"Are you sure it fits okay?"

Nia pulled her bottom lip between her teeth as she studied the lacy red bralette and panties she wore, fiddling nervously with the fabric of her sheer black kimono. Her light brown skin and curves served as a stunning backdrop to the outfit, but knowing this was the first show she'd walked in since giving birth to her daughter a few months back, I could tell it wasn't my designs she was unsure about. It was the stretch marks that now graced her skin and the way her body had changed over the course of the last year.

Except those marks and imperfections were exactly what made her the perfect model in my eyes.

"Trust me, you look gorgeous," I said, smiling with reassurance as I gave the outfit one final tweak. "And I'm not just saying that because you're wearing my designs."

Her lips twitched as she exhaled slowly, mentally psyching herself up to step out onto the runway. "Okay." She nodded at herself in the mirror. "Okay."

"You've got this."

Her eyes sparked with gratitude before she was ushered towards the stage curtains by the show's director, and as she hit the runway—stunningly confident—the crowd roared with applause.

Though being one of the designers meant there was no time to bask in the extravagance of the show.

As a last-minute addition to today's show, which included a handful of up-and-coming designers who I looked up to in the Greater Boston region, I needed to keep a level head. Which meant ignoring the hum of excitement in my chest. Instead, I harnessed my energy into keeping up with the craziness backstage—double-checking my designs were put together properly, working with the hair and makeup artists to ensure the models were styled to match their outfits, and making any final changes to the pieces before the women walked out on the runway.

It was one thing after another—like my mind was perpetually telling me to go! go! go!—yet as quickly as everything moved, it came to an end all the same. After sending my last model out on stage, I stood alongside the other designers behind the curtains and watched with pride as every model took one last trip down the runway. A constant stream of diverse colors, fabrics, and styles which received an enthusiastic applause.

And despite it only being my first time participating in a show since I'd stepped out on my own, I had a glimmer of hope that, with the success of today, it wouldn't be the last.

***

When the music stopped and the lights came back on, things were quick to unravel. The audience cleared out within minutes and as the models followed suit, the outfits made their way back to the hangers where they belonged. It was a frenzy of organized chaos, and when I finally felt like I had a moment to myself to take it all in, Lilian, the designer who'd overseen the planning for today's show, appeared at my work station.

"How does it feel to finally be taking a step towards the big leagues?" she asked, leaning against the vanity with a friendly yet inquisitive smile on her lips.

"Like it's been a long time coming," I admitted with an unexpected giddiness.

"Well I'm glad to hear it, especially knowing I didn't give you much notice."

"Don't worry about it." I waved her off. "I was ready. Though I do have to thank you for rallying together the different sized models I needed for my designs."

"Considering you were stepping up to the plate for me, it was the least I could do," she replied. "Besides, as soon as people get word you're designing lingerie for women of all shapes and sizes, they scramble to jump on board." A warmth spread through my body at the compliment. "Which certainly makes me wonder why you haven't launched your own line yet?"

"You know how it is," I shrugged, not allowing the true frustration of the situation to get to me. "This industry is all about talent, luck, and timing, and while I may have the first one down, the other two I haven't exactly got around to mastering."

Which was an understatement.

It'd been almost a year since I decided to step away from my position as a junior designer at Vanessa Morgan's studio and branch out on my own. At the time, I'd been both excited and extremely nervous, but with a solid business plan and a vision of what I imagined my brand becoming, I'd thought nothing would be able to stand in my way.

However, that fantasy had quickly been brought to shambles.

I was hit with setback after setback, and after being dragged back to reality, had been forced to take a detour en route to reaching my goal.

"Well trust me, your time is coming. Today proved that," she said encouragingly. "And if you ever need any advice, you have my number, so don't hesitate to reach out."

"I won't."

Nodding, Lilian gave me one final smile before heading off to talk to the makeup artists on the opposite side of the room, and before I could so much as turn my attention back to the mess of fabric and pins scattered across my work station, another pair of arms wrapped tightly around my neck.

The pristine blonde curls invading my vision, however, drew a laugh from my lips as I realized it was my best friend. "Congratulations!" Aimee squealed, hugging me to death for a few moments before finally loosening her grip. "I can't believe your designs were in an actual runway show. With real models and everything."

My lips twitched as I stepped back, watching the excitement radiate from her. After my family, she was by far my biggest supporter. And not just because she'd been getting free lingerie out of the deal for the last six years.

"Yeah, it was all a bit surreal," I said. "Thanks for coming to watch."

"Are you kidding me?" she asked incredulously. "I wouldn't have missed it. I told my boss I had a dentist appointment so I could take a longer lunch."

I laughed. "And you don't think he'll get suspicious when you have to take time off for an actual dentist appointment?"

"That's a problem for another time," she replied, waving me off with a side smirk. Adjusting her purse, she glanced down at her watch. "Though I probably should be heading back. Are you working tonight?"

Nodding, I began organizing the mess in front of me. Luckily, as long as things ran smoothly, my boss at Apollo's was fairly flexible with his staff. "I was able to switch shifts with another bartender, so I'm heading in after the dinner rush."

"Then we'll celebrate tomorrow night," she said matter-of-factly as she slowly backed away. "Wine, takeout, the whole nine yards."

"You don't need to do that," I replied, though I couldn't help the way my lips curved at the edges.

