Discover Top Posts Tagged with #j.t. compher

coming home | j.t.c. | 18+

Pairing: J.T. Compher x Original Character

Word Count: 12.2k

Warnings: cursing, drinking, smut (dry humping, dirty talk, making out) MINORS DNI

A/N: idk where this came from but enjoy the yearning i tried

tagging: @taking-shots @harlowhockeystick @flashyfucker @fallinallincurls @jostystyles @jostyriggslover96 @burkymakar @cuttergauth @matbaerzal @hockeylvr59 @hockstuff @tkachukslut @mikkorantanev @gabelandeskog @cale8makar @xsyntheticsensation

Connor Maddox’s grandfather always used to tell her, “Whenever Joseph Compher wants to practice on our ice, you let him. That kid is going to bring home the Cup one day.” She idolized her grandfather, respected every word he ever spoke, and so she spent her adolescence opening the rink for the soft-spoken yet snarky older boy with the big, brown eyes who always brought her a hot chocolate with Irish Cream, no matter what time of day it was.

And there he was on her television screen, hoisting the Stanley Cup over his head. Her grandfather would be proud.

“Hey Connor?” her employee, Robin, asked.

“Yeah, what’s up?” Connor looked up at her from her desk.

“There’s, um, there’s someone on the phone who wants to talk to the manager. He wants to have an event here or something.”

“Okay, thanks!” Connor picked up the phone as Robin left her office. “Hello?”

“Hi, is this the manager?”

Connor’s stomach dropped. She would recognize Joseph Compher’s voice anywhere.

J.T., Connor reminded herself. He goes by J.T..

“Yes, this is Connor, how can I help you?”

“Hey Connor, my name is J.T. Compher and I play for the Colorado Avalanche. I, uh, I grew up in Northbrook and basically learned everything I know at your rink, so I’d like to bring the Stanley Cup over and have a big celebration on my cup day,” J.T. explained.

“Yeah, we can do that for you, J.T.,” Connor said, smiling but wondering if he recognized her voice. He might recognize her last name, and he’d definitely remember her if she reminded him what her nickname was when they played hockey together.

“Thank you so much!” J.T. sighed. “We want to do a fundraiser as well, raise some money for the community, you know, give back a little.”

“We’d appreciate that a lot, truly. Let me give you my cell number and we can work this out together, sound good?” Connor suggested.

“That’s perfect, Connor, thank you.”

Connor gave him her number, wondering if he still had it in his phone from all those times he’d call her late at night or early in the morning, begging her to open the rink so he could skate. She bid him goodbye, then immediately called her dad.

“Hey, kiddo, what’s up?” Connor’s dad, Tom, answered.

“Remember Joseph Compher?” Connor questioned.

“You mean Stanley Cup Champion Joseph Compher? Yeah, of course.”

“He wants to have part of his Cup day celebrations at the rink.”

Tom gasped, incredulous. “He wants to bring the Stanley Cup to our rink? Did you tell him yes?”

“Of course I did. Pops would’ve rolled over in his grave if I didn’t. He wants to do a fundraiser and I think I could get him to make a donation to the rink, too.”

“Did he remember you?”

Connor gnawed on her lip, and muttered, “I don’t think so, but I didn’t tell him my last name. I wanna see how long it takes him to realize it’s me.”

“Ah, a test to see if he’s still worthy after all these years?” Tom chuckled.

Connor laughed back, “I hate you!”

“He’s still a good-looking guy, Con,” her dad insisted. “With a hell of a salary.”

“Goodbye, Father.” Connor rolled her eyes and hung up on her dad to get back to work. She checked her cell phone to see a text from J.T.. She realized he hadn’t changed his number, and she hadn’t changed his contact number since high school.

July 1st

Joseph The Idiot (12:43 PM)

Hey Connor, this is J.T. Compher. Wanted to say thanks again for helping us set this up. Your rink means the world to me and it’s going to be so special to share the Cup with Northbrook!

Connor (12:45 PM)

No problem! Excited to work this out!

July 2nd

Joseph The Idiot (11:21 AM)

I’ve confirmed my cup day is the 15th, is that okay?

Connor (11:24 AM)

Yes, that’s perfect! What are you wanting to do at the rink specifically?

Joseph The Idiot (11:30 AM)

I would love to be able to talk a bit to the people that come to the event

Also a photo op of some sort, definitely

I’m working with the Bluehawks too, cause I played for them, and there will be a lot of kids there.

Connor (11:35 AM)

Okay, so we could put carpet down on the ice? And chairs and such for the kids, for any of your family members, other important people?

If you wanted, too, we could have the photo op on the ice

Joseph The Idiot (11:37 AM)

That would be amazing!

I think we’d probably be there about a couple hours or so based on the tentative schedule.

Late morning to early afternoon, probably 11:30 to 1:30 or something like that

Does that work?

Connor (11:40 AM)

Yeah, we can make that work. We have a couple parties that night, but that should be fine.

Joseph The Idiot (11:41 AM)

We’ll help you guys clean up and get ready for those parties.

Connor (11:42 AM)

You don’t have to!

But we would appreciate it anyway :)

Joseph The Idiot (11:43 AM)

It’s the least we can do!

I’ll also be making a donation. I know you guys have some repairs you want to make, and I would love to contribute to that

Plus the youth hockey programs

Connor (11:47 AM)

We’d appreciate both of those donations!

I’m one of the youth hockey coaches

Joseph The Idiot (11:49 AM)

Really? That’s incredible! What team?

Connor (11:50 AM)

The U12 and U19 girls teams! I help out with the U14s and the U16s too.

Joseph The Idiot (11:51 AM)

My sisters both used to play for the girls’ teams. I’m so glad to hear they’re still going strong!

Connor (11:52 AM)

I’m glad to report it :)

July 4th

Joseph The Idiot (2:28 PM)

Happy Fourth!

Connor (2:38 PM)

Happy Fourth back atcha!

Joseph The Idiot (3:00 PM)

Think we could get some epic fireworks for the 15th?

Connor (3:07 PM)

Ha, in the middle of the day?

Joseph The Idiot (3:09 PM)

Damn, you’ve got me there

July 6th

Joseph The Idiot (6:58 PM)

How’s the planning going? Anything you need from me?

Connor (7:00 PM)

Nope, not as far as I know! We’re just making sure we have the staff to be able to host.

Joseph The Idiot (7:03 PM)

Great! Let me know how I can help!

Connor (7:04 PM)

Will do! :)

July 8th

Connor (4:43 PM)

Do you have decorations you want put up?

Joseph The Idiot (4:44 PM)

Oh shit, yes

I’m in Colorado right now, but can I have one of my family members bring them over?

Connor (4:46 PM)

Sure! Have them drop it at the front desk

Joseph The Idiot (4:47 PM)

God, you’re a lifesaver!

July 11th

Joseph The Idiot (5:41 PM)

Everything still good?

Connor (5:43 PM)

Yep, all good!

July 14th

Joseph The Idiot (9:07 PM)

See you tomorrow!

Connor (9:08 PM)

See you tomorrow! The rink is all ready to go!

July 15th

Joseph The Idiot (8:11 AM)

[image]

Pancakes taste even better from the Stanley Cup.

Connor (8:12 AM)

I bet they do, save some for me?

Joseph The Idiot (8:13 AM)

One to go box, got it.

[image]

I’m pretty sure this violates the “don’t take a date to bed on the first date” rule, but when else could I take Lord Stanley to my childhood bedroom?

Connor (8:15 AM)

At least you took him to breakfast beforehand.

“Does this shirt look okay?” Connor smoothed down her burgundy blouse nervously. She’d picked it out specifically for today, because it was one of the Avalanche’s colors.

“Why? Nervous to see your boyfriend?” Connor’s younger sister, Corissa, teased.

Connor stuck her tongue out at Corissa. “I’m ninety percent sure he has a girlfriend. Plus, he doesn’t remember me, so that would be awkward.”

“So? What if he shows up today and confesses his love for you?”

“I—,” Connor blushed at the thought. High school memories of him flashed through her head; watching him zip by her on the ice, scoring his games, looking up to see him watching her games she played with his sisters, Jesse and Morgan. She remembered how much she wanted to kiss him when his face was flushed and sweaty after a game.

