again. "Ms. Johnson, I’m not sure you have the right person. Neither Rachel nor I signed up to win tickets."

  "Oh no, you didn't. See, um, we just randomly picked two people from, um; last night’s meet and greet. Yep, that is what we did," she stuttered out the words and I knew that she was lying. This was not the first time someone had lied to me. I was a lawyer for Pete’s sake.

  "Never mind, we don't want them. You can-" The phone was jerked from my hand.

  'YES WE DO WANT THEM!" Rachel shouted into the phone. "When do they need to be picked up?" Rachel paused and nodded her head. “Six PM, got it. Thanks." She hung up the phone.

  "What are you doing?" I asked her. Well, I practically shouted it to her.

  "You don't pass up free tickets to the Eagles," Rachel stated back to me with her hands on her hips. She would probably sell her first born for tickets.

  "Rachel, I don't want to -" I was cut off when Rachel shouted for Charity.

  "Yes?" Charity poked her head in the door. Rachel waved her into the room.

  "What is Sara’s schedule tomorrow?" Rachel crossed her arms and gave her the stared down. Charity, who was so easily intimidated, looked down at the ground.

  "Her hearing was moved, she is free all day."

  "Thank you, Charity." She looked back at me. "You can’t use the excuse about being busy tomorrow. You are going. Period!" She marched out of the office with her blonde hair fluttering behind her.

  "Sorry, Sara," Charity whispered.

  "No, it’s not your fault. For being so tiny she scares the crap out of me too," I somewhat laughed out. Rachel’s heart was in the right place but darn it I didn’t want to go again.

  "Have fun tonight," Charity said as she left.

  Always Miss Positive but I still do not want to go. I huffed and fell into my seat. It was then I remembered Mr. Blue Eyes, Lucas Sharp. He was nice to look at but I didn’t think I had it in me to sit through another hockey game.

  Nonetheless, I didn’t want to feel the wrath of Rachel, either.

  Looks like I am heading to another game.

  Chapter 4 - Sara

  "Can you believe these seats?" Rachel kept gushing as we took our seats in the glass section. They were almost the exact same as last night, but she was still in awe. />
  “I thought hockey teams traveled a lot. Why are there back-to-back home games?" I almost whined. I still didn’t like the fact we were given these tickets. I had an unsettling feeling and I was unsure if I wanted to be here.

  "Stop talking and look at where we are." Rachel looked at me with a stern glare. She is so tiny, but could kick my butt in a heartbeat.

  "We were over there last night." I pointed to the other side of the rink.

  "Yes, but these are better because they are free." She smiled as she wiggled in her seat. My best friend never looked happier. She had a hard exterior, even though she looked like a super model. But when it came to hockey she was a little girl again. I remembered in our childhood how her father and she would go to so many Eagles game. She was always bouncing around on game days.

  On the other hand, my parent’s barely knew I was alive. My parents worked more than anyone I knew, even more than me. They were hardly home. On top of that, I had no siblings, so it was just me. I would go over to Rachel’s house often because she had the greatest parents ever. They would always treat me like their own.

  It broke my heart when they passed away. First her dad when we were in high school. It was just a few years later that we lost her mom. I never cried so much for the loss of two people. As always, Rachel was so strong, even through the tears.

  I hadn't talked to my parents since a couple months after the accident. It was just a waste of my time for me to call. My jaw had been wired shut from being broken and it was hard to talk. My mother explained that she didn’t have time to decipher messages from me and hung up. Parents of the year, for sure. However, I always had Rachel. Through everything, no matter what, she was always my rock and I loved her more than anything.

  "Hello!" She waved her hands in my face. "Are you okay?" Concern came over her face.

  "How about some beer?" I asked as she pulled me from my thoughts. Rachel looked shocked, but nodded. As I got up to wave down the beer guy, a security attendant came over to where we were sitting.

  "Excuse me, are you Sara Smith and Rachel Silver?" We looked at each other and then nodded.

  "These are for you.” He handed me two bright yellow tickets. “They’re for a special meet and greet at the end of the game." Then he walked away. I thought Rachel was going to faint from all the excitement. Before I could question it, the arena got dark and the Jumbotron started.

  "Can you believe this?" She said trying to catch her breath.

  "What the heck is going on? Aren’t you the least curious?" I argued with her.

  "Don’t fight fate, Sara, especially when it comes to the Eagles." She pointed her finger at me.

  "Seriously?" I rolled my eyes as the Eagles took the ice. I couldn't help myself; I looked for the number eighty jersey.

  There it was. He was the last to get on the ice. His face was set and serious, his strong jaw tense with determination. His blue eyes were even more piercing than last night. It was hard to catch my breath when I looked right at him. Just then I saw him look back at me and smirk. A very cocky smirk, at that.

  "Um, did Lucas Sharp just smile at you?" Rachel leaned over and whispered to me.

  "What? No. I am sure he was looking at someone else?" I stammered.

  "I don't think so. Maybe you have a secret admirer.” Rachel giggled.

  "What are we, in some cheesy Lifetime movie? He was not looking at me." I snapped back at her. She just giggled more.

  As the game started I looked around. Was he smiling at me? No, I am sure it wasn’t me. I tried to focus on the game and not think about it. I knew that it was not real. I just put it out of my mind and focused on the players on the ice. The problem was, my eyes kept wondering to Lucas Sharp. He is a Greek God on the ice, I thought. Just then Lucas and an opposing player slammed into the boards in front of us. Rachel jumped up, banged on the glass, and cheered. I could hear the players yelling, but I didn’t understand what they were saying.

