Chapter 14 Cooper
COOPER
Dad Joke Of The Day:
What do you get when you cross a fish with an elephant?
Swimming trunks.
“Johnson!” I hear from behind me as Levi walks up, already changed out of his suit and into gear for the game. “Quinn wanted me to check with you to make sure Ally and Lucas made it to their seats okay.”
“I think so, but let me check,” I say, pulling my jersey over my head, adjusting it as much as I care to before grabbing my phone. Looking at our text thread, I smile when I see she did exactly what I asked her to. Turning my phone, I show Levi, who smiles as well.
Ally sent me a picture of her and Lucas all decked out in Firebirds gear, both smiling at the camera as they sit in their seats just a few rows up.
I tried to get them to sit in a suite, but they weren’t having it…
neither of them. They wanted to be “in the action” as Lucas yelled, and Ally backed him up.
Said she always got to watch from a suite, but this time she wanted to really experience it with Lucas.
What kind of dad would I be to deprive my son of the experience, especially when Kenna always said no because she preferred the suite?
I think she just liked that it made her feel important, but that could also be because I’m mad at her right now.
“They look like they’re having fun,” Levi says as I finish grabbing my stuff so we can get ready to head out. “Lucas seems like he’s really getting along with Ally.”
“Did you not expect him to?” I ask, a little annoyed that he’s making it seem like she’s just entirely unlikable.
He looks at me for a moment, head tilted to the side as he appraises me, his eyes searching mine—for what?
I have no idea, but it’s unnerving. But as quickly as it begins, it’s gone again, replaced by his usual goofy self.
“It’s not that I expected him to dislike her.
I guess I halfway expected her to make it more difficult for him to see the real her. ”
“I mean, that’s fair. She made it very clear she didn’t think she was good with kids, but surprisingly enough, they really did take right to each other. It’s hasn’t been that long, but they just seem to get one another.”
“That’s cool. Like I said before, Ally needed a friend, and now she has two new ones,” Levi says with a smile before slapping my back. “Now let’s go fuck up the Hornets. I’m ready to have something to celebrate.”
Me too. But back at home with my new…friend?
The hardest part for me about being a goalie is that if my team is doing what they’re supposed to, I see minimal action, which can be boring as fuck. On those days, sometimes I pray for a puck to slip through, make its way down to our side of the ice so that I’m actually doing something.
But then you have nights like tonight where I feel like I’m practically doing burpees for how many times I’ve dropped to my knees and popped back up all to save a puck from scoring.
The first period was calmer, both teams having pretty equal shots on goal, and we were sitting at zero-zero going into the second period.
That’s when things changed. The minute the puck dropped in the second period, the other team was practically on top of us.
Slamming players into the boards and doing borderline dirty hits—but it was effective and most of the period was played down on our end of the ice, meaning I got a lot of action.
We were killing it though. They had twenty-eight shots on goal, and I hadn’t let a single one in.
Well, until number twenty-nine came out of nowhere with three seconds left in the second period. That one slipped right through, and the sound of the buzzer was heartbreaking and anger inducing all at once. All I could think about was not letting these motherfuckers get another one past me.
So far I’ve been successful, and thankfully Asher and Levi were able to put in work when they were on the ice together. Asher set Levi up perfectly for a shot that tied the game up with five minutes left.
Now the challenge is trying to keep the puck at the other end to give them a better chance to score. We’re down to the last three minutes, and while I know we have one of the highest winning rates for OT in the league, I’d prefer not to try it and just finish the game now.
I’d also like to see my boy and Ally because, although I’ve enjoyed glancing their way every now and then to see them smiling and watching together, I’d prefer to be hanging out with them.
I’d be lying if I said it didn’t do something to me seeing the two of them repping my team, wearing my jersey, being here in support of me.
It makes me miss when my parents were able to make it down for more games, although I know they watch every game, and they call me every Saturday morning to chat and tell me all about it.