“I’m just saying, if you suddenly have to sneak away to your office with him, I’ll cover for you guys,” Corissa said seriously.

“Jesus Christ, Cori,” Connor laughed. “I’m not going to fuck him at the rink!”

Corissa wiggled her eyebrows. “But maybe after?”

Connor shoved her sister and cackled, “Fuck off! I’ve gotta go. I’ll see you over there?”

“Yes ma’am,” Corissa saluted. “See you at the rink.”

Connor left her and her sister’s house and made the short drive to the Northbrook Sports Center. Her hands shook as she drove, pulling into her designated space and barely staying between the lines. She saw a gaggle of people in front of the building, several of them with the telltale Compher-red hair, and unmistakable number thirty-seven white Avalanche jersey.

Oh fuck, Connor thought. She wasn’t ready to see him yet, hadn’t mentally prepared to see J.T. after so many years, but there he was, standing at the front door of the rink like he was fifteen and waiting for her bike over to let him in. He looked good, much taller and much broader than she remembered him being.

Connor took a deep breath and clambered out of her car. She nearly tripped, cursing the heels she’d chosen to wear. She popped her trunk, grabbed her backpack, and walked over to meet the Compher family.

“Hey guys,” Connor greeted them as she came to a stop in front of the family she was once so familiar with. “I’m Connor.”

“Holy fuck,” J.T. breathed, sounding shocked. Connor saw Jesse elbow Morgan behind their brother, but her focus remained on J.T. as he said, “Duck?”

Connor pressed her lips together, but couldn’t hold her smile back. “I didn’t know if you’d remember,” she said quietly. “Hey, Seph. It’s good to see you.”

“Holy shit!” J.T. opened his arms and pulled Connor into a strong hug, allowing her to wrap her arms around his waist. God, he’d gotten so ripped. “I thought you were the Connor I was talking to, but I didn’t know your family still owned the rink after your grandpa.” He let her go but they stayed close together.

“Yeah, he, uh, he wanted to make sure we kept it, so he left us a lot of money to keep it going,” Connor explained. “I didn’t know if you’d remember me, either, and I didn’t want it to seem like suddenly you came back with the Cup and now we’re friends again.”

“I’d never think that,” J.T. said, barely audible, but was interrupted by Jesse loudly clearing her throat.

“Quit flirting and let us all say hi, J,” she said, pushing past him to hug Connor.

“There’s the Jesse I remember,” Connor laughed. “It’s even better to see you than it is to see Joseph. And Morgan, of course!” Connor released Jesse to hug Morgan, then Valerie and Bob.

“Um,” J.T. said, reaching for a plastic bag behind him with a coffee cup next to it. Connor’s heart pounded as he handed them both to her sheepishly. “I said I’d bring you some of Mom’s pancakes, so here. And just in case it was you,” he glanced over at Jesse, who smirked, “I got a hot chocolate with Irish Cream.”

Connor was stunned. He really remembered. Holy shit.

“Who had to remind you?” Connor teased, taking the cup and bag. “Jesse or Morgan?”

J.T. chuckled. “I remembered myself, thank you very much.”

“Wow, I’m impressed you had the brain cells to remember after all the partying you’ve done since you won the Cup!” Connor grinned and unlocked the door. She yanked it open and J.T. caught it for her.

“You know what,” he said, “you’ve got me there. For a while there my blood was just straight alcohol.”

Connor laughed as she walked into the rink, her second home. She flicked on the lights, then went around unlocking everything as the Comphers looked around nostalgically. They had their heads together, speaking softly, when she returned to them.

“So all your decorations are up,” Connor said. “And there’s a bunch of chairs on the ice, plus the backdrop for photos and a table for the cup and everything.”

“This is perfect, honestly,” J.T. told her. “Thank you so much.”

“Yeah, of course! My grandpa always said that you’d bring a Cup home,” said Connor sadly.

“I was really sorry to hear that he’d passed. He was a great person.”

Connor noticed that the rest of the Comphers had suspiciously left them alone, but she didn’t mind. She always loved the time they spent alone at the rink, and standing next to J.T. reminded her how much she’d enjoyed it.

“It sucked, I’m not gonna lie,” Connor agreed sadly and took a drink of her hot chocolate.

“What, uh, what happened, if you don’t mind?”

“Cancer.”

“Fuck, Connor, I’m so sorry.”

Connor shrugged, “We knew it was coming. He’d been struggling for a while, and we were just glad he wasn’t in pain.”

J.T. shifted nervously on his feet, looking like he wanted to do something to comfort her, but ultimately opting not to. Instead, he said, “I’m glad he’s not suffering anymore.”

“Me too. He left Dad the rink, plus some money to keep it going, and then when I graduated from college, I took over running it. Dad is technically the owner still, but I keep everything going since Dad has his own job.” Connor gnawed on her lip, wondering if she was telling him too much too quickly, but he didn’t seem to mind.

“Where did you end up going?” J.T. questioned.

“Northwestern,” Connor said with a sly grin.

J.T. grinned back at her. “You always wanted to go to Northwestern.”

“And I did it. My degree is in my office,” Connor laughed, “also known as my most expensive piece of paper.”

“You’re doing better than I did,” J.T. laughed, too. “I don’t even have a degree.”

“Okay Mr. Three Million Dollar Contract.”

“Actually,” J.T. corrected, “Three and a half million. For four years.”

Connor shoved her old friend, laughing, “Show off.”

“You could’ve played pro, too, Duck.”

“What?” Connor looked incredulously at him.

“Yeah, you could’ve easily gone to play in the PHF. Jesse’s playing at Wisconsin in the fall, and I’m pretty sure she’s going pro after. I bet you could still keep up with her.”

“Seph,” Connor said quietly. “I can’t. I have to keep the rink going.”

“I mean, you could,” he insisted.

“Con,” Jesse interrupted loudly as she, Morgan, and their parents rejoined them, “thanks for setting this all up. Everything looks great!”

“Thanks, Jess,” Connor said with a smile. “We have a place for your medal, too, if you want.”

“I won’t leave it out, but I brought it if you want to see it,” Jesse said, reaching into her pocket. She pulled out a sock, reached into it, and removed her shining Olympic silver medal. Jesse offered it to a gaping Connor.

“Jesus, you trust me to hold it?” Connor laughed.

“It’s Jesse, not Jesus, and yes.” Jesse nearly shoved her medal into Connor’s hands as Connor laughed at her joke.

“Oh my god, it’s heavy!” Connor yelped, admiring the medal. “But look at her.”

“Wait til you see the Cup,” J.T. added.

“Damn, you really saw your sister win a silver medal in the Olympics, said ‘Hold my beer,’ and won the fucking Stanley Cup. You couldn’t let her outshine you, huh, Seph?” Connor chirped with a grin.

J.T. shrugged. “Nope, couldn’t let her have all the attention.”

Valerie walked over and joined them to say, “I think the Cup just got here, J.”

J.T., his family, and Connor all went outside to get the Cup. J.T. grinned when he pulled it out of its case, and Connor was struck by how shiny it was.

“Wow,” she breathed.

“You wanna hold it?” J.T. offered.

“I’m allowed to?”

“Absolutely.”

J.T. handed her the Stanley Cup and she gasped a little at how heavy it was. She’d always had the arm strength of a Tyrannosaurus rex, so J.T. helped her hold it over her head while Morgan took their picture. J.T. stood so close to Connor, she could feel his heart pounding. Why was he nervous?

“I think folks are gonna start showing up soon,” Connor said. “So I should get inside. Let me know if you need anything, any of you, okay?” Connor looked at J.T.’s whole family.

“We will.” J.T. wrapped his arms around Connor again, and she returned the sentiment, looking up at him in his arms while he mumbled to her, “I’m damn glad to see you, Duck.”

“I’m damn glad you remember me, Seph. You didn’t get too big for your britches and forget one of your childhood friends.” She thought for a moment, then added, “But you don’t go by Joseph anymore, so I should probably stop calling you ‘Seph,’ huh?”

“Please don’t stop calling me Seph,” he nearly whispered.

