Chapter 8
CARTER
Monday night, I leave my helmet on the bench and skate a few laps around the Vortex. The stands are nowhere near full—not yet— but there’s a good crowd just behind the glass, here to watch warmups before our game against the Denver Summit.
I look up into the stands to where players’ families usually sit and wonder if I’ll see Sarah tonight.
After our walk last night, we headed back to the house and spent the next two hours talking logistics. We came up with a timeline and discussed strategies regarding when and how we’ll share our relationship, first with the team and close friends, then on social media with everyone else.
Miles was thorough in his research about what immigration will look for and how long it will take to file an adjustment of status for Sarah’s visa.
As long as we get married before her current one expires, she’s free to stay in the country while her new status is processed, reviewed, and hopefully approved.
But that approval will be contingent on them believing our marriage is legit.
Which is why it’s so important that we’re living together, that we appear in public together, and that we know enough about each other to handle the interview questions with ease.
I already called the realtor Theo mentioned last week, and we’ve been to see a house I really like. She’s confident if I make an offer, we’ll be able to close quickly—especially if I’m paying cash, which is what I’d prefer.
Everything else we’ll knock out a little at a time as Sarah and I get to know each other. We’re getting together tomorrow night to take some pictures we can share on social media, but the point is to imply that even though we’re only now going public, we’ve been seeing each other for months.
Considering my very public career, I don’t think it’s a hard sell. As long as we get all the details right, I’m feeling pretty confident we can pull this off.
What we didn’t talk about is whether Sarah would come to tonight’s game. Even though we aren’t sharing anything explicit yet, we’re supposed to be focusing on the team and the Jaguars’ staff, teasing a relationship that exists, just not in the public eye.
I explained the situation to Theo, and he’s on board to help sell things to the team, to fuel the fire, so to speak. And of course, Miles will contribute too. But it seems like Sarah being here would also help matters, so I’m surprised it didn’t come up in our conversation.
For the rest of warmups, I find myself searching the stands, looking for any sign of Miles’s family. Sarah never shows, but that doesn’t necessarily mean she won’t be here. It’s still early.
Once we go public, it might seem weird if she doesn’t come, and the prospect makes a tiny swell of excitement rise in my chest.
I like the idea of Sarah watching me play.
On my right, Miles skates by, and we make eye contact. He gives me a nod, and I wonder if things will be different for us now. We’ve always had a solid relationship. But I’m going to be his brother-in-law. Sort of brother-in-law?
Surely, that will change things.
Once the game starts, I can’t afford to think about Sarah or wonder where she is.
My team needs my focus. Denver plays dirty, and they spend a lot of time in the penalty box.
Unfortunately, we go zero for four on the power play, so even though they give us every opportunity, we can’t seem to get ahead.
Two minutes before the end of regulation, we’re down one to two.
When Theo and I climb over the boards for our last shift, Holly is coming off the ice to the bench. We’ll play empty net so Miles can join our line as a sixth attacker.
I settle in, dialing up my focus even more. We can do this in two minutes. We’ve done it before.
The puck moves into our offensive zone, then gets trapped on the boards, but I fight it out and chip it over to Fly, who circles wide, then sends it back to me.
As the play shifts, I see a lane open up and make eye contact with Miles, who will have a clean shot if I can get him the puck.
It’s a clean pass, and Miles receives it easily before sending the puck soaring under the goalie’s elbow and into the net.
The goal horn sounds, and the crowd explodes as Miles throws himself into my arms, followed by Fly and Theo.
I pound Miles on the back, celebrating with him before he skates past the bench for his well-earned high fives.
Twenty seconds later, Fly scores a second time, giving us the lead right before the final horn sounds. That’s the game. We win three to two.
Miles looks into the stands, touching his glove to his heart once before pointing at his family.
I follow his gaze to see Anna standing at the glass, Olive perched on her hip and Poppy beside her.
I look behind them, around them, then up to where the families usually sit. But I don’t see Sarah anywhere.
I push away the twinge of disappointment this triggers. It’s been a long time since I’ve had anyone in the stands here just for me. That was the one good thing about my relationship with Veronica. She’d bring a whole cheering section. Posters. My face on homemade t-shirts.
