Chapter 4
OWEN
“Gav and I have a Tic-Tac-Goal play we’ve been using for a few years, but we need to switch it up. That’s where you come in.”
We’re only a few weeks away from the start of the season, and we’ve started practicing all day, every day, getting ready. I’m learning the names of my teammates, most importantly Donovan Price, the team captain.
Price is a giant of a guy, a redhead who pretty much keeps to himself. He’s not as showy as Mav, who I knew before I got here was the star of the team and the best right winger in the league.
Gav is a defenseman, but he’s great at putting pressure on the offense and stealing the puck. He’s the fastest skater I’ve seen, faster than me, which gives him an advantage. Going in for a pinch, he has to move fast and make no mistakes.
Saxon, or Sax, is the other D-man who covers for him. He also covers Price as left-winger when our captain needs a break. I’m doing my best to skate hard, learn fast, and keep my eye on the puck.
“What do you want me to do?” I look over at Gav, who’s circling around, coming up the back of the net.
“In the past when he’d do this, he’d send it straight to me, and I’d slap it into the goal.
” As if on cue, Gav does just that, and I watch Mav send the puck straight into the net so fast, it’s a black blur.
“The other teams have been studying us, so we decided to add one more step. Tic-Tac-Tac-Goal. You’re the second Tac. ”
“Okay…” My brow furrows behind my mask, and I’m not sure I’m following. “Let’s give it a go.”
“It starts like this.” Maverick skates to the center, and Gavin goes to the line, where he’d be if he were defending.
They spring into action. Gav takes the puck and shoots it across the ice to Mav, who races down the center in the direction of the net.
Akers, our goalie, gets into position like he’s going to keep them from scoring, and Mav sends it across to John Hancock, yep, that’s really his name, while Gav flies around behind the net.
“Stone, you’re up!” Mav yells, and Hancock sends it to me, as I skate closer to the goal.
Catching it with my stick, I keep going, not sure if I should try to score or pass it.
Maverick gives the order. “Now to Gav!”
With a quick slap, I shoot it to my teammate, who has just come around the back corner of the net. My stomach drops when the puck clips the edge of the goal and starts to wobble, taking flight.
Gavin scoops it out of the air so fast, then sends it over to Mav, who slaps it straight past Akers into the goal.
Shouts of approval fill the stadium, and we glide into a huddle, slapping each other on the shoulders.
“Not bad for a first timer!” Gav grins, grabbing the top of my pad and giving me a shake. “The Cliffs won’t know where to look.”
Sax slaps me on the back, and we continue practicing different plays, passing, and then do a short scrimmage. They’re all good guys, even the young ones, chief of which includes Maverick. He’s cocky, the resident beautician, but he’s friendly and more than ready to help me get up to speed.
Donovan sets a steady tone as team captain, and his pep talks are level but inspiring. He’s the oldest next to me, but I’m not pulling any kind of age rank. These guys are helping me achieve a level I didn’t think I’d see in my career.
Hell, last year they went all the way to Edmonton to face off against the Slicks, historically the greatest team in the league.
I don’t know how many years of play I have left, but maybe we’ll win the cup before I’m done. Then maybe I can retire and go back to being a small-town sheriff like my dad.
“We need a nickname for you, Stone.” Gav is on the couch with his baby daughter on his chest.
Dinner is finished, and Haddy let me help wash the dishes this evening. I noticed Gigi gave her a side-eye before she ran upstairs saying she had to upload some paperwork before a deadline.
Haddy gave her a return side-eye and told her it would be waiting when she finished washing the dishes.
The two of them went back and forth a few more times, and I started to get the impression it had something to do with washing dishes with me, when Maverick impatiently said he’d help me wash up, which made Haddy relent and do it instead.
Now the kitchen is clean, and I’m standing in the living room behind the sofa watching as the cousins debate which scary movie to watch.
“When I played for the Stingers, they called me Sly,” I answer our big defenseman, who is now making goo-goo eyes at his daughter.
“Like ‘and the family Stone’?” Haddy jumps around to face me from where she’s sitting beside him.
“I guess that’s where it came from.” I shrug. “It’s also because I’m pretty good at slipping the puck past the goal line.”
“Yeah, you are!” Maverick shouts from where he’s swirling his hand in a large, round fishbowl filled with slips of paper. The giant, flatscreen television is open to the Halloween collection on one of the streaming services. “You should’ve seen him working with Gav on our new T-T-T-G.”
He emphasizes the third T, and Gigi frowns at him. “What’s that?”
“You’ll see it when we face off against the Cliffs in two weeks.” Her cousin waggles his eyebrows at her.