“Okay,” Connor whispered back. She stared at his lips and wondered how his beard would feel against her face. He’d shaved it recently, and she was glad; his playoff beard was looking ratty.

“Okay,” J.T. repeated. He was looking down at her, some glint of something in his dark eyes that Connor couldn’t identify. Joy? Guilt? Admiration? She couldn’t figure it out.

“I’ve gotta go,” she said quickly, but didn’t want to let go.

“I do too,” J.T. sadly agreed. “But I’ll see you later.” He gave her one final squeeze, then released her and disappeared into the rink, leaving Connor alone.

“What the fuck is happening?” Connor muttered to herself, covering her face with her hands. Her heart was pounding, her hands shaking, all for Joseph Compher. All because Joseph Compher remembered her, remembered her nickname and her hot chocolate and her. He remembered her.

“Yo, why are you out here?”

Connor removed her face from her hands to see Corissa walking up to her. She relaxed her body, and sighed, “Corissa.”

Corissa raised an eyebrow at her. “Connor. What is it?”

“He remembered,” Connor whispered.

“Shut the fuck up,” Corissa said loudly with a big grin.

“He remembered,” she whispered again, almost trying to convince herself that it was still real. “I walked up, and he called me ‘Duck,’ Cori. He brought me hot chocolate with Irish Cream.”

“Shut the fuck up!” Corissa repeated, her grin growing.

“And Jesse and Morgan kept, like, elbowing each other and smirking at him and stuff. Like I said, ‘Hey Seph,’ and Jesse elbowed Morgan. Like they’d talked about it too,” Connor added.

“Bro,” Corissa said excitedly, “he’s into you! He so is!”

Connor shrugged. “He's just being nice. We have history.”

“Sure, if that’s what you wanna call it, then call it history.”

“C’mon, we’ve gotta get inside. People are coming soon,” Connor tried to divert her sister.

“We’ll talk about this later,” Corissa said as they walked into the rink.

People began showing up shortly after that, and then Connor began running around like a chicken with her head cut off trying to keep things going smoothly. She hardly saw any of the Comphers, let alone J.T., during the ceremony, during the photo ops, during the whole event. She didn’t even get to see J.T. raise the Cup for the youth teams, including her girls, which made her sad, but she knew there would be video. She ended up back in her office as the event finished, and emerged when everyone had left.

“Duck,” J.T. said happily when they finally saw each other. “We missed you.”

We? Or I? Connor thought.

“I missed you guys too,” she replied, “but I had about a million little fires to put out. How’d it go?”

“Really good. It was awesome,” J.T. said with a soft smile. “I think the kids loved it.”

“I’m sure, my girls have been talking nonstop about it, and I know I haven’t heard the end of it.”

“I, uh, I would be happy to come to practice and hang out with them,” J.T. offered. “I’ve gotta go back to Denver for a bit, but I’ll be back. I could probably drag Jesse, too.”

“You’d do that?” asked Connor incredulously. An NHL Player making time to come work with her girls would make them so excited, especially J.T..

“For you, Duck? Anything.” J.T. reached out and put a hand on her arm.

Connor swallowed hard, her heart pounding in her throat, her stomach in knots. God, he’d grown up so well, had such broad shoulders, such nice lips. “Seph,” she mumbled. “Thank you.”

“I owe you an apology, too,” J.T. said, looking at the floor but keeping his hand on her. “For not texting or calling once I left. College got in the way, but that isn’t an excuse.”

“It’s okay, Seph, really—.”

“It’s not, Connor, I ghosted you. You were one of my best friends, you let me on the ice whenever I asked, and then I dipped. And I’m sorry for that.” He licked his lips and looked her in the eyes. “I’m so sorry.”

“I forgive you,” Connor whispered. “I could’ve called, too.”

“It’s not your fault, Duck. Let me make it up to you. Come out with us tonight.” J.T. pushed a strand of curly hair behind Connor’s ear.

“Seph—.”

“Please?” His eyes were wide and hopeful.

“I have to run parties tonight.”

“We’ll be out most of the night. Come join us when you’re done.”

“Don’t you have a girlfriend?” Connor blurted out suddenly.

J.T. was stunned, blinking at her. “I did,” he said slowly, “but it didn’t work out.”

“Oh.”

“And you don’t have a boyfriend, right?”

Connor’s cheeks burned. “No,” she simply answered, instead of the complicated answer that she usually gave, which was that she’d never dated anyone before. None of them were J.T., none of them came close to him, and even years after they’d stopped talking, she couldn’t help but compare every man to him.

“Perfect. I’m gonna be honest with you, I’m gonna be smashed, but I’ll have Morg or Jess make sure you get the address of the bar we’re at. Or you can call drunk J.T., but I don’t think you’ll get very much out of him,” J.T. grinned.

Connor half-smiled back at him. “We’ll see.”

“J!” Valerie Compher called from the door. “We’ve gotta get going!”

“Okay!” J.T. shouted back at his mom, then turned back to Connor. “Please come out with us. You don’t have to drink, I just want to spend time with you. Please.”

“I’ll have to go home and change, but I will.”

“Pinky promise?” J.T. held out his pinky, like he used to when they were kids.

“Pinky promise,” Connor said, taking his pinky in hers and pressing their thumbs together.

J.T.’s grin returned. “I’ll see you tonight.”

July 15th

Joseph The Idiot (9:43 PM)

whereeeeearrreeeee youuuuuuuuu

you pinky promised you’d come out and you aren’t here yet :(

I’m the saddest ginger boy ever

Joseph The Idiot (9:55 PM)

Duckyyyyyyyyyyyy

I want to see your face

I went too long without your face

And I need it now

Joseph The Idiot (10:01 PM)

Birthday parties are sooooo lameeesee

Come party with me instead

I’m hotter

I’m cooler than birthday kids anyway

And I have the cup

Joseph The Idiot (10:15 PM)

I miss you

Pease come dancr wth me

Joseph The Idiot (10:24 PM)

do u temembre th pRty o took yoh ti

whwre wd olayes 7 munutes in haeven

Qnd yiu kixxed Alrx Smuth

I qas sooooiiiiiioooo jeslius

Connor (10:38 PM)

Oh boy, you’re having fun

It was later than she’d expected she’d be when Connor texted Jesse and Morgan asking what bar they were at. Morgan answered quickly, and Connor hopped in an Uber to meet them at a local rooftop bar.

She walked out onto the roof to see J.T. and several friends chugging beers. He got about halfway through the beer, then poured the rest of it over his head and cheered. The crowd around him cheered, too.

“Ducky!” he hollered, stumbling over to Connor. She caught him as he nearly tripped, and somehow ended up with his hands on her face.

“Hi,” she greeted him, stifling a laugh.

“‘M sooooo glad you showed up,” J.T. slurred heavily, his wide, blown-out eyes struggling to focus on her, his cheeks tinged with pink.

“Oh yeah? Have you had any water?”

“Noooo,” J.T. shook his head and shouted. “I don’ need water!”

“Okay, big guy,” Connor chuckled. “Can I come in and get a drink?”

J.T.’s brow furrowed. “Bu’ you don’ drink.”

“It’s your Cup party, Seph, I’m gonna have a drink.”

A big, drunken grin came over his face and he turned over his shoulder and shouted, “DUCKY NEEDS A DRINK!” He wrapped a long, strong arm around Connor’s shoulder and escorted her over to the bar.

“Con!” Jesse squealed. Connor didn’t think she’d ever hear Jesse’s voice in that octave, but had there been any dogs around, they may have started howling. “You made it!”

“I did!”

“Ducky needs a drink!” J.T. repeated, more to the bartender than anyone else.

“What can I get you?” the bartender intentionally asked Connor. J.T. wandered off somewhere, and Connor knew she’d catch him in a second.

“Smart woman,” Connor laughed.

The bartender shrugged and said, “I like to get paid.”

Connor laughed again. “Understandable. I’d like two shots of vodka with Coke, please. And whatever they’ve been pouring into the Cup to drink.”

“Got it.” The bartender began making her drink and asked, “So you’re Ducky?”

“Oh, God,” Connor rolled her eyes and muttered. “What’s he been saying?”