"Yes, I do."

There was nothing more to be said as she turned on her heel, leaving me with a full heart and grateful I had her in my corner.

***

By the time I made it back to the small two-bedroom apartment after my shift, it was nearly three in the morning, and judging by the lack of shoes near the door, it was safe to assume Aimee had stayed the night with her boyfriend, Jack.

Knowing I was alone, I left my keys on the shelf near the door and made a beeline for my room to change into a comfy pair of pajamas. Yet despite the late hour, I couldn't help but grab the newest sketchbook on my desk before settling into bed. With the lamp on my bedside table casting a dimmed light across the room, I flipped to the pages I'd last used—filled with concept sketches and design ideas for various lines of lingerie—and glanced over them. Because for some reason, it was always this time of night when inspiration seemed to strike. Whether it was colors, a design, or simply a word that stuck out in my mind, I wrote it all down and sketched bits out, pouring my ideas onto the page.

And like most nights, one minute I was jotting down new ideas and the next I was fast asleep, only waking when a noise from the kitchen broke through my senses the next morning.

I blinked, adjusting to the sunlight that flooded the room as I slipped out of bed. A quick check of my phone told me it was half past ten, and while it wasn't unusual for me to sleep late after an evening shift, I always felt like I was letting the day slip away if I stayed in bed too long. After stretching out the kinks I'd gained from sleeping in an awkward position, I ruffled through my blankets to find my sketchbook and placed it back on my desk before getting ready for the day.

"Morning," Aimee called, looking up as I stepped into the main part of our apartment a while later. Whereas both our bedrooms and the bathroom were situated down a small hallway, the rest of the apartment was open concept. "How was work last night?"

I shrugged, taking a seat on one of the stools at the kitchen island before sneaking a strawberry from the fruit salad she was making. "Busy, but nothing out of the ordinary." This time, as I reached for another piece of fruit, Aimee caught me and sent a flat look my way. I held my hands up in mock surrender. "What about you?" I asked, standing up and moving towards the refrigerator. "How was your date?"

As I moved past her, I couldn't help but notice the dreamy look that filled her expression as memories of the previous night came rushing back. "He took me out to a new Italian restaurant in town," she replied after a few moments. "It was a bit too fancy for my liking, but once we got back to his place, he opened a bottle of wine and we sat out on the balcony underneath the stars."

"So, you're saying you enjoyed the balcony sex more than dinner?" I asked cheekily, bumping the fridge door closed with my hip once I'd grabbed a tub of yogurt.

The red-tinted flush that spread down her neck told me I wasn't far off with my assumption. Somewhere throughout their five-year relationship, Jack had turned my introverted best friend into someone who now took risks in all aspects of her life—in her career, her hobbies, and apparently, her sex life.

Laughter escaped me as I grabbed the box of granola and a bowl from the cupboard. "Is there a game today?" I asked, changing the topic to save her from further embarrassment.

Aimee shook her head. "Just afternoon practice. They're still finishing up the preseason." On top of being the perfect guy for my best friend, Jack also happened to play for Boston's professional ice hockey team—the Knights. "He invited me to watch, like always, but I don't think he knows I've come to realize it's never just practice. There are workouts beforehand, physio checkups after, and last-minute meetings he'll likely get pulled into. Plus, he mentioned one of the guys was traded last week, so him and a few of the veterans are planning to get the new guy into shape before the start of the regular season on Friday."

"Well, look on the bright side, it'll make for another interesting night if the rookie hits on you at the Christmas party like—"

I stopped short, my eyes widening as I saw the ring that now sat on Aimee's left hand—specifically her ring finger. She glanced back at me with a creased brow, wondering why I'd gone quiet, but when she followed my gaze, her expression turned sheepish.

"Surprise," she said, her wide smile contrasting the shyness in her voice.

"Oh my god," I said in a rush of excitement, snapping out of shock as I threw my arms around her. She returned the hug with equal enthusiasm, laughing as I squealed with happiness and bounced on the spot. "I can't believe Jack finally popped the question."

"I know." The elation gleaming in her eyes was impossible to miss. "It happened last night, after dinner."

"I'm so happy for you," I said, pulling her into another quick hug before pushing her shoulder lightly with exasperation. "But I can't believe the first words out of your mouth this morning weren't 'I'm engaged'."

"It crossed my mind," she admitted, "but I guess it hasn't really sunk in yet." Her gaze dropped to her hand, admiring the diamond encrusted ring. "It doesn't feel real."

"It will," I assured her, grinning knowingly as I bumped my hip against hers. "Though I guess that means we now have two things to celebrate tonight."

Her grin was unwavering as she replied, "I guess it does."

a/n: Guess who's back, back again... it's Shot on Goal - technically the first story in the Boston Knights universe! For those who had read the first version of this story, you're obviously realizing you've never read this chapter before, and that's because this story has been thoroughly edited, and while still showcasing Joelle and Seb's journey there's a ton of new scenes for you guys! Plus, a new cover!

I'll be updating twice weekly (Tuesday and Friday) until this story is completely back up - which should be by the end of February. So look for those updates! And if you want to read another story in this universe, feel free to hop over to my profile and dive into Fate of Collision, which is fully available and features Wellsley (Seb's teammate) as one of the leads!

Remember to vote and leave your comments below! <3