The Hockey Star and the Ice Princess (Complete)

Ch. 26 - The Future

When Rachel got to the bar that night for her shift they were really packed. She remembered the owner Lou saying that Saturday nights were their busiest and he wasn't joking. She went behind the bar and put on her black apron and tied it around her waist and Cain came out from the stock room carrying a box and he smiled when he saw her. 

"Hey!" he said, bending down and giving her a kiss. "We're really packed tonight! I've never seen this place this busy before," he told her as he tore open the box and started stocking beer into the fridge. 

"What can I get for you?" Rachel asked the first customer in line. She was a young woman that looked about twenty one. She squealed and started jumping up and down excitedly.  

"Oh my gosh! I can't believe it's really you! I drove 3 hours to come and see you because I heard you worked here. I'm your biggest fan! I'm a figure skater and I grew up watching you and when I thought about giving up I would watch you skate and it would inspire me to keep going because I wanted to be as good as you one day," she said, starting to tear up. 

"Awww. Really? That's so sweet," Rachel said. "What's your name?" 

"I'm Cassidee," she said, wiping a tear from her cheek. 

"Cassidee, come around behind the bar so I can give you a hug," she told her. 

Cassidee's mouth dropped open. "Really?" 

"Yeah. Really." 

She squealed excitedly and walked behind the bar. Rachel put her arms out and gave her a hug and Cassidee started crying on her shoulder. 

She finally stepped back and looked at her again and covered her mouth with her hands. "I can't believe you're really standing right here in front of me and that I just gave you a hug. This is surreal." 

"Here give me your phone. Cain! Can you take a picture of me and Cassidee here?"

"Yeah sure," he said taking the phone and stepping back as her and Cassidee posed together for a picture. 

"Thank you so much! You just made my entire life," she squealed, with a tear running down her cheek. "I'll never forget this."

"You're welcome and thank you for being so sweet and caring so much. Sometimes I've thought about giving up too, but fans like you are what keep me going. So thank you," she smiled. 

Cassidee gave her another hug before she went out from behind the bar and back into the crowd with a huge smile on her face. 

As Rachel was mixing a drink for the next person in line Cain came over and said, "That was really nice what you just did for that girl."

"Well she was really sweet. Taking a picture and giving her a hug was the least I could do after she told me I'm the reason she didn't quit skating and she drove three hours to see me because she's my biggest fan." 

"See. I told you you're a superstar," he said with a wink and a smile before turning around and taking the next person's drink order. 

At the end of the night she had gotten over $600 in tips and she couldn't believe it. There had been quite a few fans there that night requesting autographs and pictures with her and she said yes to every single one and hugged so many people. The excitement and energy she was getting off of her fans was actually making her feel excited about the Olympics instead of making her feel more pressure and anxiety like it used to. That's when she realized for the first time, that the anti-anxiety medicine they put her on was actually making a difference. 

"Are you coming home with me tonight?" Cain asked as he walked out towards the truck holding her hand. 

"Yeah. I already told my Mom not to expect me home," she said, climbing up in the truck and shutting the door. As they drove towards his house she gazed out the window and thought about what Spencer said earlier. She couldn't stop thinking about it and it made her worried and sad.