“Every time he’s gotten a drink, he’s told me you’re coming,” the bartender laughed. “Seems like someone’s got a little crush.”

Connor’s face flushed bright red. “We’re just friends,” she insisted.

“Does he know that? You know what they say, drunk words are sober thoughts.” The bartender slid her a bottle of Bud Light and her spiked Coke.

“Thanks,” Connor said sheepishly. “We haven’t seen each other in years, by the way. We were close as kids and in high school, then he went to college and we lost touch.”

“I’m guessing your name isn’t Ducky, right? Where’d that come from?”

“My last name is Maddox, and when he was a kid, he misspelled it M-a-d-d-u-c-k-s. It just stuck.” Connor pulled out a twenty dollar bill and slid it over to her.

“Oh, it’s covered already,” the bartender said, trying to push it back.

“I know,” Connor replied. “That’s for you. I don’t know if any of these dumbasses have tipped you or not.”

The bartender smiled, shoved the twenty in her apron, and said, “I appreciate it very much. You let me know if you need anything else.”

“And you let me know who doesn’t tip. I’ll make sure he tips you enough to make up for it.” Connor picked up her drinks and walked over to J.T., who was hugging the Cup with Morgan.

“Ducky!” he said in surprise, like he’d forgotten she was there. “I’m soooooo glad to see you.”

“I’m glad to see you too, Seph,” Connor replied, bemused. “I got this beer just so I could drink it out of the Cup, by the way. Can you help me?”

“Fuck yes!” J.T. yelled. “Morg, help me out.”

J.T. took the beer from Connor, cracked it open, and poured it into the Stanley Cup. He and Morgan carefully picked up the Cup as Connor bent down to one knee. Connor quickly handed Jesse her drink and her phone to take a video, and once Jesse was set and recording, Morgan and J.T. began to pour the beer from the Cup into Connor’s mouth. Connor grabbed the edge of the Cup to steady it, gulping down the frothy, amber liquid. It quickly splashed over her face and down her chest, and Connor was silently thankful she’d worn a romper with a black top.

The crowd around her cheered as the last drops of beer flew out of the Cup and onto Connor’s face. J.T. and Morgan lifted the Cup up, and placed it back on its pedestal. Connor turned to Jesse, arms up in the air, and cheered as she continued to record. Jesse laughed and handed Connor’s phone and drink back to her.

Connor suddenly felt herself being lifted into the air. She looked down to see J.T.’s grinning face as he spun her around

“That was sick!” he exclaimed, putting her back down and wobbling on his own feet. “Oh good, you got a drink.”

Connor gulped down her spiked Coke. “Yeah, something to get the beer taste out of my mouth,” she laughed.

“Let’s dance, Ducky!” J.T. grabbed her hand and tugged her over to the dance floor. He held both of her hands in his as they began to dance, just swaying and bouncing their bodies to the beat of the rap song playing over the speakers that Connor didn’t know and J.T. pretended to know.

Connor noticed J.T. kept licking his lips and looking at her. She swore he was looking at her lips, but he was so drunk she had no idea. J.T. pulled her in close to his body and Connor turned around to grind her ass on him instead. Why not tease him a bit?

“Oh shit,” J.T. groaned softly.

Connor brought his hands to her hips. He gripped her hard, but it felt nice. Connor had daydreamed about grinding on him at school dances every year in high school, and she wondered how mortified High School Connor would be to see Adult Connor living her dream.

J.T. nuzzled his nose into Connor’s shoulder and neck. She froze when she felt his lips brush her skin.

“Why’d you stop?” J.T. whined, pulling at her hips.

“Did you kiss my shoulder?” Connor asked, glancing behind her.

“Yeah,” J.T. shrugged. “I wanna kiss more of you but I can’t.”

Connor’s body went cold and she turned around in his arms, which he wrapped around the small of her back. “What?”

J.T.’s eyes fell to her lips again as he slurred, “I wanna kiss all of you. You look like you wanna leave, please don’ leave. I haven’ seen you in years and now you’re here and I wanna kiss you.”

“Joseph, you’re really drunk, and you’re definitely not gonna remember this in the morning,” Connor said. She put her hands on his chest, but she knew if he tried to kiss her, she would let him.

“I can’ stop thinkin’ about you,” he said slowly. “I want you all the time. You know I dreamed about you las’ night? I dreamed I saw you and I kissed you and I fucked you in my childhood bedroom with the Cup next to us.”

Connor blushed hard. “Joseph,” she whispered. “We can’t. You’re drunk.”

“Yes, we can,” he said, much too loud. “Do you know how much I liked you as a kid? How when I asked you if I could skate it was just an excuse to be with you? You’re the reason I’m here to begin with!”

“My grandpa is the reason you’re here,” Connor corrected.

“So? That doesn’ change how long I’ve been in love with you, Duck.” J.T.’s face was soft, eyes wide.

But it didn’t matter, he was drunk.

“J.T.,” Connor finally said, taking him aback. “We can’t do this right now.”

“I won’t remember any of this in the morning,” J.T. said somberly. “So just tell me yes or no. Did you like me too?”

“Seph…”

“Yes or no.”

Connor hesitated before she said, “Yes.”

A huge grin spread over J.T.’s face. “Fuck,” he laughed, “I wish I was gonna remember this.”

Connor looked at him, pained, and muttered, “Me too, Seph.”

July 16th

Joseph The Idiot (9:03 AM)

Holy fuck

I’m unbelievably hungover

You didn’t come out last night :(

Connor (10:12 AM)

Yes I did!

[video]

You were already blacked out by the time I got there?

Joseph The Idiot (10:21 AM)

Shit

My bad

And I’m sorry for anything I said or did

Connor (10:25 AM)

Damn, so you don’t remember we got married last night?

Joseph The Idiot (10:27 AM)

Don’t even joke about that

That’s legally binding

If we got married, I’m fucked

Connor (10:28 AM)

Yeah you are, cause when we get divorced I’ll get half of your money

Joseph The Idiot (10:30 AM)

When? :(

Connor (10:34 AM)

You didn’t take me out to dinner first :/

Joseph The Idiot (10:35 AM)

You got me there

Connor (10:58 AM)

Do you have lunch plans? Wanna grab a bite?

Joseph The Idiot (11:05 AM)

Fuck, I wish I could

I’m about to board a plane back to Denver

I’ll be back in two weeks

Connor (11:12 AM)

Damn, that sucks. Safe travels!

When you come back, how about dropping in on my girls’ practices? Make up for ditching me?

Joseph The Idiot (11:22 AM)

You bet.

Taking off, see you on the flip!

Jesse Compher (12:04 PM)

Hey, can I call you?

Connor’s heart banged in her chest as she read Jesse’s message. Shit, did she remember what happened last night? She cautiously shut her office door and dialed Jesse’s number.

“Hey!” Jesse answered cheerily.

“Hey,” Connor replied with a small chuckle. “You sound like you feel better than Seph did this morning.”

Jesse laughed back, “Definitely. The miracles of hydrating after drinking.”

“So what’s up?”

“Okay,” Jesse began, “hear me out before you tell me no.”

“Oh, boy.”

“You’ve played hockey your whole life. I’m pretty sure you could still keep up with me if not be quicker than me, and J.T. said he mentioned pro hockey to you. Are you interested?”

Connor was shocked. She sat silently on the other end of the phone for so long that Jesse started calling her name.

“Sorry, I’m here,” Connor finally managed. “You think I’m good enough? I played club hockey in college, but I played with a lot of boys.”

“What time does the rink close tonight? Maybe I could come over and we could skate. I’ll bring you a Red Bull.” Jesse sounded bemused; like her brother, she’d spent most of her childhood at the rink, and though she was two years younger than Connor, they’d still been pretty close. Jesse always brought Connor a Red Bull instead of a hot chocolate, because that was ‘J’s thing.’

“We close at nine. I’d make the excuse that I don’t have my skates, but we both know that’s not true. I’ll see you at nine?” Connor couldn't believe what she was saying.

“See you at nine,” Jesse replied. As Connor was about to hand up, Jesse added, “Oh, Con? J.T. doesn’t remember last night, but I do.”

Connor’s mouth went dry and she squealed out, “Oh?”