  “Pourquoi ne jouez-vous pas le hockey comme un vrai home?” Lucas shouted. I looked over at Rachel.

  “Is he shouting in French?” I asked.

  “Yep, he is from Canada. Somewhere in Quebec, I think?”

  “Oh.” He isn’t a Greek God, he’s a Canadian God. I focused back on the ice and tried to figure out why fans were booing or cheering.

  This is so confusing.

  However, I kept watching. Well, mainly Lucas, but that should count for Rachel. I looked over at her and she more focused on the game than our Bar exams. I just rolled my eyes at her, even though she wasn’t paying attention.

  The game seemed to fly by and the Eagles won again. I was extremely impressed by Lucas’ goal in the second quarter. Or was it period? Whichever? As fans began to leave, Rachel was literally bouncing up and down to go to another meet and greet.

  “Rach, how much caffeine have you had?”

  “None, why?”

  “Because I think you are about to bounce out of your own skin,” I laughed. It was a real laugh and I had not done that in a long time. Maybe because it still hurt the pins in my jaw. I cringed at the thought of them.

  Stop it, Sara! Right now! Focus! We were waved through just like last night and went to the same spot. The difference was there was no one else but us.

  “Excuse me, sir?” Rachel asked the guard outside the door. “Are we in the right spot?”

  “Yes, you two are the special guests of Lucas Sharp, right? Then you are in the right spot.” He turned back around.

  I looked over at Rachel in shock and just then the side door opened. All I saw was blue eyes, looking back at me.

  Chapter 5 – Lucas

  “Amy, I know you can work your PR magic.” I smiled sweetly at her.

  “Lucas, you’re asking me to find a woman from a meet and greet and all you know is her name is Sara and has a friend, Rachel.” Amy looked back at me. “Do I look like a police detective?”

  “No, you’re better. Also, could you have it done so they can make it to tonight’s game? Please,” I begged. Why am I doing this again? Oh yeah I can’t get Miss Perfect out of my head. Ever since last night she was all I had thought about. I still could not get over the fact that she didn’t like hockey. I kept thinking about how she looked. I shook my head.

  “Amy, I will buy you whatever you want.” Yeah now I am becoming desperate.

  “Okay, if I find her, I want the new Gucci purse that just came out. Its five hundred dollars, Lucas.” Amy crossed her arms and stared me down. She thought I would back out.

  Ha! Yeah right!

  “You find her and it’s a deal.” I stuck my hand out and we shook on it. “Let me know,” I said as I was walking out the door, “I am heading to the ice,” I didn’t hear her response because I was already rushing to the stairs to get to the rink.

  I changed in a flash and was out on the ice before Coach D could yell at me. Being on the ice was the only time I felt alive. My mother said I was born to be on it. However, right now all I could think about was the brunette with curly hair that I saw last night. I usually don’t pay attention, but there was something about her. The sadness on her face is what made me notice her most. When she looked at me for that brief moment, her green eyes were stunning, but she kept looking away. Like she was about to bolt out the door but, it was something else. It wasn’t until her friend came over that I found out her name. At that point I knew I had been “found” out. I’d lived in Chicago for five years and it seems everywhere I go, I get recognized. I love my fans, but I wish I had a day off from being “Captain of the Chicago Eagles, Lucas Sharp.” Fat chance on that happening any time soon.

  “O Captain! My Captain,” Max hollered at me.

  “Yes,” I yelled back at my friend. Max and I go way back. We first met as teenagers playing in Canada, then we ended up getting drafted the same year. I still tease him that I was drafted second and he was drafter fifth; albeit, he was the leading defense men in the league and I was the leading forward.

  “I was j
ust wondering why you look all giddy today,” he said in a girly high pitched voice.

  “Yeah, Captain, what’s up?” Marc skated over to us. Marc was a couple years younger than us and we all looked out for him. However, he had to be the funniest guy ever and loved to pull pranks, even on me. “You have the look of being in a cloud.”

  “Marc, when is your English going to get better?” I asked.

  Poor guy! His accent is so thick at times it would just be easier for him to speak French.

  “Hey, I do better each day.” Max and I laughed at him because he could barely get the words out.

  “Well, good job then,” I said with a bit of sarcasm, “and can’t I just be in a good mood?”

  “No,” they both said at the same time. I just shook my head.

  Just then Coach D blew the whistle and practice started.

  Three long hours later, I was drenched in sweat and my legs were burning. My body ached, but I needed to focus on the game tonight and have no distractions. Ugh! I feel so much older than twenty-eight, right now.

  “You owe me a purse, Sharp.” A female voice bellowed down the tunnel. It was Amy and she was at the end with her hands on her hips.

  “No way.” I picked up my pace to get down to her. “You did it?”

  “Yep, I did,” she beamed. “Her name is Sara Smith. Her friend is Rachel Silver and they are lawyers for a small firm downtown.”

  “Is she coming?” My heart began to beat faster and my smile was glued to my face.

  “Yes. I will have the attendant get her the greet passes when she gets here.”

  “Amy, you just got yourself a new purse.”

  “Yes!” She jumped up and down. “I will email you the purse I want.” She skipped away.

  “Oh, so it’s a girl, huh,” Max said behind me.

  “Shut up,” I hissed.