Sidelined Love: A Hockey Romance (The Crestwood University Series Book 1)

He’s late.

I don’t know why I’m surprised that he is. Being late for our first chess session isn’t the best way to make a good impression. Unfortunately, my initial thoughts about him seem to be correct.

If he has an issue, texting me about it would be the right thing to do. Communication is key and he’s now wasting my time.

During the time I’ve been waiting for him, I set up the chessboard, ordered a decaf coffee and a brownie, and I’ve been reading.

There are a few reasons why I’m not completely annoyed by this. First, I have my homework assignment that is due at the end of the week done already. If I didn’t have it done, I would have just gotten up and left and probably never spoken to him again.

Second, he’s lucky I’ve been keeping myself preoccupied with a book that has been on my TBR for way too long. I began reading the book today and now I’m halfway through chapter thirteen, where one of the heroine’s love interests has already asked her out on a date. The cute cover on this book is hiding a multitude of dirty things and no one is the wiser unless they are reading over my shoulder.

Third, I have one of the best brownies on the planet keeping me somewhat happy. Emphasis on somewhat.

Just as I’m sticking another piece of the chocolatey goodness into my mouth, the bell above the front door of Brewed Beginnings jingles. I shift my gaze, taking me out of the fictional world I’d been in, forcing me back to the present day where I still have to deal with someone who didn’t have the common decency to tell me something came up and he would be delayed.

And it is him.

Levi rushes in and spots me almost immediately. He runs a hand through his hair as he walks over to me quickly.

“Hailey, I’m so sorry,” Levi says, breathlessly, as he reaches the table where I’m still seated. “Practice ran over, and Coach wouldn’t let us off the ice until we got the drill right.”

How can someone who looks as if he ran all the way here still look hot and put together? It is another talent he has, I’m sure.

I roll my eyes but close my book with a soft thud, marking my spot with a bookmark I’d thrown in my bookbag a week ago. “It’s fine.”

“No, it’s not. I should have texted; this is all on me.”

His admission forces me to look up at him. Did he really own up to this being his fault? And here I thought tonight wouldn’t have any surprises, and he is already proving me wrong.

Levi sits down at the chair across from me and begins fumbling with his backpack. I narrow my eyes, trying to figure out what he’s trying to do or get. Just as I’m about to ask, he presents me with a white box tied with a delicate purple ribbon. I blink in surprise and stare at it like I’ve never seen a box before in my life.

“What’s this?”

Levi shrugs. “It was a thank-you-for-doing-this-for-me gift, but now I guess it’s doubling as an I’m-sorry-for-being-late-and-not-letting-you-know gift.”

“Alrighty then…” My voice trails off as I reach for the box and gently pull the ribbon loose. It falls away gracefully, as if in slow motion, adding to the suspense. With a careful lift of the lid, twelve purple roses greet me. My mouth drops open in surprise because this is the last thing I expected to see. Apparently, the surprises are determined to keep on coming.

“These are Ecuadorian roses. They’re preserved,” Levi explains. “I saw that you were reading an environmental science book the other day and thought you might appreciate them. They don’t need water or much care, and they should last at least a year. Figured it was perfect for a college student… and now I need to stop rambling.”

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I glance up at him then, caught off guard by his thoughtfulness. A small smile tugs at my lips as I touch one of the petals. I’m still confused as to why he decided to buy me flowers of all things. We’ve already come to an agreement about what he is going to do in exchange for my doing this, so this is extra.

“They’re beautiful,” I admit but try to maintain control of my emotions. Before I know it, I’ll be swooning at the sight of him like the thousands of people on this campus and around the country. “Thank you.”

Levi watches me for a second before he says, “You’re welcome. I’m glad you like them.”

“Wow… Seriously, thank you,” I say again. I place the box on the book I was reading and that draws Levi’s attention to it.

“What are ya reading there?”

I look at the book and then back at him before my eyes settle on the book again. He doesn’t know what he’s walking into by asking that question. “A romance novel.”

Levi leans forward. “Oh yeah? What’s it about?”

“Are you sure you want to know?” I ask, giving him an out. “I won’t be offended if you’re just blowing smoke up my ass.”

“I really want to know, Hailey.”

I move aside the white box, sit back, and fold my arms across my chest. “Fine. It’s a spicy romance where the heroine has multiple love interests. But the cover is cute, right?”

Levi stares at me for a moment, I’m sure he’s trying to process what I just threw out there. It is as if a switch goes off and I watch as his blue eyes darken slightly. “Is that something you’re into?”

I tilt my head, considering the implied meaning behind his words before deciding to keep the conversation on lighter ground. “It’s fiction. Pure escapism.” I put the roses carefully back down on the book, praying that the sudden heat I feel on my cheeks isn’t making what I’m thinking obvious. “I do like reading about it, however.”

He nods, a playful smirk appears on his face. “Right, of course. An escape from real life.”

The mood shifts back as I clear my throat and say, “Shall we get started on learning about chess?”

“I’m ready when you are.”

I slide the romance novel and the roses to the side and gesture to the board.