“Tell him. Tell him what he said.”

“I can’t, Jess. It’ll seem like I’m just a gold-digger or something.”

“Sure you can. It doesn’t matter what other people think.”

“I …” Connor trailed off. “I’ll think about it.”

“I’ll keep reminding you.” Connor could hear the smirk on Jesse’s face.

“I know you will. I’ll see you tonight.”

“See you tonight. Bye!”

“Bye!”

Connor buried her face in her hands. What the fuck had she just agreed to? If she still skated better than Jesse, an Olympian, could she really make it as a pro? Could she leave her girls?

Questions plagued her mind as the day dragged on, until Jesse’s grinning face appeared in her office at exactly 8:30, clutching two Red Bulls and her stick, a backpack on her shoulders.

“On time is late,” she joked, tossing one Red Bull to Connor.

Connor tapped the sides and cracked it open. “That’s probably why I haven’t played pro yet. I’m habitually late.”

“Keep telling yourself that. I’m gonna go warm up. I paid the entrance fee for free skate at the front.”

“Jesse!” Connor laughed. “Why?”

“Cause I wanted to,” shrugged Jesse. “It’s the least I can do.”

Connor’s heart warmed. “Thanks, Jess. You mind if I zamb after we skate?”

“Nah, I don’t care. I’ll see you out there.”

Jesse left Connor’s office, and a few moments later, Connor watched her zoom around the free skate stragglers. She watched two little girls—she recognized them as sisters of a couple of her players—stare at Jesse in awe.

Connor joined Jesse after a bit, clutching her stick and wearing her helmet and gloves in addition to her skates, before Robin made the announcement that they’d be closing in five minutes. She skated out to the center of the ice, waved at the girls who were staring at Jesse, and pushed off on her skates. Skating clockwise, Connor slowly crossed over when she turned, and took big, powerful strides to warm her muscles up. The ice under her was bumpy and rough from the hours of free skate, and she noticed her skates needed sharpening.

Jesse skated up to her, blowing snow when she stopped, to the girls’ amazement. As Robin made the “We’re closed, please leave” announcement, Jesse grabbed a puck and began skating around with it, dangling past imaginary defensemen. Connor took a sip of her water bottle she’d brought with her, then grabbed another puck and passed it to herself off the boards.

“Okay,” Jesse said once the ice had cleared and everyone had gone home. “First thing’s first. You were always faster than me, so let’s race. Start at the red, go around clockwise, first one back to the red wins.”

“Just like the All-Star fastest skater race?” Connor asked with a grin.

“Exactly.” Jesse grinned back.

They skated over to the refs’ circle by the score box, but Connor stopped them before they could start.

“Wait, we should have Robin time us and tell us when to go,” Connor suggested. “I don’t want you cheating to make me feel good about myself.” Jesse nodded, so Connor called Robin over, explained what they needed, and got ready to race.

“Ready…” Robin said, “set … go!”

Connor leapt forward on her skates. She leaned down as far as she could, her knees bent, flying around the faceoff circles. She quickly crossed her left foot over her right, still gaining speed as she straightened out and skated parallel to the boards. Her lungs burned from the cold and her legs burned, but she continued to push, gaining even more speed on her second turn. She flew past the red line, turned, and stopped at center ice before she flopped down on her back.

“Holy shit,” Connor gasped and looked at Jesse, who was hunched over and panting herself.

“You beat me,” Jesse said with a grin. “And I was going faster than full speed. Robin, what was the time?”

“Connor’s was 14.2 seconds,” Robin said.

“Connor!” Jesse gasped in surprise. “Dude!”

“That means nothing,” retorted Connor. “Speed and skill are two different things.”

“Okay, so challenge me then. Keep me from scoring.”

Connor laughed, “I need like, two more minutes of laying on the ice.”

“But you still beat me,” Jesse said. “Like, I was probably a full second behind you.”

“Like I said, speed doesn’t equal skill.”

“We’ll see.”

After a few more minutes of laying on the ice, Connor got up, squirted some water into her mouth, and set up in front of Jesse, who had collected several pucks at center ice.

“Defend me,” she challenged. “I’m gonna try to shoot at the crease basically.”

Connor nodded, then placed her stick on the ice and leaned on it, feeling the flex push back against her. Jesse pushed the puck around with her stick a few times before settling like Connor did, leaning on her stick. Connor nodded at her, and with a grin, Jesse pushed the puck forward.

Connor skated backwards to keep her eyes on Jesse. She easily kept pace with her friend, driving her to the boards with her stick before she poke checked the puck off Jesse’s stick and off the boards. Jesse whirled around to try and regain control, but Connor had already snatched the puck away from her and skated down to the opposite blue line with it.

Jesse grinned under her cage. “How the fuck did you poke check like that? You’ve gotta teach me.”

“Let’s go again,” Connor insisted, not convinced that Jesse wasn’t taking it easy on her.

“Whatever you say, Con,” said Jesse. She skated back to center ice, grabbed a new puck, and attempted to take it straight down the middle. Connor raced to meet her between the circles, so Jesse dangled the puck towards Connor to throw her off. Connor wasn’t phased by her attempt, however, and kicked the puck off Jesse’s stick, then took control of it and brought it back to center ice.

“It’s because there’s not a goal to shoot on,” Connor said. She clambered over the edge of the ice to the area where they kept their goals, grabbed one, and lowered it down onto the ice. Jesse took it and skated it over to the crease while Connor carefully climbed back onto the ice.

“Now there’s a goal,” Jesse said, skating to center ice, “so let’s go again?”

Again and again, Connor defended Jesse, stealing the puck in every way imaginable, until Jesse’s grin melted into a touch of frustration. Jesse finally fired off a slapshot that Connor couldn’t stop, so it went sailing into the net and Jesse yelped out a strangled cheer.

“Fucking finally,” she muttered. “You wanna switch? You shoot and I’ll defend?”

“Yeah, sure! You’re gonna crush me though, I’m not a great offensive defenseman,” Connor shrugged.

“Connor, I’m telling you this because we’ve been friends a long time, and even though we haven’t chatted in a while, I still consider you a close friend so listen to me: Shut the fuck up.”

Connor blushed.

“You’re doing incredible,” Jesse continued. “I don’t know how you’ve managed to keep your edges so well, but I firmly believe you could sign a pro contract right now.”

Connor’s blush deepened. “I—I don’t know what to say.”

“Say you’ll try. Register as a free agent with the PHF, and they’ll contact you. If you wanna wait til you show up J.T. too, that’s fine, but just tell me you’ll give it a shot,” pleaded Jesse.

“I don’t think I can leave the rink,” Connor said softly. “They need me here.”

“Cross that bridge when you come to it. Just see if a team will give you a try out.”

Connor chewed on her lip, thinking. Finally, she said, “Okay. I’ll do it.”

“Really?” Jesse asked excitedly. “You’re not fucking with me?”

“No,” Connor responded as a grin spread across her face. “I’m not. I’ll give it a shot.”

“Fuck yes!” Jesse cheered, skating towards Connor and throwing her arms around her. “You’re gonna be great, I promise. Now, you just have to tell J.T. what he said last night.”

“Ha, absolutely not,” Connor chuckled. “He can confess his love to me sober.”

July 17th

Joseph The Idiot (10:48 AM)

Jesse told me about your practice session

Connor (10:49 AM)

Of course she did 😂

Joseph The Idiot (10:53 AM)

Are you gonna do it?

Connor (10:55 AM)

I’m going to try. I’m filling out the free agent registration right now

[image of Connor’s computer]

Joseph The Idiot (10:59 AM)

Fuck yeah

Jesse would know more people than I do, but I’m gonna ask around about the process, too

Connor (11:00 AM)

Thank you Seph 🥹

Joseph The Idiot (11:04 AM)

Anything for you!

July 19th

Joseph The Idiot (1:31 PM)

I’m coming back to NB on the 27th!

How about that lunch?

Connor (1:36 PM)

What day?

Joseph The Idiot (1:39 PM)

The 28th at Max & Benny’s?

Connor (1:41 PM)

Perfect!

Joseph The Idiot (1:44 PM)

When do you have practice with your kids?

