Todos los capítulos de Falling For The Hockey Captain: Capítulo 71 - Capítulo 80

AVA'S POVFIVE DAYSChase is waiting at arrivals when I land, and the moment I spot him, exhaustion from the whirlwind of competition and travel completely dissolves, replaced by the kind of overwhelming relief that only comes from finally, actually reaching the person you've been counting down toward for weeks."Hi," he says, pulling me into a hug that lifts me briefly off my feet, breathing me in like he's trying to make up for every missed moment of the past several weeks all at once."Hi yourself," I murmur into his shoulder, tears prickling unexpectedly at the corners of my eyes. "Five days. I still can't believe it's actually real.""Five whole days," he confirms, pulling back just enough to look at me properly, his thumb brushing gently along my cheekbone. "No flights, no competitions, no schedules pulling either of us away."We head back to the apartment, hand in hand the entire drive, and the moment the door closes behind us, all the careful restraint of the airport reunion d

 AVA'S POVTWO WEEKS OUTThe showcase looms two weeks away now, and my nerves have started manifesting in increasingly ridiculous ways  reorganizing my entire closet twice, alphabetizing my skate laces by color, obsessively checking the Olympic selection committee's website for information that never actually changes."You've reorganized that closet three times this week," Leon observes over video call, having become something like my unofficial long-distance therapist throughout this entire demanding season. "That's not a healthy coping mechanism, Ava.""I like an organized closet," I say defensively, though we both know exactly what's actually happening."You like distraction," he corrects gently. "Which, understandable, given the stakes. But maybe try a distraction that doesn't involve color-coding your entire wardrobe."I sigh, abandoning my latest reorganization project, sinking onto my couch with genuine exhaustion. "

 AVA'S POVUNFINISHED BUSINESSLeon shows up at my apartment the next evening without calling first, something he's never done in the entire time I've known him, and the moment I open the door, his expression tells me exactly how badly the conversation with Chase must have gone."I need to talk this through with someone who actually knows both of us," he says, brushing past me into the apartment. "Chase gave good advice, but he doesn't know the whole history the way you might, given how close you and Kira have gotten these past few months.""Sit," I say, gesturing toward the couch, already anticipating the kind of conversation that's going to require tea and considerable patience. "Tell me everything."He sits, running a hand through his hair with visible agitation. "We dated for four months, right before she left. It was good, Ava. Really good, actually. Then I told her I was falling in love with her, and two days later she announced

 AVA'S POVGAME THREEProvidence's home arena feels different with the Conference Finals now tied and heading into a pivotal Game Three, the crowd's energy carrying an intensity that dwarfs even the electric atmosphere of Chase's earlier playoff games, and I settle into my now-familiar seat beside Doyle's wife, still riding the emotional high of the Olympic announcement just days earlier."How are you feeling?" she asks, noting my obvious exhaustion despite the excitement still evident beneath it."Overwhelmed," I admit, laughing. "Good overwhelmed, though. Olympic team, and now watching Chase fight for a Conference Finals berth. It's a lot to process simultaneously.""Good problems to have," she says, echoing a phrase that's become something like an unofficial motto for Chase and me this entire demanding season.The game begins with the same physical, high-stakes intensity that's defined this entire series, both teams clearly u

 AVA'S POVTHE NEWSKira shows up at our apartment the morning after Chase's elimination game win, practically glowing with an excitement I've rarely seen from her since she arrived back in Providence, and I can tell immediately that whatever Leon's cryptic text had been hinting at, it's something significant."So," I say, settling onto the couch beside her while Chase makes coffee in the kitchen. "What's this news you two have been sitting on?""We're official," she says, a little breathless, like she still can't quite believe it herself. "Like, actually, properly together. No more 'figuring it out.' No more careful, guarded almost-something. Last night he asked me to just be his girlfriend, no complications, no hedging. And I said yes.""Kira." I pull her into a hug, genuinely moved. "That's wonderful. After everything, after three years of unfinished business  I'm so happy for you.""It feels different this time," she ad