It’s a shame her enthusiasm didn’t carry over to when I was off the ice.
“Second star tonight, Carter,” Dave, our communications director, says as I head down the tunnel. “And post-game interview with Avery on the bench.” I nod, then turn back toward the rink, stepping to the side so the rest of the guys can file past.
Theo claps me on the back on his way. “Way to get it, brother. I’ll see you back there,” he says, then he heads toward the locker room.
I wait beside Fly while the broadcasters announce the three stars of the game—the three players who, in their minds, had the greatest impact on the win.
Fly accepts the third star, skating onto the ice, then tossing a puck into the crowd for the cheering fans.
I do the same for the second star. The fans are loud as I lift my arm and wave, but tonight, it doesn’t feel as good as it usually does.
There’s a loneliness lurking right behind my ribs that’s making the cheers of people I don’t know feel shallow.
Usually, I’d head straight back to the locker room, but since I’m doing a post-game, I wait while Miles skates out and accepts the first star.
When he comes off the ice, he stops in front of me and makes eye contact. “Don’t freak out over the question,” he says. “We’re just planting seeds. Smile, then deflect. That’s all you have to do.”
Before I can ask for clarification, Miles heads down the tunnel, and Dave ushers me onto the bench, where one of the Jaguars’ broadcasters is waiting for me.
I have to wonder if Miles was talking about one of the questions I’m about to be asked live, in front of an arena full of people and broadcast to thousands at home. The thought makes my gut tighten with nerves.
Thankfully, Avery’s questions are predictable.
How do I feel about our power play? What went wrong?
Did it feel good to make up for it by feeding Miles such an incredible pass?
I give the answers she wants—accountability, focus, trusting the system—and I start to relax, thinking Miles must have been talking about something else.
But then Avery gives me a knowing smile.
“Just one more question,” she says. “It seems like you had great chemistry with Stone tonight. He’s such a force for the Jaguars, and he’s told me the two of you have a pretty close relationship off the ice as well.
What’s it like for you, as a younger player, to have this kind of relationship with a player of his caliber? ”
Okay, that’s a little more specific than what I’m used to, but it’s still on topic.
“Miles is a great captain,” I say. “It’s an honor to play with him and learn from him not just as a player, but also as a husband and a father. He’s a great guy all around.”
Avery smiles. “He also mentioned he’s been giving you a lot of marriage advice lately. Are you taking notes for any particular reason?”
“I’m sorry?”
Her smile falters. “Just wondering if we should expect an announcement from you in the coming weeks?”
My jaw tightens. So this is what Miles meant. Smile and deflect.
I channel Theo’s bravado and offer Avery what I hope is a convincing smile. “Did Miles put you up to that question? I’m going to go with no comment.” I add a wink at the end that feels much more like something my brother would do, and Avery laughs.
“Fair enough. Great game tonight, Carter. Thanks for chatting with us.”
I stop in the tunnel on my way to the locker room and take a deep breath.
This is exactly what we talked about last night. But it definitely feels a little more real now.
I have to appreciate how quickly Miles thought on his feet. He had no way of knowing how the game would go, that I would get a star or be asked to do a post-game interview. That he managed to feed information to Avery—probably while I was accepting my star—is impressive.
I find Miles in the locker room already half out of his gear. I give his shoulder a playful shove as I walk by. “Way to put me on the spot, man.”
He grins. “How did it go?”
I drop onto the bench at my stall, directly across from him. “I’m already regretting the nice things I said about you.”
“Wait, what’s happening?” Fly says. “Is there drama here? What did I miss?”
“No drama,” I say. “Just an annoying post-game question I’m pretty sure Miles put Avery up to asking me.”
“Dude. Is she asking what I think she’s asking?
” Theo says from the bench beside me. He has his phone out with the interview already playing.
He must have pulled up the live broadcast and tracked backward to find it.
He looks up and grins. “Look at Avery getting all personal. That’s not usually her style. ”
Fly moves in and looks over Theo’s shoulder. “What did she ask?”
Several other guys take an interest and crowd around Theo’s phone.