Connor (2:03 PM)

Every day. M/W is U12s and U16s, T/Th is U14s/U19s, Friday is everyone, Saturday is class for the babies. Weekday training starts at 10 am, Saturday starts at 9

Joseph The Idiot (2:05 PM)

Damn

You’ve got them practicing a lot, huh?

Connor (2:06 PM)

Well it’s summer so they don’t have school, and they love it honestly

Joseph The Idiot (2:07 PM)

I’d love it too if I was their age

Which practices do you want me to come to?

Connor (2:10 PM)

All of them? They would all benefit from it

Joseph The Idiot (2:17 PM)

I’ll only deal with the young kids for you

Just for you

Connor (2:20 PM)

If you kill one of my kids I’ll kill you and replace you with Jesse

Joseph The Idiot (2:26 PM)

She did always want to be J.T. Jr

July 22nd

Joseph The Idiot (11:27 PM)

Di yoh thjnk pigs ciuls gly if rhey tries hqrd enougt

Connor (11:29 PM)

Drinking again are we?

Joseph The Idiot (11:35 PM)

Nooooooiiiiioooooo

I muss yiu

Connor (11:36 PM)

You’ll see me next week seph

Joseph The Idiot (11:38 PM)

Nor sooon enoygh

Inwanna kisss tou ao basd

Connor (11:43 PM)

They really should take your phone when you’re drunk

Joseph The Idiot (11:47 PM)

Noooiooi thry csnt I’m a chsmpiun!

Connor (11:50 PM)

You are a champion

Drink some water seph

July 23rd

Joseph The Idiot (12:00 AM)

Hsppu nrw yaer!!!!!

Connor (12:04 AM)

Seph 😂 It’s July

Joseph The Idiot (12:06 AM)

NI ITWS NOIT

Connor (12:10 AM)

Goodnight Seph, I’m going to bed

Joseph The Idiot (12:17 AM)

NNOOOOOOOIP

Cime bafk

I lovr yiu

NI i donr i hqte yiu

Ik kudt kuddinh

I lpre yoh

Joseph The Idiot (1:14 AM)

Qusck qusfk

Her ut

Cahse gour nwme is duck

hehehewhee

Joseph The Idiot (2:16 AM)

Ih nu my ecx id here

Noooooiiioooooo gp awsy

Stipid wx

Joseph The Idiot (3:43 AM)

Hehe i ficked my ex

Bur i qas thijkimg sbout yoh

Joseph The Idiot (8:59 AM)

Jesus Christ

I’m so sorry, Connor

Connor was fuming. What was J.T.’s deal? He’d led her on as a kid, then waltzed back into her life like it was nothing. She angrily called Jesse later in the day.

“Jesse, I’m going to murder him,” Connor growled.

“Okay, totally valid,” Jesse agreed. “He’s being an ass about this whole thing, but what he told me was that now that he won the Cup, he realized that he was only missing one thing, and that was you.”

“He did not say that.”

“He did. I have proof.”

“Bullshit.”

“Hang on.”

Connor heard rustling, then felt her phone buzz. “What did you send me?” She questioned Jesse.

“Evidence.”

Connor pulled her phone away from her ear, put it on speaker, then looked at the screenshots Jesse sent her.

July 17th

Jesse (5:01 PM)

What’s up?

J.T. (5:17 PM)

I think I’m in love with Connor

Like i have been since we were kids

And seeing her the other day just made everything come rushing back

Jesse (5:29 PM)

Why now?

J.T. (5:32 PM)

When we won the cup I realized that all I wanted to do was share it with her

Even though I hadn’t seen her in years

And I fucked it up when I ghosted her

But when I saw her and she looked at me like that?

I knew she was the only thing I was missing

I had the cup

And I needed to work to get her back

It’s her, Jess

It’s always been Connor

Connor’s face burned as she read the messages. If he felt this strongly, why hadn’t he said something yet? She supposed he had, but she’d written it off as drunken ramblings. She was terrified of the idea of him actually reciprocating her feelings; being rejected was one thing, but being liked back was almost scarier.

“Con? You there?”

Connor was startled, having forgotten she was on the phone, and replied, “What?”

“I asked what you thought of his messages.”

“Oh. They terrify me.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’ve never had a boyfriend, Jess. So the idea of him liking me back is so scary, because I’ve felt the same way about him since I can remember. I legitimately remember meeting him on the ice and asking him to be my friend. I realized I liked him when I was like, seven. My grandpa—,” Connor’s voice caught. She cleared it, then continued, “My grandpa used to tell me J.T. was going to win a Stanley Cup. And I used to tell him that he was going to marry me first.”

“I remember when I realized you liked him. You came over for a sleepover when you were like, twelve probably. My parents made him watch a movie with us and he was so mad, but you kept looking at him the whole time,” Jesse laughed. “I was so confused, because I was sitting there like, ‘Out of all the guys we know, you picked my brother?’ I idolized him, but you liked him. It was so weird to me.”

“Is it weird now?”

“Nah. You’re soulmates. Just remember we had this conversation and share it at your wedding, okay? That I set you guys up.” Connor could hear the grin in Jesse’s voice.

“Whatever,” Connor said back, a grin plastered on her own face. “I’ll talk to you later.”

“Okay, Love Bird,” teased Jesse. “Bye.”

Connor shifted on her skates as she waited for J.T. and the rest of her girls to join her. Jesse was already on the ice, skating around with some of the girls. J.T. came out finally, his helmet and visor shoved messily on his finger hair, wearing a pair of gray sweatpants and a navy blue Avs pullover.

“Hi,” he said with a grin, bumping her with his hip.

“Hi,” Connor replied. “How was Denver?”

“It was great, but I’m glad to be back. I missed you.”

Connor smiled softly. “I missed you too. Are you ready?”

J.T. replied, “Let’s do it.”

Connor blew her whistle to have the girls and the other coaches gather around. The girls knelt on the ice in front of them, the coaches gathering next to Connor, J.T., and Jesse.

“Good morning, ladies,” Connor greeted. “I want to take a quick second and introduce some special guests who will be helping us during practice today. They were both just like you guys, skating here, and now they’ve done some pretty cool things. This is Jesse Compher—,” Connor motioned to Jesse—“and she was a member of the US Women’s Hockey team that just played in the Olympics in China. She got a silver medal, which is pretty dope, right?”

“Right!” the girls cheered.

“And believe it or not, this is Jesse’s brother, J.T.. J.T. plays in the NHL and just won the Stanley Cup for the Colorado Avalanche. So they both know hockey pretty well. If they ask you a question, or tell you to do something a certain way, they know what they’re doing. Any questions?”

The girls looked around at each other before another coach said, “Alright, let’s split up like normal!”

The coaches and players split off, the older girls on one side of the red line, the younger girls on the other, and Connor skated over to be with the older girls, her U19s. Another coach started them off in a skating drill while J.T., Jesse, and Connor watched the girls, giving them pointers on how to improve their strides. Connor made sure to point out the girls she thought had college or pro potential to Jesse.

J.T. then began skating the drills with the girls. Connor gazed at him talking to the girls in line, pointing things out to them as their teammates skated, laughing with them and hanging out with them. Connor had always thought he’d make a good coach, but seeing the way he interacted with her kids confirmed that.

They moved onto a couple more drills, which J.T. participated in with the team. Jesse joined him, going out of her way to talk to some of the girls Connor had mentioned as she skated with them.

Eventually, they started a scrimmage, J.T. on one team, Jesse on the other. Seeing them reminded Connor of when they were kids, when nothing mattered except playing hockey, when she wasn’t aware she was in love with J.T. and that he was in love with her. J.T. skated like he was having the time of his life, too; he had a huge grin every time he took the ice, every time one of the girls stopped his attempts.

Practice ended at noon, but J.T. and Jesse hung around on the ice to take pictures, answer questions, and just spend time with the girls. Connor had to physically kick them off the ice so Robin could run the Zamboni, but the Comphers continued to talk to Connor’s kids. When the last girl left to go get undressed, J.T. finally plopped down next to Connor on the bench in front of her office window, with a wide grin on his face.

“Hi,” he said happily.

“Hiya. You’re happy,” she teased.