I’ve learned the Colorado Cliffs are the Champions’ biggest rival, with us alternating wins every season. The guys are eager to beat them every time this year, and I like being part of our best players’ strategy.
“I think if you don’t find a house by next week, you should bring your little girl here.” Haddy shifts into her fiancé’s side, holding the smallest dog I’ve ever seen. “It’s so clear you miss her, it hurts my heart.”
“I don’t know.” I look down. “I do miss her, but I’d have to bring Heather out as well. I think all those house guests might strain your hospitality.”
“Nonsense!” Haddy cries. “It would only be for a little while, and Gav and I left two rooms vacant upstairs.”
“What does your sister do, Owen?” Gigi turns her pretty green eyes on me, and I remember touching her face, sliding the eyelash off her high cheekbone.
Even struggling with a stray eyelash, she’s so pretty, and she smells really good. Her full lips are glossy, and I wonder if she tastes like cherries…
If I kiss her.
Her mouth. Kiss her mouth. Fuck.
Clearing my throat, I push those intrusive thoughts away and try to remember what she even asked me.
“Ah… Heather?” I frown, trying to think. “She did hair for a while. Then she said it made her back hurt, so she’s been working at her grandmother’s tarot studio for a few months now. She thinks she’s a psychic.”
Internally rolling my eyes, I remember her insistence on her dream.
“What!” Haddy and Gigi cry at the same time, and they hop out of their seats, diving excitedly onto the sofa in front of where I stand.
“She’s a psychic?” Haddy asks, holding Peepee against her chest.
The little dog seems confused and shivers with either excitement or fear.
“Your grandmother has a tarot studio?” Gigi asks, blinking up at me. “Do you have psychic powers, too?”
“No, Gwen’s not my biological grandmother, but she’s always treated me like family.” I don’t get into the way she also drives my dad absolutely nuts with all her premonitions and vibrations and interfering with his cases.
“Now you really have to get them out here.” Haddy stands and walks back to sit beside her husband. “I can’t wait to have her do a reading for me.”
“Halloween H2O!” Maverick cries, holding up a slip of paper. “Joseph Gordon Levitt is a hockey player, and he has the best death.”
“Skate to the face,” Gav chuckles. “It’s got my vote!”
“Yass…” Mav widens his eyes maniacally.
“You’ve got my vote,” Haddy says. “I love all the Halloween films, even Season of the Witch.”
“Weirdo,” Mav teases, and she pushes his leg with her foot.
I walk to the stairs, giving them a wave. “I’d better head up.”
“Not a scary movie fan?” Haddy leans her head back to look up at me.
“Nah, I’ve got to call home and shower.” I nod to the guys. “Good practice today. I’m beat.”
“Don’t worry, old man,” Mav calls. “We’ll have you in shape in no time.”
“Old man…” I huff a laugh.
I’m only thirty-five, but he’s got me. I’ll be sore tomorrow.
Walking up the stairs slowly, I take out my phone.
Owen
Is Maddie still awake? I keep forgetting the time difference out here, Sorry.
Heather
It’s Friday! We’re all at Gran’s watching Hocus Pocus with Mom and the aunties.
My dad’s mom started the tradition of keeping the kids at her house on Friday nights when I was a boy. Then, when Maddie was old enough, she started it up again.
Owen
Will she want to talk to me instead of watching the Sanderson Sisters?
Heather
Of course she will. Hold pls…
Our text turns into a phone call, and my sister’s face appears on the screen.
“Hey there, big brother. You’re not looking too bad for being on the other side of the continent.” She gives me a wink.
“It took me a minute, but I’m on West Coast time now.” I continue into my bedroom, where Ladybird is curled on her large, round cedar-chip-filled cushion.
It’s been her bed since she was a puppy, and even though it makes all my stuff smell like cedar chips, it reminds us of home.
“Where’s my baby girl?”
“Here I am, Daddy!” The sweet voice yells at me through the phone before her face appears on the screen.
Her happy brown eyes, round cheeks, and long blonde hair is a punch of joy straight to my chest. I sit down, smiling back at her.
“Hey, Shortcake, are you taking good care of your aunt Heather?”
“Yes!” She nods her head fast. “We’re watching Hocus Pocus, but I don’t like this part. It’s where Max gets struck by lightning.”
My lips twist. “Are you going to have trouble sleeping tonight?”
“No, Daddy!” She rolls her eyes, shaking her head. “I’m seven now. I’m not scared of the Sanderson Sisters. Besides, Grammy Gwen said Bandit can stay at our house tonight.”
Bandit is the newest black cat to take up residence at my step-grandmother’s house.
“Well, if anyone can keep witches away, it would be Bandit.”