“Okay,” I start, pointing to the polished figures. “These are your pieces, sometimes referred to as chessmen. Pawns are up front. They’re your front line, essentially. Knights are next; they move in an L shape, so keep that in mind. Bishops move across the board diagonally.” I demonstrate each movement with a gentle touch on the pieces, watching Levi nod along as he memorizes their paths. “Then you have the rook,” I say, pausing to point at the piece that resembles a small tower.

Levi nods along and then he says, “The rook.”

“Yes, it moves straight ahead or side to side—not diagonally,” I explain. “Think of it as being your castle, your stronghold on the board. It can be one of the most powerful pieces, especially toward the endgame.”

He’s silent for a moment as his gaze switches between the board and me. “So, it can be the backbone of my strategy,” he says out loud, but it doesn’t seem as if he’s talking directly to me.

However, I can’t deal with awkwardly sitting here, so I decide to respond. “That’s one way to put it,” I reply, intrigued by the fact that he is taking this seriously.

“Alright, Rook, what’s next?”

And then he has to ruin the good thoughts I was having about him.

I roll my eyes at the nickname, deciding this time to let it slide. “The queen,” I continue, picking up the most versatile piece on the board. “She’s powerful—can move in any direction and as far as she wants, as long as she’s not blocked.”

“I’ve seen that piece before. And this is your king?” He brushes his finger against the piece.

I nod. “The whole game revolves around him. Once he’s in checkmate, the game is over regardless of how many other pieces are left on the board.”

“Protect him at all costs.”

“Exactly.”

We start a mock game where I explain each move and tactic. Levi surprises me with his quick grasp of chess strategy. During the game, he asks thoughtful questions. I also find us discussing some of our likes and dislikes, all the while keeping chess as our main priority.

“So, what got you into hockey in the first place?”

He glances up at me for a moment. “My older brother. He played. I idolized him, and wanted to be just like him.”

I notice the change in his mood, but I don’t press. “Sounds like he was a big influence on you.”

“Yeah, he was everything I wanted to be.” Levi’s smile is bittersweet, his gaze drifting away for a moment before refocusing on the game. “What about you? Why chess?”

The shift in topic feels natural though I sense there’s more he’s not saying, but I don’t want to pry. Instead, I find myself sharing my passion for chess and the environment.

“Chess was actually my dad’s thing first,” I explain. “When I was younger, he taught me the basics and it was a way for us to bond together. I swear, we’d play in the living room for hours, just the two of us. And I fell in love with it. When I go home, Dad and I still play together.”

“That’s really nice, having that connection with your dad,” he says.

I nod, suddenly feeling self-conscious under his stare. Clearing my throat, I redirect my attention back to the board. “So, I think you’ve got the basics down. I’m impressed.”

“I never thought I would hear you utter those words to me, Rook.”

“Okay, stop calling me that,” I demand.

He shrugs but doesn’t say anything further.

All I can do is stare at him through a narrowed gaze. “Why don’t we try a real game?”

Levi grins, rolling up the sleeves of his hoodie. “You’re on. I think I can handle this.”

I raise an eyebrow and begin resetting the board. “Alright, Let’s see what you’ve retained and what we need to work on for next time.”

With a nod, I make my first move, the King’s Pawn Opening. Levi watches intently, his hand hovering over his own pieces before he mirrors my move. The game progresses, with both of us losing pieces, him more so than me. His strategy is pretty good, but I end up victorious.

“Good game,” Levi says, shaking my hand across the table. His palm is warm and calloused against mine.

“You too, not bad for your first real match,” I reply.

“I have an excellent teacher.”

I feel my cheeks flush at the unexpected compliment. There’s no denying they’re red now. “Well, you were a quick study,” I say, tucking a strand of hair that has fallen out of my bun behind my ear self-consciously.

“Thanks again for taking the time to do this. I know you’re busy.”

“It’s no problem, really. I don’t mind teaching someone, especially when they are eager to learn.”

We don’t say anything else as we clean up the mess we made. I end up locking the chess set up with the others that I keep here for chess club. As I’m walking back to where Levi is, he taps two fingers on the table and says, “Since it’s dark now, how about I walk you home?”

It’s weird that I’ve gone from thinking that Levi is an egotistical jock, when he’s showing me that he’s anything but. There is much more to him, but I’m not willing to admit that to him. “Thanks, but no thanks. I drove here so it’s not an issue.”

“I can make sure you get to your car safely then. I also drove here, which helped me not be later than I already was.”

I hesitate for a second. It’s silly because I’m perfectly capable of walking myself to my car. Yet there’s something sweet about his offer. With a slight shake of my head, I say, “Alright, please walk me to my car.”

As we leave Brewed Beginnings, the night air is a small shock to my system given how much chillier it is since I entered.

Levi and I walk in comfortable silence. At least for me, it’s because I’m not sure what else to say. I’m not sure why Levi’s being quiet.

As we reach my car, I unlock it, putting my things in the passenger’s seat before walking over to the driver’s side. Turning to face Levi, I extend my hand.

“Thank you for walking me to my car and for the flowers,” I say sincerely.

He takes my hand in his and shakes it firmly. “No need to thank me. And I’m not going to thank you again for the lessons because while I’m grateful, I’ll be repeating myself for the seventh time at this point.”

I let go of his hand and unlock my car door. As I slip into the driver’s seat, I hear him call out, “See you around?”

“Yeah,” I reply, starting the engine. “See you around, Levi.”