Maybe this time I’ll actually have a different answer when my mom asks me if any girl has caught my eye…but that’s a thought for later.
Right now, we need to win this game.
Chancing one more glance towards their seats, I’m surprised to see Ally watching me with a smile that fills me with joy. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say she was impressed, almost proud of what we’d done on the ice tonight…and maybe, just maybe, she’s proud of me too.
With a little nod, I look back down at the ice, watching as the puck gets passed around. Our B line is out on the ice and two players, Montgomery and Boone, are fighting over the puck, thankfully getting it loose and sending down the ice towards Nash.
Nash is ready and quickly snatches it up, skating between two defensemen covering the goal, and with a quick turn, he brings the puck behind him and flicks it up, sliding right in the top left corner of the goal.
Fuck yeah!
Two to one.
The last three minutes are brutal, penalties called on the opposing team as they get angry while trying to score to tie up the game, but we play clean, riding out our lead all the way down to the last buzzer.
It’s a different feeling when you win having people in the stands here for you.
Walking out from the locker room with Asher and Levi, we’re all smiles as we look around for everyone else. At first, I don’t see them, until my eyes land on the little boy getting a piggyback ride from none other than Ally.
Quinn’s giggling as she holds her phone up with what I can only assume is music as Lucas wiggles around while Ally carries him. It’s cute as shit seeing them out there having fun together, laughing and being silly, dancing together with no cares in the world.
“Is that…Ally?” Levi says with disbelief in his voice. “Where’s the uptight viper we’re all used to.”
It’s true—that used to be what we all thought about Ally, but that’s definitely not the version of her I’ve been seeing lately.
Intriguing. Kind. Soft.
Those are the words that come to mind when I think about her since she walked through my front door that first day.
Yeah, she can be rigid, a little sassy sometimes.
Okay, a lot sassy, but that is definitely not a bad thing to me.
In fact, it’s the opposite. I like ’em a little sassy, someone who can give as good as she gets.
For all of that to be packaged up in this delicious forbidden fruit, it’s almost too much to handle.
I’m realizing now it’s too much to resist.
“It is,” I say proudly as we walk over.
“Is she…joking around with Lucas?” Asher says, disbelief lacing his tone as well.
At least they’re getting to see this side of her too.
“You guys act like you’ve never seen Ally smile before,” I say, shaking my head at the guys but refusing to take my eyes off them. Their joy is almost tangible—I can see the happiness reflecting back in Quinn’s eyes as she smiles at the two of them.
I like it. More than I should.
“I honestly don’t know that I have in a long fucking time, so forgive me for being shocked,” Levi says.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen her smile, especially not when she dated this dipshit,” Asher says, smacking Levi upside his head.
“Hey, fucker,” Levi grumbles as she shoves Asher back. “I was a nice man.”
“Just a shitty boyfriend?” I poke and he feigns disbelief. “I’m gonna go get my boy now.”
Turning away, I head towards Lucas and Ally, watching as they giggle at each other before Lucas notices me.
“Daddy! You did so good, Daddy!” he shouts, holding his arms out for me to grab him. Taking him from Ally, I lift him in my arms.
“Thanks, buddy! Did you have fun?!” I ask with a grin before looking over his shoulder at Ally, who’s watching us with a warm smile.
“I did! Miss Ally let me have cotton candy and M I’m always down for a good milkshake,” she says down to Lucas, a little smirk as she glances towards Quinn. It’s cute how much effort she’s putting into not looking at me, but at this point, I think she’s nervous, which is cute.
Turning back towards the guys and Quinn, who are all now in the middle of a separate conversation, I wave as we start to head out. “I’ll see you guys tomorrow at practice. We’re gonna get going.”
“Sounds good; have fun you three,” Asher says with a smirk, and I almost think I’m seeing things, but I’m pretty sure I see Levi and Quinn exchange a little glance that has me wondering what they’re all up to.
But that’s a problem for tomorrow. Right now, it’s time for me to get a strawberry milkshake.