“That was way more fun than I expected, to be honest. Those kids had great questions, they’re funny, and God, some of them can skate.”

“That’s why I wanted you to come,” Connor said, laying her head on J.T.’s arm. “They work so hard, too. I’m just so proud of them.”

“You should be. Cassie over there? That I was talking to? She’s gonna be a Jesse. Her hockey sense is just off the charts. And Lucy too? I was so impressed.” J.T. took off his helmet and began untying his skates.

“Yeah,” Connor agreed, smiling at the ground. “Yeah, they’re gonna be stars. I’ve trained them since they were little. Cassie’s going to Minnesota, Lucy’s still deciding, but her top choice right now is Michigan.”

“And you didn’t tell me before?” J.T. asked incredulously.

Connor smirked. “I didn’t want you influencing her. She needs to decide on her own, Seph.”

“I would never try to influence her to go to the greatest school in the world,” J.T. said proudly.

Rolling her eyes, Connor said, “Whatever. Some of us actually finished college.”

J.T. shoved Connor playfully. “I was gonna buy lunch, but with that blow maybe we’ll split the check.”

“You’d make me pay for my own food?” Connor asked, giving J.T. puppy eyes. “Is chivalry dead?”

“You’re incorrigible,” laughed J.T.. “Hurry up, I’m starving.”

“Me too.” Connor quickly tugged her skates off and padded into her office to slip on her sneakers and drop off her skates. She rejoined J.T. in front of her office, and the two of them walked out of the rink together.

“Jesse drove me,” J.T. said, “so can I catch a ride with you?”

“No. You can walk.”

J.T. made a face and reached for Connor’s passenger side door anyway. “Funny.”

Connor smirked and climbed in the car with J.T.. They quietly drove to Max & Benny’s, then got a table in the corner. J.T. sat with his back to the door, his attention fully on Connor. He gazed at her, some glint in his deep brown eyes.

“I’m getting a milkshake before lunch,” Connor said to break his gaze.

“Life’s too short to not have dessert first,” J.T. chuckled, quoting Connor’s signature phrase from high school.

The waiter came over to take their drink orders, but J.T. and Connor had been there so often that they knew what they wanted. J.T. ordered a water and a double cheeseburger with everything on it, fries and broccoli on the side. Connor ordered a chocolate milkshake and a BLT with fries. The waiter left, returned after a moment with two waters, and left them alone again.

“So,” J.T. said, “how was everything while I was in Denver?”

“I’m in love with you, Joseph,” Connor blurted out.

J.T. blinked. “Pardon?”

Connor took a deep breath, then said, “I’m in love with you. I have been since we were kids, before I even knew what it meant to be in love with someone. You kept drunk texting me and I didn’t want to believe that you felt the same way, but now I just—I just can’t convince myself anymore. I love you.”

J.T. sat quietly. He swallowed hard, he licked his lips anxiously. He looked around, his leg shaking. He was trying to think of what to say, and the longer the silence loomed, the more Connor wanted to run away.

“Every morning,” J.T. finally said, his voice cracking a bit. “Every morning, I wake up and think of you. Every night when I go to sleep, I think of you. When I lifted the Cup, all I wanted in the world was for you to be there with me. It’s like I finally allowed myself to feel it, you know? I’m so in love with you, Connor Maddox, and I don’t want to go another day without you.”

Connor stared at him until they both cracked and grinned at each other. “Why the fuck did we wait this long to tell each other?” she laughed.

“Great fucking question,” J.T. laughed back. “I want to kiss you so bad but I think we’d get kicked out.”

“Why?”

J.T. smirked. “Because I don’t just want to kiss you.”

“Oh.” Connor didn’t have a witty comeback; the thoughts and wonders of what J.T. wanted to do to her consumed her brain.

“Our food better get here fast,” J.T. said, turning to look at the kitchen impatiently. Under the table, he moved his foot so it was against Connor’s, lightly rubbing against it.

“Wow, playing footsie, Seph? What are we, fourteen?” Connor chirped.

“Listen,” J.T. said loudly, then looked around before he continued in a hushed voice, barely audible. “The second I get you alone, I’m gonna wreck you.”

“How do you know I wanna be wrecked?” Connor’s voice wavered as she tried to tease him.

“Do you?”

“Do I what?”

“Do you want me to wreck you?”

Connor’s face went bright red at the thought. She licked her lips and answered, “Maybe.”

“You’re blushing,” J.T. observed.

“And?”

“When you say maybe, it means yes, you just don’t want to say yes. You’ve done that forever, Duck. But I need to hear you say ‘yes.’”

“I’m…” Connor trailed off and looked down.

“What?” J.T. asked, reaching for her hands comfortingly. “You can say no, that’s perfectly fine. We’ve waited this long, we can wait a little longer.”

“No, it’s not that, I just, um, have never had a boyfriend before so I don’t know how this all works. And technically, I’ve never had sex with another person, but like, I take care of myself.” Connor’s face flushed even more.

“There’s not a certain way that it works, really, it’s up to us,” J.T. said softly. He rubbed his thumb over Connor’s knuckles. “Do … Do you want me to be your boyfriend? I’d say we’re moving quickly, but considering the fact that we’ve been pining over each other our whole lives, I think we’re fine.”

“Seph, I want that more than anything,” Connor breathed.

“Excellent,” J.T. said with a huge grin. “I’ll get you flowers and romantic shit later, girlfriend.”

“Please don’t call me ‘girlfriend’ like that,” laughed Connor.

J.T. agreed, “Yeah, I didn’t like that either.”

Their waiter reappeared with their meals and Connor’s shake. The two of them ate quickly, not talking, just wanting to get out of the restaurant and go somewhere alone. J.T. paid for their food, then, tightly clutching Connor’s hand, led her out to her car.

They quickly clambered into Connor’s car. J.T. kept a firm hand on her thigh and Connor began to drive, with no idea where she was going, thoughts racing. She didn’t know if her sister was home, since she was a teacher and it was summer vacation, and she eventually found an empty parking lot. She threw the car into park, turned it off, and nearly threw herself across the center console into J.T.’s lap, straddling him.

J.T. grabbed her hips to help her over, then let his hands drift down slightly to grip her ass. Connor stared at him for a moment, not moving, not kissing him, just staring into his dark brown eyes. She brought her hands to his face and dragged her fingertips delicately across his stubble.

“You shaved,” Connor commented.

“You told me my playoff beard looked terrible,” J.T. laughed. “You told me it was too long and that you liked stubble like this.”

Connor furrowed her brow. “Did I? When did I say that?”

“When we were drunk on the roof on my Cup day.”

“I thought you didn’t remember that I showed up.”

“I lied,” J.T. shrugged. “I remember everything. The way you danced on me, everything I told you, all of it. You were freaked out, so I pretended I didn’t remember.”

“You could’ve just told me it was the truth,” Connor teased.

“And be vulnerable? Nah.”

Connor laughed, then gasped slightly when she felt J.T. shift under her, sending a small bump of pleasure through her. She put her hands on his chest to try and halt him, but he grinned and rolled his hips into hers, slowly and intentionally.

“Asshole,” Connor groaned. “You haven’t even kissed me yet and you’re sitting there teasing me like that?”

J.T. didn’t answer; instead, he gripped her ass, pulling her down while he rolled his hips again, increasing the friction and pressure against her core. She closed her eyes as the pleasure washed over her.

“Joseph,” said Connor desperately. “Joseph, I’m so close already, you have to stop.”

“You’re about to come already?” he mocked. “I’ve barely touched you.”

“Shut up and fucking kiss me, you dick,” Connor commanded. She leaned in and fiercely pressed her lips against hers, pressing into his body eagerly. J.T. chuckled against her mouth before giving into her and softly parting his lips. His tongue darted out to brush against Connor’s lips.

Connor pulled back, gasping for air. She’d forgotten how to breathe, how to speak, how to function.

“Are you okay?” J.T. asked. “We can stop if this is too much.”

“Please don’t stop,” Connor whispered. “I just forgot to breathe.”

“Breathing is pretty important,” J.T. laughed, licking his lips and grinning slyly.

Connor knew what he was about to do and warned, “Joseph, don’t you d—.”

J.T. held tightly to Connor’s ass as he rolled his hips up into Connor’s core. Connor clenched around nothing, once again dangerously close to coming.

“Fuck!” Connor yelped.

“I wanna make you come,” J.T. whined, bucking his hips up again.

“This is how you wanna make me come for the first time? Dry humping like teenagers?” Connor asked incredulously.

“Mmm-hmm,” he responded. “Please?”

“If you promise to do better later.”

J.T. cocked his eyebrow. “Later?”

“Yeah, later, when I kick my sister out so we can properly fuck,” Connor said.

“So,” J.T. tugged her in close, nipping at her lips. “How do you want me to make you come later?”

Connor breathed out a moan when J.T. began kissing down her neck. “Um…”

“I’m listening,” J.T. mumbled against her. He softly bit her neck and sucked the skin between his teeth.

“No hickies,” she said quickly. “We aren’t teenagers.”

“Mmm, but here we are, dry humping in my car like we’re sixteen,” teased J.T.. He bucked his hips up into hers again and she jumped as he said, “You didn’t answer my question.”

“Um,” Connor gasped, “I want you to make me come with your mouth.”

“Keep going.”

Connor rolled her hips, her mouth falling open a tiny bit as she dragged herself across J.T.’s hardening cock. His breath caught as she did, and her thoughts went fuzzy at the sound. He was moaning like that because of her.

“I,” Connor breathed and continued rolling her hips, establishing a slow rhythm that ground into him as much as she could. “I wanna feel your stubble between my thighs.”

“My tongue on your clit,” he whispered. His grip tightened on her ass and she felt dizzy.

“Fuck,” squeaked Connor. She could feel her orgasm building again quickly.

J.T. lazily mouthed at her neck, driving the pace of her grinding with his hands and matching it with the rolling of his hips. “Bet you taste so fuckin’ good,” he mumbled.

Connor clenched her thighs tightly over him and moaned, “Oh fuck, J.T., I’m gonna come.”

“Yeah? I wanna feel you clench your thighs like that around my face,” J.T. continued, dragging his mouth across her neck, searching for her lips. “Wanna slide my tongue all around your pussy while you—”

“Shit, I’m coming,” Connor groaned as a soft orgasm washed through her, leaving her feeling cold. She clenched around nothing, but kept grinding against J.T. until she was too sensitive to continue and twitched to a stop with a small gasp.

“No, fuck, don’t stop,” J.T. grunted desperately. “I’m so close too, holy shit.”

Connor carefully re-established her previous pace, grinding on J.T.. His hands froze when Connor captured his lips in hers and placed open-mouthed kisses down his neck.

“Come for me, J.T.,” Connor muttered into his skin.

“Oh my god,” yelped J.T.. Connor felt his dick twitch, then a small wet spot slowly appeared through his gray sweatpants.

“Oops,” Connor giggled. She softly pressed the wet spot and J.T. jumped.

“Fuck!” he gasped in surprise, then laughed. “Oh, God, I do feel like a teenager.”

“You came in your pants dry humping in a car.”

“So did you!” J.T. protested.

“Yeah, but no one will know that I did.” Connor smirked.

J.T. rolled his eyes. “Whatever. Drive somewhere soon, please, because if I don’t get my mouth on you in the next twenty minutes, I’m gonna put you on the trunk of your car and fuck you with my tongue in front of anyone and everyone who’s around.”

The call came a few weeks after Connor registered as a free agent with the PHF.

“Hello?” Connor answered the unknown number.

“Hi, is this Connor Maddox?”

“Yes, this is she.”

“Hi, Connor, this is Ronda Engelhardt. I’m the head coach of the Minnesota Whitecaps. How are you today?”

Holy fuck.

“Hi, uh, I’m, uh, I’m great.”

“That’s good to hear. I saw that you registered as a free agent with the league, and I was wondering if you’d be interested in coming to a tryout day with us,” Ronda explained. “Your history is different than what we’re used to, but I’ve heard some really good things about you.”

“From who?” Connor smiled, knowing the answer already.

“Jesse Compher from the US National Team. She gave me a call and recommended you.”

Connor’s smile widened. “I figured. I’ve known Jesse our whole lives.”

“She credited you with being the reason she made the Olympics and the reason her brother just won a Stanley Cup. That’s high praise, and I don’t take that lightly, which is why we’d love to fly you up to St. Paul. How does that sound to you?”

“I would love that,” Connor said, “I just have a couple questions, if you don’t mind.”

“Of course! Ask away!”

“I currently manage a rink myself, and I understand that most of the ladies have to have extra jobs to supplement their income. Is that something that I would be able to continue doing?”

“I think we could make that work for you, Connor.”

The next day, Connor found herself on a flight to St. Paul. As she waited in the airport, she nervously texted J.T..

Connor (8:32 AM)

Seph I’m terrified

Joseph The Idiot (8:33 AM)

You’re gonna be fine

You just go and be yourself

They already like you

Connor (8:35 AM)

They like what they saw on paper and what Jesse told them, not me

Joseph The Idiot (8:38 AM)

Which is why you’re going to meet them

And play for them

Chemistry is more important than skill

Connor (8:40 AM)

But what if all the girls hate me?

Joseph The Idiot (8:42 AM)

That’s impossible

Since I personally know at least one of them, I can guarantee at least one of them won’t hate you

Taylor Turnquist

Connor (8:45 AM)

So that’s one

Joseph The Idiot (8:46 AM)

Which means it’s impossible for all the girls to hate you

Connor (8:47 AM)

Asshole

Joseph The Idiot (8:48 AM)

A correct asshole

Connor (8:50 AM)

I’m boarding, love you seph

Joseph The Idiot (8:51 AM)

Love you too duck

Safe travels

Connor (10:23 AM)

Landed!

Joseph The Idiot (10:26 AM)

Good!

Did they get a car for you?

Connor (10:28 AM)

Supposedly

Joseph The Idiot (10:31 AM)

Let me know if they didn’t okay?

Connor (10:33 AM)

If they did, do you not wanna know?

Joseph The Idiot (10:34 AM)

I walked into that one didn’t I

Let me know when you’re safe

Connor (10:46 AM)

I have a car! The driver had a sign! I’m on my way to the arena

Joseph The Idiot (10:49 AM)

Send pics!

Connor (11:02 AM)

Just got to the arena! They’re giving me a tour first

We’re in the locker room and they already have a locker with my name on it? And a jersey and gear? I haven’t even skated yet

Okay now I’m gonna skate with Ronda

Joseph The Idiot (12:00 PM)

How goes it?

Connor (12:04 PM)

Just got off the ice! Ronda’s awesome and I think they’re going to offer me

Joseph The Idiot (12:07 PM)

SERIOUSLY?

Connor (12:25 PM)

I just signed a contract Seph

Joseph The Idiot (12:26 PM)

Oh my fucking god

I’m so fucking proud of you

I love you so much

I cant wait to see you play

What number are you?

I need to buy a jersey

Think you can hook me up?

I’m so proud of you duck holy shit

Connor skated out onto the ice as her name was called by the announcer, clad in her Whitecaps jersey. She looked up into the stands and grinned up at J.T., who’d flown over for the game specifically: her first game. He sat next to Tyson Jost, and grinned down at her when he made eye contact with her. He blew her a kiss, which she caught, and Tyson gagged. J.T. shoved him.

The game went by faster than any of her games ever had, and before she knew it, she was showering in the locker room after the game. She quickly redressed in her game-day outfit, then walked out of the locker room. Connor was greeted by a huge hug from J.T..

“You did it!” he cheered, swinging her around and kissing her face. “I’m so proud of you!”

“I wouldn’t have done it without you, honestly,” Connor said. “You mentioned it to me and put it in my head, and now here I am.”

“You’re a professional hockey player, Duck.”

“So are you, Seph.”

“You’re better,” J.T. retorted.

“You make more money. And you won the Stanley Cup.”

J.T. chuckled and let her down on the ground, kissing her forehead. “Whatever, you still did it.”

“I know something else I’d like to do,” Connor said slyly, smirking at her boyfriend.

J.T. grinned at her. “Then let’s get out of here.”

#j.t. compher

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